There are many different types of ballscrews that suit different purposes and applications, so here is a quick guide to the main types and how they work.
Main Types of Ballscrews
Standard ballscrews are designed to transmit rotational motion into linear motion. They use a nut running up and down a screw, with ball bearings that move in helical grooves. There are also many types of custom ballscrew which feature various non-standardised specifications.
Specialists in ballscrews manufacture also make ground ballscrews which are usually more expensive to build. This is because they are manufactured using a grinding wheel instead of the usual metal rolling technique. Ballscrews suppliers will know that ground ballscrews are often favoured over other types because they provide very close tolerances.
Miniature ballscrews can measure as little as three millimetres in diameter and are primarily used in industrial applications specialising in electronics such as computers, fibre optics and semiconductors. The miniature type of ballscrew is favoured in these industries because of its ability to maintain high efficiency levels. Miniature ballscrews shouldn’t be confused with precision ballscrews, which are often used in a variety of manufacturing fields due to the amount of control they provide even when transporting very heavy loads.
Another main type of ballscrew available through ballscrews distributors is the rolled ballscrew which combine the threaded screw with a threaded nut and ball bearings. They get their name from process of ballscrews manufacture that uses cold rolling metal.
Ballscrew Assemblies
Ballscrew assemblies combine a threaded screw with a nut threaded on the inside. They also use ball bearings to move in helical grooves. Ballscrew nuts also help convert rotational motion into horizontal motion and can transform generated torque into thrust power without rotating themselves thanks to the ball bearings moving in the helical grooves of the screw shaft that fits with the nut.
Sometimes similar products that convert rotational motion or torque into linear motion or thrust are called linear ballscrews.
Related Ballscrews Products
Lead screws use a similar threaded shaft and nut but create friction through sliding instead of the usual rolling method of ballscrews. Lead screws can be very efficient and have characteristics that make them good at managing high shock loads.
ACME screws feature a particular thread form designed to produce a sliding friction between the screw and the nut. All ACME screws are lead screws, though not all lead screws are ACME screws. ACME screws are usually significantly less efficient than traditional ballscrew types, though they are often much more cost effective and are good for low speed applications needing a high level of accuracy.
Ballscrews distributors like YB Components keep local stocks of these products ready to ship out fast and free all over the UK and the rest of the world.
If you require any ballscrews or related products similar to ballscrews manufacture and application, then contact YB Components who are the UK’s leading ballscrews suppliers.