Power Screws

Power screws are designed to convert rotary motion to

linear motion and to exert the necessary force required
Power Screws to move a machine element along a desired path.

Lecture 27

Engineering 473
Machine Design

Types of Power Screws Types of Power Screws

(Continued)
Power Screws are classified by their threads.
Ball Screws
Square Thread ACME Thread

Recirculating Ball Screws

are generally preloaded to
give zero backlash.

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Recirculating Ball Screws Thread Pitch Diameter

(Example)

Pitch Diameter

A - Ball Screw
B – Linear Bearings Microcomputer Controlled X-Y Table
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1
 Lead and Threads/In Rotational to Linear
Motion Conversion
The lead or pitch of a thread is the distance that a Lead or Pitch– distance the nut
nut will travel if turned one complete revolution. moves parallel to the screw axis
when the screw is given one
The number of threads revolution. l
l
per inch can be related
to the lead or pitch Vf ≡ Feed Velocity
through the formula. D D
Vf
n=
1 l
n=
l [ min] = [rev ]
in
n ≡ threads per inch
=>
[in rev] min
l ≡ distance per thread

Positioning Resolution Positioning Resolution

Example
æ 1 ö l = 0.125 in
u = l ⋅θ⋅ç ÷
è 360 ø θ = 15 degrees Example
u ≡ axial displacement [in] l A ball screw has a lead of 0.125 in/rev.
l ≡ ball screw lead [in/rev] ( 360)
u = l ⋅θ⋅ 1
What is the distance that the nut will travel
if the screw is turned 15 degrees?
θ ≡ rotation angle [degrees]
D
æ 1 ö
ç ÷ ≡ converts revolutions u = (0.125 in ) ⋅ (15 degrees) ⋅ æç rev ö
è 360 ø è 360 degrees ÷ø
= 0.0052 in
to degrees é rev ù
êë degreesúû

Torque Required to Torque Required to

Move a Load Move a Load
F
l
tan θ =
πD p
P l = lead
F
Ff
θ
N
πD p P åF h = P − Ff cos θ - Nsin θ = 0

P ≡ Force needed to move load

Ff åF v = −F − Ff sin θ + Ncos θ = 0
T ≡ Torque needed to move load up N Ff = µN
Torque Equation
F ≡ Load to be moved
D p ≡ Pitch diameter PD p P − µNcos θ - Nsin θ = 0
T=
µ ≡ Coefficient of friction 2 − F − µNsin θ + Ncos θ = 0
N ≡ Normal Force
Ff ≡ Friction Force

2
 Torque Required to Torque Required to
Move a Load Move a Load
l
(Continued) tan θ =
πD p F
Torque to “Raise” Load
F P − µNcos θ - Nsin θ = 0
θ
P FD p æ l + µπD p ö
− F − µNsin θ + Ncos θ = 0 Ff ç ÷
θ Tu =
P N
2 çè πD p − µl ÷ø
Ff N=
F
cosθ (1 - µl πD p ) F
N Torque to “Lower” Load
æ l + µπD p ö
P = Fç ÷ θ
ç πD − µl ÷ P
Note that the force can be a è p ø
FD p æ µπD p − l ö
weight or an inertial load, F = mx Td = ç ÷
FD p æ l + µπD p ö Ff 2 çè πD p + µl ÷ø
T= ç ÷ N
2 çè πD p − µl ÷ø

Alternate Form of Adjustment for ACME

Equations Thread
Torque to “Raise” Load
l
tan θ = F cosφ
FD p æ tan θ + µ ö πD p
Tu = ç ÷
2 çè 1 − µ ⋅ tan θ ÷ø
F

FD p é cosφ ⋅ tanθ + µ ù
Torque to “Lower” Load Tu =
2 êë cosφ − µtanθ úû
FD p æ µ − tanθ ö
Td = ç ÷
2 çè 1 + µ ⋅ tanθ ÷ø
FD p é µ - cosφ ⋅ tanθ ù
Td =
2 êë cosφ + µtanθ úû

Efficiency of a Power Power Required to Drive a

Screw Power Screw
Torque required with zero friction
Efficiency =
Torque required with friction Tn P ≡ Horsepower
P= n ≡ rpm
63,000
FD p æ l + µπD p ö Fl T ≡ Torque [in - lb]
Tu = ç ÷=
2 çè πD p − µl ÷ø 2π
Either Tu or Td is used depending on
whether the load is being raised or lowered.
Fl
e=
2π ⋅ Tu

3
 Life of a Ball Screw Ball Screw Life Example

ØThe life of a ball screw 3

can be related to the load æ Rated Load ö
L 2 = çç ÷÷ × million inches
3
ratio using the same è P2 ø
L 2 æ P1 ö equation used for ball
=ç ÷
L1 çè P2 ÷ø bearings.
P2 = 2 × rated load, L 2 = 0.125 million inches of travel
3
ØManufacturers usually
æ Rated Load ö report the rated load that
L 2 = çç ÷÷ × million inches P2 = 1 2 × rated load, L 2 = 8 million inches of travel
è P2 ø a given screw can exert
for 1 million inches of
cumulative travel.

Tensile Stress Area Standards

The average axial stress in a power screw is Acme Threads – ANSI B1.5, 1973
computed using a “tensile stress area”.
Buttress Threads – ANSI B1.9-1973
F F ≡ Load to be moved
σ ave =
At D r ≡ Root Diameter
2 D p ≡ Pitch Diameter
π é Dr + Dp ù
At = A t ≡ Tensile Stress Area
4 êë 2 úû
σ ave ≡ Average axial stress

Tests of threaded rods have shown that an unthreaded rod having a

diameter equal to the mean of the pitch diameter and the minor diameter
will have the same tensile strength as the threaded rod.

Preferred ACME Screw Assignment

Thread Sizes
Problem 1 – A single-threaded 25-mm power screw is 25
mm in diameter with a pitch of 5 mm. A vertical load on
the screw reaches a maximum of 6 kN. The coefficients of
friction are 0.05 for the collar and 0.08 for the threads. The
frictional diameter of the collar is 40 mm. Find the overall
efficiency and the torque to “raise” the load.

4
 Assignment Assignment
(Continued) (Continued)
The press shown in the figure is rated at
5,000 lb.. The twin screws have ACME
The machine shown in the threads, a diameter of 3 in, and a pitch of
figure can be used for a ½ in. Coefficients of friction are 0.05 for
tension test but not for a the threads and 0.06 for the collar
compression test. Why? bearings. Collar diameters are 5 in. The
Do both screws have the gears have an efficiency of 95 percent
same hand? and a speed ratio of 75:1. A slip clutch,
on the motor shaft, prevents overloading.
The full-load motor speed is 1720
rev/min. (a) How fast will the press head
move when the motor is operating? (b)
What should be the horsepower rating of
the motor.