Power Screws

Prof. Shankar Krishnapillai

IITM
Power screws are mainly used for these purposes:

1. Mechanical Advantage (use small force to lift heavy loads)

2. Convert rotary motion to linear motion .
3. Additionally transmit power.

Examples of power screw is (a) Screw jack (b) Vice (c) Lathe lead-screw

carriage

Screw jack
Lead screw

Vice Feed rod

Lead screw and carriage

of lathes
 Basic screw jack
Load
W
Load must not
Collar W be put directly
Handle on the screw.

Power screw
pitch
Helix angle α
1. The screw is turned by a handle to lift
the weight. Only a small force is needed
Nut at the handle compared to the load W.

2. The load W, rests on a “collar” which

allows some relative motion with the
screw. Other wise the load has a
tendency to rotate with the screw.
How does MA occur in a screw?

W
Suppose we don’t use the screw.

The load W is directly lifted vertically.

H The effort required is equal to W, (MA=1). i.e.,
Effort=W There is no advantage.

Using the screw..

Using a screw thread is equivalent to
pushing the weight up a slope of helix
W angle α . Effort is only W sin(α).

If W=1000kgf, α=5O, we need to apply

H
only 87kgf to push it up the slope.
Helix angle α
BUT: it has to be pushed through a longer
distance H/sin(α) so that work done is the
Note: This is only an approximation
of the actual working of the screw . same.
 Forms of Screw Threads
The most widely used thread is the V thread (60O angle). This is mainly used in bolts
for fastening. It has high friction. Not used in power screws.
=outer dia
Basic Thread =mean of major and minor dia
Terminology =core or root dia

Pitch ‘p’

(600)

• Pitch is the distance between 2 adjacent peaks of the thread.

• Lead is the distance advanced by the screw in one revolution.
Multiple start screws
• If there is only one thread is cut, then Lead=pitch.
• Sometimes, 2 or 3 threads are cut in parallel, for load sharing. This is called
double start, triple start etc. In such a case, Lead = No.of starts x Pitch.
 Concept of multiple start screws:

(1) Single start screw: One single screw thread is cut.

Pitch ‘p’ also equal to Lead

(2) Double start screw: Here 2 threads (blue and red) are cut in parallel, each
thread interleaved with the other. Two threads share the load.

Pitch (dist between 2 adjacent threads, one red one blue)

Lead=distance advanced by the blue thread in one rev.

=distance advanced by the red thread in one rev.
=2p
 Power screws threads: Designed for Load carrying capacity.

d=major dia, dp= pitch diameter, dr or dc= root diameter or core diameter.
 Square threads, highest efficiency and eliminates any radial component of
force between screw and nut. It is more difficult to manufacture than others.
 Acme thread (Trapezoidal) has an included angle of 29◦ (14.5◦ + 14.5◦).
(Acme thread height may be 0.3p or 0.5p) . Stronger thread roots.
 Acme threads are common choice for power screws. Easy manufacture.
Analysis is more difficult.
 Buttress, only one direction load needs to be applied.
(We will mainly concentrate on square threads, as analysis is easier for them)
 Force (F) radial
Axial F
Load bearing Axial
area

Square thread ACME thread

ACME threads have more thickness at the root. Hence stronger.

But suffer from radial component, which is compressive, increases wear.
Radial component also makes equations difficult.
 Fine series (smaller pitch and helix angle,
for precision applications)

Square thread Normal series (most general purpose 

Strandard Types mechanical engineering applications: gears,
Lathe screw etc)
Coarse series (larger pitches, helix angle,
for rough applications like farm
machinery, heavy lifting devices)

We cannot chose any combination of pitch, nominal diameter, minor diameter.

Only some standard values are available in the market….
Note:
Very brief
table

The above shows very brief tables of Power screws, Square and Trapezoidal
(sufficient for problem solving).

Actual tables are more extensive.

Detailed tables of
Normal series of Power Screw.

This table shows upto 88mm

nominal diameter.

Gives extra details like minor dia,

core area, depth of teeth of screw.

It also gives the internal diameters

of the matching nut. These are
shown in capital letters (D).
The nut internal dia’s will be
0.5mm more than the screw
diameter.

The numbers without brackets

must be as first preference.
How to specify a thread?

Single start thread:

Multiple start thread:

Square thread, force analysis:
Pitch (p) ; Lead (l) ; Helix angle (α) ;
Nominal dia (d)= major dia;
Core dia (dc) = minor dia ;
Mean dia (dm) =pitch dia

Unwrap one thread (360O) at the

mean diameter dm, and we can
find the helix angle.

