CHAPTER LINEAR MOTION ELEMENTS The Big Picture You Are the Designer 17-1. Objectives of This Chapter 17-2 Power Screws 17-3 Ball Screws 17-4 Discussion Map 1 Many kinds of mechanical devices produce linear motion for machines such s automation equipment, packaging systems, and machine ook, Power sere, jacks, and bal screws are designed to convert, totaty mation to linear motion and to exert the necessary force tomove a machine element along a desired path They use the principle ofa screw tead and its mating out. A common requirement in mechanical design is t0 move components in a straight line. Elevators move vertically up or down. Machine tools move cut- ting tools or parts to be machined in straight lines, either horizontally or vertically, to shape metal into desired forms. A precision measuring device moves 2 probe in straight lines to determine electronically the dimensions of a part. Assembly machines require many straight-line motions to insert components and to fasten them together. A packaging machine moves products into cartons, closes flaps, and seals the cartons. Some examples of components and systems that facilitate linear motion are as follows: Power screws Jacks Linear actuators Ball bushings Linear solenoids X-¥-Z tables Ball screws Linear slides Positioning stages Fluid power cylinders Rack-and:-pinion sets Gantry tables Application Considerations for Power Screws and Ball Screws E> CTRL Linear Motion Elements Discover Visita machine shop and see if you ean identity power screws, ball screws, or other linear motion devices. Lookin particular atthe lathes and the miling machines. Manual ‘machines likely use power screws. Thase using cmputer ‘numerical con! should have bal screws. Describe the shape of the theeads. How are the screws powered? How are ‘they fastened to other machine pats? ‘Can you find other equpment that uses linear motion devices? Lookin laboratories where materials are lsted or here large forces must be generate. “Tis chapter wil ela you lar to analze power screws and bal Screw crives anc to specity suitable size fora given appleation. Figure 17-I(a) shows a cutaway view of 2 jack that employs a power screw to produce linear motion. Power is delivered to the input shaft by an, electric motor. ‘The worm, machined integral with, the input shaft, drives the wormgear, resulting in a reduction in the speed of rotation. ‘The inside of the wormgear has machined threads that engage the external threads of the power screw, driving it verti- cally. Figure 17~1(b) shows the complete screw jack with its integral housing that constitutes the linear motion system. Limit switches, position sensors, and programmable logic controllers can be used to con- trol the motion cycle. See Internet site 6. Other types of linear actuators can be seen on Internet sites 1-14. Rack-and-pinion sets are discussed in Chapter 8. Fluid power actuators employ oil hydraulic or pneu- matic fluid pressure to extend or retract a piston rod. within a cylinder as discussed in textbooks on fluid power. Positioning stages, X-Y-Z tables, and gantry tables typically are driven by precision stepper motors fr servomechanisms that allow precision location of eat642 PART THREE Design Details and Other Machine Elements oar set iting sew “Thrust bearings components anywhere within their control volume: Linear solenoids are devices that cause a rodlike core to be extended or retracted as power is supplied to an electrical coil, producing rapid movement over small distances. Applications are seen in office eq ‘ment, automation devices, and packaging systems. See Internet site I Linear slides and ball bushings are designed to guide mechanical components along a precise linear track, Low-friction materials or rolling contact ele- ments are used to produce smooth motion with low power required. See Internet sites 1, 3, 5-9, and 15, Power screws and ball screws are designed to convert rotary motion to linear motion and to exert the necessary force to move a machine element along a desired path, Power screws operate on the classic principle of the screw thread and its mat- ing nut. If the screw is supported in bearings and rotated while the nut is restrained from rotating, the nut will translate along the screw. If the nut is made an integral part of a machine, for example, the tool holder for a lathe, the screw will drive the tool holder along the bed of the machine to take a cut. Conversely, if the nut is supported while itis rotat- ing, the screw can be made to translate. ‘The screw jack uses this approach. A ball screw is similar in function to a power screw, but the configuration is different. The nut contains many small, spherical balls that make roll- ing contact with the threads of the screw, giving low friction and high efficiencies when compared with power screws. Modern machine tools, automation equipment, vehicle steering systems, and actuators (0) Catswy view sowing worm, wormgsar, power sew and bearing (by Bema view of wormgear type linear actuator FIGURE 17-1 Example of wormgear type lincar actuator (Joyce/Dayton Corp,); (sce Internet site 6) on aircraft use ball screws for high precision, fast response, and smooth