Novel design brings ballscrews up to date
A
Jena Rotary Technology product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Aug 14, 2008
Jena Rotary Technology has designed a ballscrew to meet the demands of modern machine tool controls.
Ballscrews have become an integral part in modern machine tools thanks to their positional accuracy, load bearing characteristics and low friction when compared with lead screws.
However little has changed in design since the first use of the ballscrew in machine tools some decades ago.
A common misconception is that to improve a ballscrew all that is necessary is to improve lead accuracy.
Although improvement in lead accuracy is important, there are many areas in which design improvements can have significant impact on overall machine performance.
Therefore, the ballscrew cannot be considered in isolation but as one element influencing servo loop performance.
In developing the new XLF range of ballscrews, Jena Rotary Technology recognised the importance of the ballscrew in servo loop performance, and designed a ballscrew to meet the demands of modern machine tool controls.
One important factor to consider is reversal error, (reversal error occurs when lost motion is apparent during change of rotational direction in the ball screw) which can affect positioning and surface finish in the workpiece.
The reaction of the mechanical elements in a system can have a significant effect on reversal error.
The novel design of the XLF has produced a ballscrew with extremely low coefficient of friction but retaining high system rigidity and eliminating reversal error.
Thanks to the design and materials used, it has also been possible to reduce the preload in the ball nut while retaining rigidity.
Ballscrew life and wear accuracy have also been significantly improved; the ballscrew is also extremely quiet compared with traditional designs.
Another benefit is thermal stability of the assembly due to the reduced preload, improved rigidity and low coefficient of friction, producing a ballscrew with extraordinarily low levels of heat generation.
These improvements have been achieved using hybrid materials and changes in the design of the raceway profile in the ballscrew and the ball nut, the changes are not noticeable to the eye with the exception of the blue/grey appearance of the ball screw, and the reduced preload and super smooth run can be felt when the ball nut is turned by hand.
Clearly these benefits are not restricted to the machine tool industry; any applications where high accuracy, extended life and low levels of noise are required would benefit from the advantages the XLF range ballscrews offer.
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