Dist. advanced in one rev Lead

tan( )  
 dm  dm
 Load W
Load bearing area P
of a screw thread (tangential force)
P
(tangential force
applied at mean
diameter)
dc

mean dia dm= (d+dc)/2

dm= mean dia =(d+dc)/2 From the above Fig, it is assumed

that force P is acting at a mean
diameter dm.
Mt = Torque to lift the load= P. dm/2
Lifting the load:

α=helix angle W α
Put ,   tan  (i.e angle of friction )

Horz. components : W (tan   tan  )

P
P   N cos   N sin  (1  tan  tan  )
Vertical. components : P  W tan(   )
W  N cos    N sin 
This gives:
W (   tan  ) Mt = Torque to lift the load
P ; = P. dm /2 = W tan(α+Φ) dm /2
(1   tan  )
 Lowering the load:

α W

It can be shown that , for lowering the load .

P  W tan(   )

Mt = Torque to lower the load

= P. dm /2 = W tan(Φ-α) dm /2
Self locking property of Power screws.
Self locking is a desirable property of power screws.

If screw is non-self locking the load will lower by itself, if we take our
hands off the handle. i.e when P=0.

In fact to prevent it from lowering, we have to apply a torque in the

opposite direction (negative P).

To prevent this, higher screw friction (μ) is needed.

For lowering the load .
P  W tan(   )

Borderline condition for self locking .

0  W tan(   )

ie.    (or friction angle  helix angle)

This is the condition for self locking .
 Sources of additional Friction in a power screw: Friction in the Collar

It is seen that due to rubbing friction

W between collar and seating, extra
resistance is caused.
Collar
μc= Collar Friction coeff.
Seating
Collar friction Torque as per uniform
( D1  D0 ) wear theory =
Dm 
2 Dm D  D1
Mean dia :
Tc  cW  cW 0
2 4
(There is another theory, uniform pressure theory,
which works only for new surfaces without wear.
cW We will not use that.)

D1
D0

Load bearing area of collar

 Collar friction reduction

 In certain applications, the collar is replaced by thrust ball bearing to reduce friction.
 The advantage of using thrust ball bearing at the collar is that the sliding friction is
replaced by rolling friction. The collar friction torque is neglected in these cases.
 Now, including collar friction effects….

Mt = Torque to lift the load + Frictional torque

= W tan(α+Φ) dm /2 + Tc

dm D  D1 Important formula to be used

M t  W tan(   )  cW 0
2 4 in problems

How to apply this torque?

In a screw jack, it is applied with a long handle.

Length of handle=L
Force required at handle (FH) can be calculated:
FH x Length of handle = Mt
screw
section
Note: Handle will further increase MA of the screw.
FH
Mt
Efficiency of Square Thread screw: (let us neglect collar friction )
Work done in 1 rev without any friction

Work done in 1 rev with screw friction
Note: Efficiency not to be confused
W tan(  0).( dm / 2)  2 tan( ) with Mechanical Advantage.
 
W tan(   ).( dm / 2)  2 tan(   )

1. Efficiency increases with helix angle,

and decrease with friction angle.
2. Usually helix angle is less than 10o.
3. With self locking conditions (    )
along with this, efficiency is usually less
than 50%.
Efficiency of Square Thread screw: With collar friction

Work done in 1 rev without any friction


Work done in 1 rev with screw friction + Collar friction

W tan( ).( d m / 2)

( D0  D1 )
W tan(   ).( d m / 2)  cW
4

This cannot be simplified any further

With collar friction, efficiency could drop down from 50% to 25% or even lower.
Torque to Raise/Lower the Load (ACME Thread)

For SquareThread

In case of ACME/trapezoidal Thread µ is replaced

with µ secθ

To raise

To Lower
Screw Materials
 The desirable properties of screw material are as follows:
(i) It should have sufficient strength to withstand high torsional and
shear stresses.
(ii) It should possess high wear resistance.
(iii) It should have good machinability.

 Screws are made of medium carbon steel such as 30C8, 40C8 and
45C8 or alloy steels like 40Cr1.
 The screws are case hardened, e.g., the lead screw of a lathe is case
hardened by the nitriding process.
 Nuts are usually made of softer material (phosphor bronze,
cast iron). The idea is to wear out the nut, but protect the screw
which is more expensive. Nut is short, and has only a pitches.
It is easier to replace than the entire screw.
Worked out examples on power screws:

Depending on the application, the direction of load W must be considered.