operation. Visit a machine shop where there are metal- cutting machine tools. Look for examples of power screws that convert rotary motion to linear motion. “They are likely to be on manual lathes moving the tool holder. Or look at the table drive for a mill- ing machine. Inspect the form of the threads of the power screw. Are they of a form similar to that of a screw thread with sloped sides? Or are the sides of the threads straight? Compare the screw threads with, those shown in Figure 17-2 for square, Acme, and, buttress forms. While in the shop, do you see any type of mate- rial-testing equipment or a device called an arbor press that exerts large axial forces? Such machines often, employ square-thread power screws to produce the axial force and motion from rotational input, through, either a hand crank or an electric motor drive. If they are not in the machine shop, look for them in the metallurgy lab or another room where materials test ing is done, Now look further in the machine shop. Are there machines that use digital readouts to indi- cate position of the table or the tool? Are there computer numerical control machine tools? Any of these types of machines should have ball screws rather than the traditional power screws because ball screws require significantly less power and torque to drive them against a given load. They can also be moved faster and positioned more accu- rately than power screws. You may or may not be able to sce the recirculating balls in the nut of theCHAPTER SEVENTEEN Linear Motion Elements 643 ve () Square tead FIGURE 17-2. Three forms of power screw threads power screw, as illustrated in Figure 17-3. But you should be able to see the different-shaped threads ooking like grooves with circular bottoms in which the spherical balls roll. ecu ube Bearing balls > Balleat FIGURE 17-3. Ball bearing screw GREW +8 THe vesicner You ate a member ofa plant engineering team fora arg stel processing slant, One ofthe furnaces Inthe plant in which steel is heated prior to final heat treatment i installed beneath the floor, and the large ingots are lowered vertically into, Wile he ingots fare soaking in the furnace, a lorge, hesny hatch is placed over the ‘opening to minimize the escape af heat and provide mare uniform temperature. The natch weighs 25.000 Ib You are asked to design a sytem that will permit the hatch to be raises atleast 15 in above the floor within 12.0 s anc to lower it again within 12.0 What design concept would you propose? OF course, there are ‘many feasible conceots, but suppose thal you proposed a sytem Tke that sketched in Figure 178, An overhead support structure 7 [ee o% + “Pea (0) Acme toad (el ANSTBIS-1973) p= piteh ( Botess ead (Ret ANSTIS-19T) Have you seen such power screws or ball screws anywhere outside a machine shop? Some garage door openers employ a screw drive, but others use chain drives. Pethaps your home has a screw jack or a stis- sors jack for raising the car to change a tire, Both tase power screws. Have you ever sat in a scat on an airplane where you can see the mechanisms that actu- ate the flaps on the rear edge of the wings? ‘ry it sometime, and observe the actuators during takeoff or landing, It is likely that you will see a ball screw in action, ‘This chapter will help you learn the methods of analyzing the performance of power screws and ball screws and to specify the proper size for a given application. _> is suggested on which @ wormiwotmgear srive system would be ‘mounted. One shaft woule be driven cirecty by the gear deve while 8 second shaft would be driven simuaneously by a chain drve. The shaft are power screws, supported in bearings atthe top ang bottom. A yoke is connected tothe hatch and is mounted on the serens with the nuts tat mate with the screw integral with te yoke ‘Therefore, asthe screw rotates, the nuts cary the yoke and the hatch vertically upward or downward [A the designer ofthe hatch lit sytem, you must make several decisions, What sze screw ' equire to ensure that an safely raise the 25 000-Ib hatch? Notice thatthe screws axe placed in tension as they are supzorted onthe collars on ‘the upper suppor system, What diameter, threac type, and thread644_ PART THREE Design Details and Other Machine Elements Wormer dive ‘Worm chain drive Racial bearing (0) Pietra view ‘Thus esting Moving yoke (@) Section view though the contr ofthe Acme serows FIGURE 17-4 An Acme screw-driven system for raising a hatch size should be used? The suetch suggests the Acme thread form, What other sles are available? At what =peed must the screws be rotated 10 aise the hatch in 12.0 sor less? How "uch power is require to ctve the screws? What safety concerns exist while the system is hancting this heavy load? 17-1 OBJECTIVES OF THIS CHAPTER After completing this chapter, you will be able to: 1. Deseribe the operation of a power screw and the general form of square threads, Acme threads, and buttress threads as they are applied to power screws. 2. Compate the torque that must be applied to a power serew to raise oF lower a load, - Compute the efficiency of power screws. | Compute the power required to drive a power screw. 