Linear Motion Elements

17-1 Engineers utilize a variety of components to move components in a straight line:

Power Screws Linear Slides Gantry Tables

Ball Screws X-Y-Z Tables Rack-and-Pinion Sets

Jacks Fluid Power Cylinders

This lecture will focus on the specification/design of power screws & ball screws.
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 Power Screws
17-2
Power Screws convert rotary motion to linear motion, exerting sufficient loading to
move a machine component as desired.
Power screws use the classic principle of a screw and mating nut.

Either the screw rotates and the nut Or the screw rotates, the nut is
(prevented from rotating) translates, fixed, and the rotating screw
translates.

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 Power Screw Threads

Three types of power screw threads: Threads/Inch = n

Axial Pitch = p (= 1/n)
Square thread Acme: φ = 14.5◦ Metric Trapezoidal: φ = 15.0◦

Buttress thread, for loading mostly in

one direction

Acme thread & Metric trapezoidal

thread, easier to machine but
somewhat less efficient

taken from: http://www.engineeringessentials.com/ege/fast/fast page3.htm

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Preferred Acme Screw Threads

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Preferred Acme Screw Threads

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Selected Metric Trapezoidal Screw Threads

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Selected Metric Trapezoidal Screw Threads

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 Power Screw Thread Stresses

Tensile/Compressive Failure

Faxial
σ=
Tensile Stress Area

Use the Tensile Stress Area (At ) from Tables 17-1,-1M or Equation 17-1.
For a more conservative (larger) σactual calculate area using minor diameter (Dr ).

Shear Failure
Faxial
τ=
Shear Stress Area

Use the Shear Stress Area (As ) from Tables 17-1.

It is based upon 1.0-inch of axial thread engagement.
Proportionally scale area up or down for other thread engagement lengths.

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 Torque Required to Move a Load on Square Thread
The design engineer needs to know the relationship between the power screw’s applied
torque (Tapplied ) and axial load (F ).
The power screw loading can be modeled as the thread forces on an inclined plane.
As with a worm in gearing, the lead (L) is the axial movement in one nut rotation.
The input force (P) pushes the load (F ) at the thread diameter (Dp ): Tapplied = P · (Dp /2)
Friction (Ff ) always opposes movement.
Movement against F (up) is opposite movement with F (down) - note friction.

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 Torque Required to Move a Load on Square Thread
From an equilibrium analysis, the torque (square thread) to move against the load
(up):
F · Dp h π · f · Dp + L i
Tup = · Equation 17-2
2 π · Dp − f · L
From an equilibrium analysis, the torque (square thread) to move with the load
(down):
F · Dp h π · f · Dp − L i
Tdown = · Equation 17-4
2 π · Dp + f · L
In terms of λ, the torque (square thread) to move against the load (up):
F · Dp h tanλ + f i
Tup = · Equation 17-8
2 1 − f · tanλ
In terms of λ, the torque (square thread) to move with the load (down):
F · Dp h −tanλ + f i
Tdown = · Equation 17-9
2 1 + f · tanλ

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 Power Screw - Acme Threads

The Acme thread taper has a thread angle (φ) of 14.5◦ .

The similar trapezoidal metric thread has a thread angle (φ) of 15.0◦ .
In analyzing this thread, the normal tooth force becomes F/cos φ, affecting torque
and thus power.

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 Torque Required to Move a Load on Acme Thread

In terms of λ, the torque (Acme thread) to move against the load (up):

F · Dp h cosφ · tanλ + f i
Tup = · Equation 17-10
2 cosφ − f · tanλ

In terms of λ, the torque (Acme thread) to move with the load (down):

F · Dp h −cosφ · tanλ + f i
Tdown = · Equation 17-11
2 cosφ + f · tanλ

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 Power Screw - Friction and Self-Locking
For all power screw threads, an applied torque with values between Tup and Tdown
will not move the load up or down.
Friction (along with any applied torque) keeps the load in static equilibrium:

Tup > Tstatic > Tdown

For self-locking power screws, Tup and Tdown will have opposite directions.
On well lubricated, steel threads, the typical coefficient of friction: f ∼ 0.15
If the screw or nut rotates & pushes against a non-rotating load surface, that frictional
torque adds to the required torque (Many jacks include a thrust bearing).
If f > tanλ then the load will not move, without an applied torque: ’self-locking’.
For f = 0.15, the lead angle λ = 8.5◦
Most single-thread power screws (λ′ s < 7◦ ) are self-locking.