W
W

Screwjack Vice
(compressive) (compressive) Sluice gate lifting device
(tensile)
 Example-1 12kN
A vertical screw jack has a normal series sq. thread of
85mm nominal dia (single start).
It has to lift loads of 12kN. The collar has I.D and O.D of collar
collar is 80mm and 100mm where it rests on the seating.
seating
Coeff of friction of collar is 0.1. (μc)
Coeff of friction of screw part is 0.12. (μ)

Find: Nut
1) Check if self locking.
2) Torque to raise and lower the load. screw
3) Efficiencies with and without collar.
4 A handwheel of Dia D is to be designed to turn the screw.
Operator can exert 100N force maximum with each hand. Find D.
5) Mechanical advantage with and without handle.
6) What if double start screw is specified, instead of single start?
First look in the brief tables of Normal series square thread, and find pitch.

We find that, corresponding to 85mm nominal dia, the pitch is 12mm.

Also, from the screw thread geometry:

Nominal dia = 85mm

Minor root dia = Nominal dia – p= 85-12=73mm

Problems involving screws powered by motors:
Eg. Lathe carriage.

Load W
carriage bearing
Torque
Power screw
Motor
Rail

Here the moment Mt to move the load W is provided by the motor Torque (T).

Motor Power = (2 π N T) / 60

The load W is created by the cutting forces, and friction of screw.

Example -2

An electric motor drives a screw of p=6mm, nominal dia=40mm (this is not

a normal series screw).
Coeff of friction of screw is 0.1. The carriage has to be driven at 0.3m/min and
the maximum resisting force is estimated as 75 kN.

1. Estimate the power of the motor with and without screw friction.
2. Efficiency of screw.
Design of Power Screw and Nut:

The Power Screw and Nut are subjected to various stresses:

(a) Compressive or tensile
(b) Torsional Shear
(c) Shear at root of screw thread
(d) Bearing stresses

Also the Screw and Nut are made of different materials.

Screw - Tough, and hardened material for long life
Nut - Softer material (phosphor bronze, cast iron)
Stresses in Power Screw W

 The direct compressive stress

 The torsional shear stress

W
The above will create a combined stress situation.
dc
Core dia
part of
 The principal shear stress screw

Mt
All the above stresses must be ≤ Allowable stress/FS
Power Screw
Shear stress at thread root

Shear stress W
at root
“z” threads equally share
the load W

z? = Length of nut(H) /pitch H

dc
τs
t =pitch/2

Shearing area at root of one screw thread

Transverse shear stress at

the root of thread
Stresses in the nut have to be checked separately, as it is made
of different material than screw.

Nut is made of softer material. Hence max allowable stress is less than screw.

Nut has internal threads.

The Load W is eventually borne by the nut on its bearing surface.

The nut surface is subjected to bearing stress.

Load W assumed equally distributed

Section among all the threads.
of nut
 Stresses in the Nut
 Transverse shear stresses in the nut - same method as screw.
Under the action of the load W, the thread of the nut will tend to shear off at
the major diameter.
Shear stress
at root of nut d (major dia)

d
τn
t =pitch/2
dc
Shearing area at root of nut thread

The bearing pressure between the contacting d (major dia)

surfaces of the screw and the nut is
Sb = bearing pressure (N/mm2)
dc
Load bearing area
of nut

All the above stresses must be ≤ Allowable stress/FS

Power screw can fail in buckling due to W
compressive loads.
Power screw can be considered as a short column. Free
Hence Johnsons formula for short columns must be
used. Pcr is buckling load, Syt yield stress in tension.
Buckling
l
, and Pcr >>W

l = length of screw thread under stress + ½ length of nut.

(if nut length is known). Fixed
k = radius of gyration = (I/A)1/2 = 0.25 dc
n represents the end conditions of the screw: Nut
dc

In the figure, top of the screw is free and bottom is fixed;

thus n=0.25 This is the usual end condition of power screws.
How to design a power screw & nut?

Following is just a guideline. It may change in some problems.

1. Assume a power screw specification.
2. Check the compressive stress, torsional shear, and buckling stresses. If it is
lesser than the allowable material stresses proceed ahead.
3. Given the allowable bearing stress of nut, calculate no. of threads in nut.
4. Calculate teeth shearing stresses of nut and screw.
5. If exceeding the allowable stresses, increase the power screw size and
repeat 1-5.
 Example 3

400mm
40kN
(W)

A screw press has to exert a force of 40kN.

The effective unsupported length of screw can be taken as 400mm.
Screw has nominal dia =50mm, pitch=10mm; μ=0.13.
Screw:
Made of medium carbon steel:
Yield stress in tension =200 MPa.
Yield stress in shear =120 Mpa
Youngs Modulus =210 GPa
Nut:
Made of Cast iron. Allowable bearing stress =12 MPa
Yield stress in shear =20 Mpa
Check the F.S’s of the screw and nut for various stresses.
END