5. Deseribe the design of a ball screw and its mating nut. Specify suitable ball screws for a given set of require ments of load, speed, and life 7. Compute the torque required to drive a ball screw, and compute its efficiency. 17-2 POWER SCREWS Figure 17-2 shows three types of power screw threads: the square thread, the Acme thread, and the buttress thread. Of these, the square and buttress threads are the most efficient. That is, they require the least torque to What aevantage would there be to using 2 all screw rather than @ power screw? The material in this chapter will help you make these decisions, along with providing methods of computing stresses, torques, and efficiencies. move a given load along the screw. However, the Acme thread 1s not greatly less efficient, and it is easier to machine. The buttress thread is desirable when force is to be transmitted in only one direction, Table 17—1 gives the preferred combinations of basic major diameter, D, and number of threads per inch, 7, for Acme screw threads in U.S, units, The pitch, p, is the distance from a point on one thread to the corresponding point on the adjacent thread, and p = In. More data for power screws can be found in References 1 and 4, ‘Other pertinent dimensions listed in Table 17-1 include the minimum minor diameter and the minimum pitch diameter of a screw with an external thread. When you are performing stress analyses on the screw, the saf- est approach is to compute the arca corresponding to the minor diameter for tensile or compressive stresses. Hlow- ever, a more accurate stress computation results from using the tensile stress area (listed in Table 17-1), found from © Tensile Stress Area for Screw Threads a2 A= 7) (7-1) This is the area corresponding to the average of the minor (or root) diameter, D,, and the pitch diameter, DyCHAPTER SEVENTEEN Linear Motion Elements 645 een ec eee Nominal major ‘Threads Minimum miner Minimum pitch Tensile stress__Shear stress diameter, DG) per iny 2 ameter, (in) diameter, Dy (in)___area, Ai?) area, Ay i?)® ua 16 i618 02083 0.02632 03385 a6 “ 2140 02614 0.044 38 434s 38 12 0.2632 aie) 06s 29 05276 ms 2 0.3283 oa7e3 0.09720 0.6396 we 10 0.3594 0.4306 0.1225 o727e se 8 0.4870 05408 0.1985 ogi80 la 6 osa71 0.6428 02732 1084 78 6 0.6515 07683 0.4008 1313 1 5 0.7508 08726 08175 1.483 1 5 8783 0.967 0.8881 1722 iy 5 os988 11210 o.sa31 1982 re 4 Lona 12ise 1.030 2110 uy 4 1.1985) 13079) 1.768 2341 uy 4 1.886 15916 181 2.803 2 4 15948, 1.8402 2.58 3.252 ah 3 13572 2.0450 2.982 3510 2b 3 2.1065 2.2938 3.802 4075 2 3 2.3558 25027 am 2538 3 2 2.4926 2.7044 5.181 ars Fy 2 29314 3.2026 7:88 5.700 4 2 3.4302 3.7008 9.985 5.540 4 2 39701 4.1981 977 717 5 2 4.4281 46973 16.351 gsi *Perinch of tenth of engagement. The data reflect the minimums for commercially avail- able screws. Another failure mode for a power screw is the shear- ing of the threads in the axial direction, cutting them away from the main shaft near the pitch diameter. The shear stress is computed from the direct stress formula, FA, The shear stress area, A, listed in Table 17-1 is also found in published data and represents the area in shear approximately at the pitch line of the threads for a 1.0-in length of engagement. Other lengths would require that the arca be modified by the ratio of the actual length to 1.0 in. Metric Power Screws Metric power screws use a trapezoidal thread system that is similar to the Acme thread, but with slightly dif- ferent thread form and made to metric dimensions. One notable difference between the Acme and ISO trapezoi- dal metric thread is that the angle # = 15° instead of, 141° shown for the Acme design in Figure 17-2(b) Table 171M shows a selected list of sizes from the larger list of ISO trapezoidal screws. Each of these is a single-thread design. Many more diameters and pitches are available, along with many other styles with two oF more threads that produce longer leads that are mul- Torque Required to Move a Load When using a power screw to exert a force, as with a jack raising a load, you need to know how much torque must be applied to the nut of the screw to move the load. The parameters involved are the force to be moved, F; the size of the screw, as indicated by its pitch diameter, ‘Djs the lead of the screw, L; and the coefficient of frie~ tion, f. Note that the lead is defined as the axial distance that the screw would move in one complete revolution, For the usual case of a single-threaded screw, the lead is equal to the pitch and can be read from Table 17-1 for computed from I. = p = Wn for U.S. Acme Designs.646__ PART THREE Design Details and Other Machine Elements BLE 17-1M__ Examples of Power Screws with Metric Trapezoidal Screw Thread 150 thread system—Ertermal threads Major diameter, Pitch ciameter, Minor diameter, Tensile stress Damm) 2, (mm) Det area (nn?) 2 728 62, 3652 10 90 75 5346 2 105 a5 7088 “ 125 105 1038 16 145. 