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 Power Screw - Efficiency

Efficiency is usually expressed as output per input.

For power screws, efficiency (e) reflects the frictional loss (motion against the load)
by comparing the actual input torque (Tu ) to the ideal, frictionless torque

F ·L
T′ =
2ω

T′ F ·L
epower −screw = = Equation 17-7
Tu 2πTu

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 Power Screws - Multiple [Start] Threads

A double or triple thread:

Increases the lead angle (λ).
Decreases likelihood of self-locking.
Increases torque required to move against the load (decreases ’mechanical
advantage’).
Increases power screw efficiency (e):
From 20 %-30 % (single-start threads)
To 30 %-70 %

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 Ball Screws
17-3 A double or triple thread:
Ball screws replace the sliding friction of power screws with the very low rolling friction of balls.
The balls recirculate/return axially in the ’ball nut’ through an ’external’ return tube.
The loads transfer from the ball screw surface to the balls & then to the ball nut.
The loads, stresses and life for ball screws are similar to those in rotary ball bearings.
Usually ball screw manufacturers provide load ratings for L10 (10 % failure) ’travel life’ (in distance) that can
be used with:
L2  P 3
1
= Equation 17-12
L1 P2

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 Ball Screw - Loads and Life
Ball screw performance data are also provided in graphical references, such as:

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 Ball Screw - Efficiency
As with power screws, efficiency is:
F ·L
eball−screw = Equation 17-7
2 · π · Tu
Ball screw efficiencies are very highusually assumed to be 90 %.
Thus, ball screws are never self-locking.
This low friction enables the engineer to apply an axial force on the ball nut that
rotates the ball screw. Creating a torque in this manner is known as ’backdriving’.
If ball screw efficiency (e) is assumed to be 90 %, then the torque necessary to move
against F (up) is:
F ·L
Tu = = 0,177FL Equation 17-13
2πe
And possible backdriving torque would be:
F ·L·e
Tb = = 0,143FL Equation 17-14
2π
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 Power Screw and Ball Screw - Application Parameters

The engineer must consider the following application parameters in the design of power
screws and ball screws:
Axial loads (F), dynamic and static
Rotational speed
End supports of screw or ball screw
Length of screw or ball screw
Expected Life
Environment

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 Power Screw and Ball Screw - Application Considerations
17-4

The engineer must also consider that:

Each deformable/flexible body has a natural (’critical’) vibration frequency.
Long ball screws rotating at high speeds tend to vibrate and/or whip - particularly at
speeds (n) near the critical frequency.
The engineer designs the screw to have a critical speed:
nc > 1,25 · n (or limit shaft speed: n < 0,80 · nc ).

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 Power Screw and Ball Screw - Application Considerations

Critical speed (nc ) estimate for steel ball screws:

4,76 · 106 · d · Ks
nc = Equation 17-15
SF · L2
where,
d = minor diameter of screw
Ks = end support/fixity factor (see text)
SF = safety factor (see text)
L = screw length between supports

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 Power Screw and Ball Screw - Application Considerations

Critical speed (nc ) estimate for steel ball screws:

4,76 · 106 · d · Ks
nc = Equation 17-15
SF · L2
The engineer often must increase the natural bending frequency of the shaft to ensure
nc > 1,25 · n
Shorten the distance between supports
Increase rigidity/fixity of screw supports
Increase minor diameter of screw

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 Power Screw and Ball Screw - Application Considerations

The engineer must also:

Analyze the screws of ball screws for potential buckling under compression.
Use the Euler formula (Eq. 6-5,-6) for long screws.
Use the Johnson formula (Eq. 6-7) for shorter screws.
But, see Section 17-4 for Ks values.
Note: ball screw manufacturers provide compressive loading data.

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 Power Screw and Ball Screw - Application Considerations

The engineer reviews materials:

Power screws: carbon or alloy steels; stainless steel (corrosive environments).
Power screw nuts: steels with grease (lower speeds/loads) or lubricated bronze
(higher speeds/loads) or plastics (very light loads).
Ball screws: carbon or alloy steels; threads are rolled & induction-heated.
Ball nuts: alloy steel, case-hardened by carburizing.

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 Design of Machine Elements
Daniel Akamine
Universidad de Ingenierı́a y Tecnologı́a

Unless otherwise indicated, all commercial images

were reproduced from the required course tetbook:
Machine Elements in Mechanical Design, 5th Ed.
Robert L. Mott
Copyright 2014; Pearson, Inc.

prepared with aid of Brian Alenskis, Purdue University

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