ball screw

Reprint of Danielle Collins post, Linear Motion Tips, on Friday, December 11, 2015

As an integral part of industrial machines and processes, ball screw assemblies often operate in environments with elevated temperatures. Heat can be generated by other mechanical and electrical components in the machine, and in some cases, is a byproduct of the process itself. And, like other motion products with sliding or rolling friction, ball screws generate heat of their own as they run. This heat, and especially the change in temperature that occurs over time, can have a detrimental influence on the screw’s function. But there are ways to mitigate heat and reduce its effect on life and accuracy.

Operating temperature recommendations for ball screw assemblies vary among manufacturers, but the typical upper limit for the most common ball screws is 80° C for short, instantaneous exposure, and 50° C for continuous duty. For standard annealed screws, a temperature over 100° C can cause a decrease in tensile...

Reprint of a December 2, 2014 Design World White Paper by Danielle Collins

While ironless linear motors have been used in semiconductor and electronic applications for more than a decade, they are still viewed by many designers and OEMs as “niche” products.  But the perception of linear motors as a costly solution for unique applications is slowly changing, as more industries are adopting them as replacements for ball screws in packaging, assembly, and part loading applications.  And while the cost of linear motor technology has dropped over the past decade, the choice between a linear motor and a ball screw must take into account both the application’s performance requirements and the total cost of ownership over the life of the machine or system.  Below are some of the key parameters to consider when comparing and choosing between ball screws and linear motors…
Click on the link below to view this entire White Paper.
https://www.designworldonline.com/linear-motor-vs-ball-screw/#_...

The ball screw drive is an assembly that converts rotary motion to linear motion and vice versa.  The ball screw drive consists of a ball screw and a ball nut with recirculating ball bearings. 

The connection between the screw and the nut is made by ball bearings that roll in the matching forms in the screw and ball nut.  The forces transmitted are distributed over a large number of ball bearings, giving a comparatively low relative load per ball.  With rolling elements the ball screw drive has a very low friction coefficient. 

Ball screw drives typically provide mechanical efficiency of greater than 90% so their higher initial cost is often offset by reduced power requirements.

Download this complete White Paper.

Reprint of Thomson Industries, Inc. Article by Jeff G. Johnson