128 14a. 20 180 155 2204 2 198 168 Pons 2 215 135 3142 28 255 225 452.4 30 270 230 4909 2 290 0 7548 35 330 290 7508 40 265 220 e213 46 a0 370 1225 50 460 410 1486 55 505 450 1791 50 555 500 2185 0 10 650 590 3019 8 10 750 59.0 4072 0 12 0 710 5080 100 2 ono 370 6833 120 “ 1130 1040 9206 125 a 1220 1090 10.47 In the development of Equation (17-2) for the torque an Acme thread is slightly different from this due to the required to turn the screw, Figure 17-S(a), which depicts thread angle. The revised equation for the Acme thread a load being pushed up an inclined plane against a fric- will be shown later. tion force, is used. This is a reasonable representation ‘The torque computed from Equation (17-2) is called. for a square thread if you think of the thread as being Zz, implying that the force is applied to move a load up ‘unwrapped from the screw and laid flat. The torque for the plane, that is, to raise the load. This observation is Parse required 10 move the load Ni = Nornual force A > Lead angie F- Loasionemoses Pa upthe plane (Fos Thicad ceeserted down the plane FIGURE 17-5. Screw thread force analysisCHAPTER SEVENTEEN Linear Motion Elements 647 completely appropriate if the load is raised vertically, as with a jack. If, however, the load is horizontal or at some angle, Equation (17-2) is still valid ifthe load is to be advanced along the screw “up the thread.” Equation (17-4) shows the required torque, Tz, to lower a load or move a load “down the thread.” “The torque to move a load up the thread is, © Torque Required to Move a Load Up a Power Screw with a Square Thread Bayh + mfDy} 2 lad, — FL) (7-2) This equation accounts for the force required to over- come friction between the sere to the force required just to move the load. If the serew or the nut bears against a stationary surface while rotat- ing, there will be an additional friction torque devel- ‘oped at that surface, For this reason, many jacks and similar devices incorporate antifriction bearings at such points The coefficient of friction for use in Equation (17-2) depends on the materials used and the manner of lubri- cating the screw. For well-lubricated steel serews acting in steel nuts, f = 0.15 should be conservative. ‘An important factor in the analysis for torque is the angle of inclination of the plane. In a screw thread, the angle of inclination is referred to as the lead angle, A. It is the angle between the tangent to the helix of the thread and the plane transverse be seen from Figure 17-5 that and the nut in addition \e axis of the screw: It ean tan A= Li(aD,) (17) where mDp = circumference of the pitch line of the screw. ‘Then if the rotation of the screw tends to raise the load (move it up the incline), the friction force opposes the motion and acts down the plane. Conversely, if the rotation of the screw tends to lower the load, the friction force will act up the plane, as shown in Figure 17-5(b). The torque analysis changes, producing Equation (17-4): © Torque Required to Lower a Load Down a Power Screw with a Square Thread (a7) ne Pe fe =1) => 2 wD, =7L If the screw thread is steep (i.e., if it has a high lead angle), the friction force may not be able to overcome the tendency for the load to “slide” down the plane, and the load will fall due to gravity. In most cases for power screws with single threads, however, the lead angle is rather small, and the friction force is large enough to oppose the load and keep it from sliding down the plane. Such a screw is called self-locking, a desirable characteristic for jacks and similar devices. Quantitatively, the condition that must be met for self locking is f>tand (17-5) ‘The coefficient of friction must be greater than the tan- gent of the lead angle, For f = 0.15, the correspond- ing value of the lead angle is 8.5°. For f = 0.1, for very smooth, well-ubricated surfaces, the lead angle for self locking is 5.7*, Te lead angles for the screw designs listed in Table 17-1 range from 1.94* to 5.S7°. Thus, it is expected that all would be self-locking. However, operation under vibration should be avoided, as this may still cause movement of the screw. Efficiency of a Power Screw Efficiency for the transmission of a force by a power screw can be expressed as the ratio of the torque required to move the load without friction to that with friction. Equa- tion (17-2) gives the torque required with friction, Ty Letting f = 0, the torque required without friction, T”, is ,_FDp L _ FL TaD, tm (17-6) Then the efficiency, e, is © Efficiency ofa Power Screw eek (17-7) i Inky Alternate Forms of the Torque Equations Equations (17-2) and (17-4) can be expressed in terms of the lead angle, rather than the lead and the pitch diameter, by noting the relationship in Equation (17-3). With this, substitution, the torque required to move the load would be © Torque to Raise a Load with a Square Thread Pp, A] PPey team a+ A) oe) and the torque required to lower the load is © Torque to Lower a Load witha Square Thread FDy | (f — tan A) wee) Adjustment for Acme Threads and Trapezoidal Metric Threads The difference between Acme threads and square threads is the presence of the thread angle, . Note from Figure 17-1 that 2 = 29°, and therefore g = 14.5" For the trapezoidal metric thread, = 15°. This changes the direction of action of the forces on the thread from648__ PART THREE Design Details and Other Machine Elements © Torque to Raise a Load with an Acme Thread PA ss FD, [eee +A sr, = TD [cosa tana + A = 2 l(cos $ — Fean a) F A css and the torque to move the load down the thread is ad For the waperoidal ] (17-10) © Torque to Lower a Load with an Acme Thread essere 9 15 Dy [if = cos 6 tan A) () Forcenormalto ere normal = Sh [Le cos d tan dy 1 osremnead an Acme ad neta) tt Force on an Acne thread . . FIGURE 17-6 " Power Required to Drive a Power Screw If the torque required to rotate the screw is applied at 4 constant rotational speed, m, then the power in horse- power to drive the serew is that depicted in Figure 17-5. Figure 17-6 shows that F would have to be replaced by Ficos . Carrying this through, the analysis for torque would give the follow- ing modified forms of Equations (17-8) and (17-9). The palm torque to move the load up the thread is, 6 000 Example Problem Two Acme-threaded power screws are to be used to raise @ heavy access hatch, as sketched in 17-1 Figure 17-4. The total weight of the hatch is 25 000 Ib, divided equally between the twa screws. Solect a satistactory screw from Table 17-1 an the basis of tensile strength, limiting the tensile stress to 10.000 psi. Then determine the required thickness of the yoke that acts asthe nut on the screw ta lmit the shear stress in the threads to 5000 psi. For the screw thus designed, compute the lead angle, the torque required to raise the load, the efficiency ofthe screw, and the torque required to lower the load. Use @ coefficient of tition af 0.18, Solution The load to be litte places each screw indirect tension. Therefore, the required tensile stress areas, £ 1250015 nate 3 ~ Yo 000 erin 1.25 int From Table 17-1, a 1d-in-diameter Acme thread screw with four threads per inch would provide a tensile stress area of 1.266 in For this screw, each inch of length of @ nut would provide 2.341 in? of shear stress area in the threads, The requited shear area is then F 125001 5 ON = 2.5007 5 ooo bie AH Then the required lengtn ofthe yoke would be DAL For yenience, les speci’y h = 1.26 in The lead angle is (remember thal = Un = 4 = 0,250 in} wat 0250 5a. a= tr Dy ona. 3429) 38 The torque required to rise the lad can be computed am Equation (17-10) Fg (os ban Me stn at (17-10) Using cos = cas(14.5°) = 0.968, and tan A = tan (3.39") = 0.0592, we have __ (22.500 In}(1.3429 in) (0.968)(0.0592) + 0.25] uw 2 (0.968 — (0.15)(0.0592)] 1209 Ib inCHAPTER SEVENTEEN Linear Motion Elements 649. The efficiency can be computed from Equation (17-7): oo fl A 12 600 Ib N0.250 ler iT180 in} 0.275 0r 27.5% The torque required to lower the load can be computed from Equation (17-11): Fp (f= cos tan AY ana 1 2 (cos. @ = tan A), (22500 1b}(1.2429 in) (0.18 ~ (0.968K0.05929) 2 [o968 + (aTexo.osgay “991 Example Problem itis desired to raise th hateh in Figure 17-4 a taal of 15.0 in n.no mare than 12.0, Compute the 17-2 requied rotational speed fr the screws andthe power requires Solution The screw selected inthe Soition fr Fxample Problem 17-1 was a Sin Aeme threaded screw wth four threads per inch. Thus, the load would be moved 1/4 in with each revolution. The linear speed required is 15019 “Taos 28 inls The required rotational speed would be _ 1.25 in Lrev_ 60s © 028m mn Then the power required to drive each screw would be at a0 Pp 1809 Ib -in)(300 rpm} _ = esl hp Multiple Start Thread Forms for Power Screws ‘The relatively low efficiency of standard single-thread Acme screws (approximately 30% or less) can be a strong disadvantage, Higher efficiencies can be achieved using high lead, multiple thread designs. The higher lead angle produces efficiencies in the 30% to 70% range. It should be understood that some mechanical advantage is lost so that higher torques are required to move a par- ticular load as compared with single-thread screws. (See Internet sites 1, 6, 7, 10, 12, and 13.) 17-3 BALL SCREWS The basic action of using screws to produce linear ‘motion from rotation was described in Section 17-2 on power screws. A special adaptation of this action that ‘minimizes the friction between the screw threads and the ‘mating nut is the ball screw. Figure 17-3 shows a cutaway view of a commer cially available ball screw. It replaces the sliding friction of the conventional power screw with the rolling friction of bearing balls. ‘The bearing balls circulate in hardened steel races formed by concave helical grooves in the screw and the nut, All reactive loads between the screw and the nut are carried by the bearing balls that provide the only physical contact between these members. As the screw and the nut rotate relative to each other, the bearing balls ate diverted from one end and are carried by the ball-guide return tubes to the opposite end of the ball nut, ‘This recirculation permits unrestricted travel of the nut in relation to the screw. (See Internet sites 1-10 and 14.) Applications of ball screws occur in automotive stecring systems, machine tool tables, linear actuators, jacking and positioning mechanisms, aircraft controls such as flap actuating devices, packaging equipment, and instruments. Figure 17-7 shows a linear actua~ tor employing a ball screw driven by an electric motor650__ PART THREE Design Details and Other Machine Elements FIGURE 17-7 Application of a ball screw in a high- speed linear actuator (Joyce/Dayton Corp. and EDRIVE Actuators, Inc.) (see Internet sites 6 and 15) through a synchronous belt drive, Rapid linear motion, results with actuation forces up to 25 000 Ib available. See Internet site 6. ‘The application parameters to be considered in selecting a ball screw include the following: Axial load to be exerted by the screw during rotation Rotational speed of the screw Maximum static load on the screw Ko FIGURE 17-8. Ball screw performance Direction of the load ‘Manner of supporting the ends of the screw Length of the screw Expected life Environmental conditions Load-Life Relationship ‘When transmitting a load, a ball screw experiences stresses similar to those on 2 ball bearing, as discussed in Chapter 14. The load is transferred from the screw to the balls, from the balls to the nut, and from the nut to the driven device. The contact stress between the balls and the races in which they roll eventually causes fatigue failure, indicated by pitting of the balls or the races Thus, the rating of ball screws gives the load capac- ity of the screw for a given life that 90% of the screws of a given design will survive. This is similar to the Lo life of ball bearings. Some manufacturers of ball screws use the term Bip life. Because ball screws are typically used as linear actuators, the most pertinent life parameter is the distance traveled by the nut relative to the screw. Manufacturers usually report the rated load that a given serew can exert for I million in (25.4 km) of eumu- lative travel. The relationship between load, P, and life, » is also similar to that for a ball bearing. © Relationship between ng Load and Lite a () Ly \P. ‘Thus, if the load on a ball screw is doubled, the life is reduced to one-eighth of the original life. Ifthe load is cut (17-12)CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Linear Motion Elements 651 in half, the life is increased by eight times, Figure 17-8 shows the nominal load/life performance of ball screws of a small variety of sizes. Many more sizes and styles are available. ‘As an example of the use of Figure 17-8, consider the screw with a nominal diameter of 1/2 in and five threads per inch; the second line from the bottom of the chart, At 1.0 million in of rated travel life the rated load to turn a ball screw is adapted from Equation (17-7), relating efficiency to torque: © Efficiency of a Ball Screw FL inl, a7-7) ‘Then, using e = 0.90, is 1000 Ib. Ifthe actual applied load is 400 Ib, the rated travel life would be approximately 2.0 X 10” in, ‘When a variety of load levels are experienced by a ball screw, methods for computing an equivalent load are available. Refer to the manufacturer's literature for the t loadflfe data for the specific ball screw used, See Internet site 6 for an example © Torque to Drive a = O.177FL. (17-13) Because of the low friction, ball serews are virtually never self-locking. In fact, designers also usc this prop- erty to advantage by purposely using the applied load on. the nut to rotate the screw. This is called backdrivings backdriving torque can be computed from Torque and Efficiency “The efficiency of a ball bearing serew is typically taken to be 90%. This far exceeds the efficiency for power screws without rolling contact that are typically in the range of 20% to 30%. Thus, far less torque is required to exert a given load with a given size of serew. Power is = Fle correspondingly reduced. The computation of the torque * De ‘> Backdriving Torque for a Ball Screw 0.1431 (17-14) Example Problem Select suitable ball screws for the apalication descrited in Example Problems 17-1 and 17-2 and 17-3. ilustrated in Figure 17-4. The hatch must be Iited 15.0 in to open it eight times per day, and then it must be closed. The design Iie is 10 years. The liting or lowering is to be completed in no mare than 12.0. For the serew selected, compute the torque to turn the serew, the power required, and the actual expected ie. Solution The data required to select a scrow from Figure 17-8 are the load and the travel ofthe nut on the screw ‘ver the desired Ife. The load is 12 800 Ib an each screw, 15.0in, 2sirokes 8 cycles 365 days 10 years stoke” cycle day year B76 x 109 Travel From Figure 17-8, tre 2-in screw wih two threads per inch and @ lead of 0.50 in is satis The torque required to turn the screw is tory. Ty = O.77FL = 0.177(12 800 toX0.50 in) = 1106 1b-in The rotational speed required is rey _150in. 60s Dz0in 120s mn ~ SOM The power require fr each screw is Th _ (1106 bo-inK1SO rpm) _ Pe 63.000 63 000, = 263h0 ‘Compare this withthe 8,61 hp requires for the Acme screw in Example Problem 17-2, The actual travel life expected for this screw at a load of 12 500 Ib would be approximately 3.2 x 108 in, using Figure 17-8. This s 3.65 times longer than recuited,652__ PART THREE Design Details and Other Machine Elements 17-4 APPLICATION CONSIDERATIONS FOR POWER SCREWS AND BALL SCREWS This section discusses additional application consider ations that apply to both power screws and ball serews. Details may change according to the specific geometry and manufacturing processes. Supplier data should be consulted. Critical Speed The proper application of ball screws must take into account their vibration tendencies, particularly when ‘operating at relatively high speeds. Long slender screws may exhibit the phenomenon of critical speed, ng at which the screw would tend to vibrate or whirl about its axis, possibly reaching dangerous amplitudes. There- fore, itis recommended that the operating speed of the screw be below 0,80 times the critical speed, An estimate for the critical speed, offered by Roton Products, Inc. (internet site 10), is 4.76 X 108 dK, " (sm (a-as) where, 4d = minor diameter of the screw (in) K, = end fixity factor 1. = length between supports (in) SP ~ safety factor The end fixity factor, K, depends on the manner of support ing the ends ofthe screw with the following possibilities: 1. Simply supported at each end by one bearing: K, = 1.00 2. Fixed at each end by two bearings that prevent rota- tion at the support: K, = 2.24 3. Fixed at one end and simply supported at the other: K= 155 4, Fixed at one end and free at the other: K, = 0.32 The value of the safety factor is a design decision, often taken to be in the range from 1.25 to 3.0. Note that the screw length is squared in the denominator, indicating that a relatively long screw would have a low critical speed. The best designs would employ a short length, rigid fixed supports, and large diameter. See References 2 and 3 for additional information on critical speeds. Column Buckling Ball screws that carry axial compressive loads must be checked for column buckling. The parameters, similar to those discussed in Chapter 6, are the material from which the screw is made, the end fixity, the diameter, and the length. Long screws should be analyzed using the Euler formula Equation (64) or (6-6), while the J.B. Johnson formula Equation (6-9) is used for shorter screws. End fixity depends on the rigidity of supports similar to that described above for critical speed, How- ever, the factors are different for column loading, |. Simply supported at each end by one bearing: K, = 1.00 2. Fixed at each end by two bearings that prevent rota- tion at the support: K, = 4.00 Fixed at one end and simply supported at the other: K = 2.00 4, Fixed at one end and free at the other: K, = 0.25 Suppliers of commercially available ball screws include data for allowable compressive load in their catalogs. (See Internet sites 1-10 and 14.) Material for Screws Ball screws are typically made from carbon or alloy steels using thread-rolling technology. After the threads are formed, induction heating improves the hardness and. strength of the surfaces on which the circulating balls roll for wear resistance and long life. Many ball screw nuts are made from alloy steel that is case hardened by carburizing Power screws are typically produced from carbon, or alloy steels such as SAE 1018, 1045, 1060, 4130, 4140, 4340, 4620, 6150, and $620. For corrosive envi ronments of where high temperatures are experienced, stainless steels are used, such as SAE 304, 305, 316, 384, 430, 431, or 440. Some are made from aluminum alloys 1100, 2014, or 3003. Power screw nuts are made from steels for moder ate loads and when operating at relatively low speeds. Grease lubrication is recommended. Higher speeds and. loads call for lubricated bronze nuts that have superior ‘wear performance. Applications requiring lighter loads can use plastic nuts that have inherently good lubricity without external lubrication. Examples of such applica tions are food processing equipment, medical devices, and clean manufacturing operations. REFERENCES 1, Sadegh, Ali, Theodore Baumeister, and Eugene Avallone. Mark's Standard Handbook for Mechanical Engincers. ith ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007, 2. Budynas, R.G., and K. J. Nisbett. Shigley’s Mechanical Engineering Design. 10th od. New York: McGraw Fill, 2015 3. Jovinall, RC., and K. M. Marshek, Fundamentals of Machine Component Design. Sth ed. New York: John. Wiley & Sons, 2011 4, Oberg, E. ct al, Machinery's Handbook. 30th ed ‘New York! Industrial Press, 2015,CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Linear Motion Elements INTERNET SITES FOR LINEAR MOTION ELEMENTS: 10, 11 2. 14, 1s PowerTransmission.com, Online listing of numerous manufacturers and suppliers of linear motion devices, including ball screws, lead {power} serews, linear actua- tors, screw jacks, and linear slides. Ball-screws.net. Sie lists numerous manufacturers of ball screws, some with online catalogs ‘Thomson Industries, Ine, Manufacturer of ball screws, ball bushings, linear motion guides, clutches, brakes, actuators, and other motion control elements. Site ‘contains selection software for U.S, and metric dimen- sions. Thomson is part of the Danaher Motion Group of, Danaher Corporation. Danaher Motion Group. Part of Danaher Corporation, Manufacturers of Thomson motion control devices, motors, drives, controls, air bearing rotary stages, and high-precision XYZ stages ‘THK Linear Motion Systems. Manufacturer of ball sews, ball splines, linear motion guides, linear bushings, linear actuators, and other motion control products Joyce/Dayton Corp. Manufacturer of a wide variety of jacks for commercial and industrial applications. Included are machine serew and ball screw types with integral gear drives and complete motorized actuator sys- tems, igh-speed linear actuators produced by EDRIVE Actuators, Inc are alzo available through Joyce/Dayton's Internet ste SKF Linear Motion. Manufacturer of high-efficiency. metric serews, linear guiding systems, actuators, and controls. Bishop-Wisecarver Group. Manufacturer and supplier of linear motion systems and components from miniature to large sizes Ball serews, positioning stages, linear bearings and bushings, ball slides, rotary motion guides, rotary actuators, and others. Isel USA. Manufacturer of a wide variety of linear motion products including slides, X-Y and X-Y-Z tables, rotary tables, ball screws, and controls, Roton Products, Inc. Manufacturer of a large variety of power serews, ball screws, and worms in U.S. and metric dimensions Ledex. Manufacturer of small linear and rotary solenoid actwatore and related products under the Ledex brand, A tunit of Johnson Hlectic Nook Industries, Manufacturer of power screws and screw jacks in U.S, and metzie dimensions and theead forms. Power Jacks Group. Manufacturer of metric and US. screw jacks and actuators, Automation Direct. Provider of a wide variety of automation products, including liner slides, stepper motors, proximity sensors, encoders, and pneumatic components EDRIVE Actuators, Ine. Producer of a wide range of heavy duty ball serew linear actuators for factory auro- mation and machine tool industries, 653 PROBLEMS 1 2 10, re 12. 1B. 4 18, 16. 17, 18, 19. 20, 24 2. Nan four types of threads used for power screws ‘Make a scale drawing ofan Acme thread having a major diameter of 1 in and four threads per inch. Draw a ste- tion 2.0 in long. Repeat Problem 2 fr aburtes thread Repeat Problem 2 fr asquae thread Ian Acme-theead power screw is loaded in tension with a force of 30 000 Ib, what size screw from Table 17-1 should be used to maintain a tensile stress below 10 000 ps? For the screw chosen in Problem 5, what would be the equzed axial length ofthe not onthe srew that transfers, theload tothe frame ofthe machine ifthe shear stress the thread mut be les than 6000 psi? Compute the torgue required to raise the load of 30000 Ib with the Acme serew selected in Problem 5, Use a coct- Feient of fiction of O15. Compute the torque required to lower the load with the screw from Problem 5 Ifa square-thread screw having a major diameter of 3/4 in and six threads per inch i asd to lift a load of 4000 Tb, compute the torque requzed to rotate the screw, Use acoufcient of friction of O15 For the screw of Problem 9, compute the torque requited to rotate the screw when lowering the load Compute the lead angle fr the screw of Problem 9. Is it selflocking? Compute the efficiency ofthe scew of Problem 9. 16 the load of 4000 Ilys lied by the screw described in Problem 9 atthe rate of 0.5 inf, compute the requited rotational sped of the screw and the power required to dave [A ball screw for a machine table dive i to be sected, “he axial force to be tansmitted by the srew it 600 The table moves 24m pr cycle, and itis expected to cycle 10 times per hour fora devign life of 10 years. Select an appropriate crew For the screw selected in Problem 14, compute the torque required to drive the crew. For the serow selected in Problem 14, the normal rave, speed of the table is 10.0 inmin. Compute the power Tequited to drive the crew If the cycle time for the machine in Problem 14 were decreased to obtain 20 cycesfh instead of 10, what ‘would be the expected life in years ofthe serew originally flected? Specify a suitable ize for ametric trapezoidal power screw hati subjected toa tensile ond of 125 KN wile keeping the tems tress below 75 MPa Compute the torque required to rise the load vertically for the screw selected in Problem 18. Use a coefficient of feition of 0.15 Compute the torque required to lower the load with the screw specified in Problem 18 For the srew specified in Problem 18, compute the power required to raise the load afotal of 4250 mm in 7.3 Compute the lead angle for the screw speciied in Problem 18, Will ibe selHocking?654__ PART THREE Design Details and Other Machine Elements 23, Compute the efficiency for the screw specified in 27. For the screw specified in Problem 24, compute the power Problem 18 when raising the load. required (0 raise the load a total of 240 mm in 3.5 5 24, Specify a suitable size for a metric trapezoidal power screw 28. Compute the lead angle for the screw specified in that is subjected toa tensile load of 8500 N while keeping Problem 24. Willi be self-locking? the tensile stress below 110 MPa, 29, Compute the efficiency for the screw specified in 25, Compute the torque required to raise the load vertically Problem 24 when raising the load. for the screw selected in Problem 24, Use a coefficient of 30. Compute the critical speed for the ball screw specified in friction of 0.15, Problem 14. The total length of the screw between single 26, Compute the torque required to lower the load with the bearings at each end is 28.0 in, screw specified in Problem 24