HOW A BALL SCREW WORKS

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A. The Ball Screw Assembly

The ball screw assembly consists of a screw and a nut, each with matching
helical grooves, and balls which roll between these grooves providing the only
contact between the nut and the screw. As the screw or nut rotates, the balls are
deflected by the deflector into the ball return system of the nut and they travel
through the return system to the opposite end of the ball nut in a continuous
path. The balls then exit from the ball return system into the ball screw and nut
thread raceways continuously to recirculate in a closed circuit.

B. The Ball Nut Assembly

The ball nut determines the load and life of the ball screw assembly. The ratio of
the number of threads in the ball nut circuit to the number of threads on the ball
screw determines how much sooner the ball nut will reach fatigue failure (wear
out) than the ball screw will.

C. Ball Nuts Are Manufactured With Two Types of

Ball Return Systems
(a) The External Ball Return System. In this type of return system, the ball is
returned to the opposite end of the circuit through a ball return tube which
protrudes above the outside diameter of the ball nut.
(b) The Internal Ball Return System (There are several variations of this type of
return system) The ball is returned through or along the nut wall, but below the
outside diameter.

Example (1): Some manufacturers have one revolution circuits where the balls
are forced to climb over the crest of the thread on the screw by the return
system. This is known as a cross-over deflector type internal return system. In
the cross-over deflector type of ball nuts, the balls make only one revolution of
the shaft and the circuit is closed by a ball deflector (B) in the nut (C) allowing
the ball to cross over between adjacent grooves at points (A) and (D).

Example (2): The Internal Ball Return System used by Barnes Industries.
In this type of return system, the ball is returned to the opposite end of the
circuit through or along the nut wall, but below the outside diameter through a
"V" cap.

Example (3): The Tangential Internal Ball Return System used by Barnes
Industries.

For high speed or high load applications Barnes uses a tangential ball return
system. This provides a very smooth flow of balls at any speed in a limited
amount of space. This is a very durable ball return system and is also used on
high load carrying applications. Barnes can help you with your high speed or
high load design. Call today!
D. Rotating Ball Nut Assembly
When a long ball screw rotates at high speed it can begin to vibrate once the
slenderness ratio reaches the natural harmonics for that shaft size. This is called
the critical speed and can be very detrimental to the life of a ball screw. The safe
operating speed should not exceed 80% of the critical speed for the screw.

Still some applications require longer shaft lengths and high speeds. This is
where a rotating ball nut design is needed.
Barnes Industries engineering department has developed various rotating ball
nut designs. These are used in many applications across many industries. Let us
assist you in engineering your machine tool for a rotating ball nut design.
Ball Screw Guide

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What is a Ball Screw?

A ball screw, like all screws, is a rod with a helical groove that translates rotational motion into
linear motion.
Why use a Ball Screw?
Common screws slide on their threads and pull the connecting piece with them. This is how an
ACME screw works. This sliding motion is easy to produce but extremely ineffiecient; around
40% of the input power is transferred to the work piece. To improve on this idea the sliding
contact must be replaced with rolling elements. Ball Screws use ball bearings in the nuts to roll
along the screw. The balls must recirculate or they will fall out of the nut. This leads to the
current designs for recirculating ball screws that have efficientcies greater than 90%.

Anaheim Automation's Ball Screw Offering

Anaheim Automation offers a high-quality line of ball screws offering flexibility and high
performance. As a distributor of and TBI Motion ball screws, Anaheim Automation is sure to
have the right ball screw for your application. Choose from a wide range of stroke lengths, as
well as multiple different preload and accuracy ratings.
TBI Ball Screws: TBI provides Anaheim Automation with a low cost ball screw assembly
solution that saves up to 50% next to competitors, without compromising quality. Both ground
and precision rolled ball screws are available, from 4mm to 80mm in diameter. High precision
grades from C0 to C10 are available, delivering up to 7,240kgf of dynamic linear force. Anaheim
Automation will cut any ball screw to fit the length requirements of your application.
Physical properties of a Ball Screw:
The four main components of a ball screw include the ball screw shaft, ball nut, ball bearings,
and the seal, further explained below.
1. Ball Screw Shaft:
The Screw Shaft is a long bar of chromium steel that has grooves formed into a helical pattern.
This is the main body of a Ball Screw.
1. Ball Groove design: When forming the groove for a ball screw it is important to think of
the points of contact. The most common groove style is the Gothic Arch. This type of
groove allows for four points of contact at all times. With four contact points the ball can
be loaded in any direction in that plane.

2. Pitch circle diameter of balls: The pitch circle (dm) is measured from the center of the
bearing to the center of the bearing on the other side of the screw. This measurement is
used for the maximum speed calculations.
 3. Nominal Diameter: The outside diameter of the screw. This measurement is useful for
sizing the screw as it is easy to measure.
4. Root Diameter: Diameter from the bottom of the groove to the bottom of the adjacent
groove. This is the smallest part of the screw and is important for the critical speed
calculation.
5. Lead: It is the distance the nut travels in one rotation. The larger the lead the faster the
nut can travel. The lead also determines the vertical maximum payload and the stopping
power of the screw. This is because the load angle is steeper for greater leads; the amount
of weight it can hold is less.

6. Ball diameter: The diameter of the ball bearing that would fit into the groove with a
preload of 0. This is used to calculate the diameter of the ball bearing that would give a
certain preload. The bigger the balls compared to the nut and screw gap, the higher the
preload.
2. Ball Nut (Nut and Ball Recirculation):
There are 3 main styles of Ball Screw Nuts each with a specialty:
1. Profile Ball Groove: This is the most common type of ball nut, it is easy to make and has
good consistent performance. Its simplicity makes this nut easy to mass produce and
adjust to fit most sizes, leads, and loads. The balls are recirculated by tubes that pick up
the bearings then deposit them back into the cycle. The number of rows of balls before
they are recirculated is usually between 1.5-3.5 rows to keep the return tube size
manageable and re-balling easier.
 2. Ball Pitch Circle Diameter: This nut has a trimmer profile because it does not use tubes
to move the balls. Instead a deflector is used to bump the bearings into the previous track.
This means that there must be a deflector for every turn, only one pitch circle per
deflector. This design is also inherently better for smaller lead angles because the distance
between the grooves is smaller and therefore easier to "jump." This type of nut is more
expensive to build because more of the track is internalized and its application is limited
by the lead. Great for use on small, space-limited applications with small leads. Because
of the recirculation method there can be only one row per cycle.

3. End Cap: These types of nut are specialized for use with high lead and multiple start
threads. It is reserved for these types of nuts because die molds are required to produce
them, increasing cost. The number of rows per cycle is not limited in this recirculation
type and it is normal to have the whole nut recirculated with one cycle per start.

Multiple Starting Threads:

A multiple thread screw is used in high lead applications to allow for more balls to be in contact
with the nut. Multiple threads are only used on high lead screws because there is physically no
room to add them on small lead screws. A good way to visualize a multiple thread screw is to
think of a candy cane with multiple colors. The different colors are the different starts. End caps
are used for these ball screws because they utilize less space to recirculate. Another thing to
consider with multiple start screws is that the lead and the pitch are no longer the same. The lead
is the pitch times the number of starts. See below diagrams.

3. Ball Bearings:
1. Diameter: The bearing diameter must fit the lead and the shaft diameter. If the ball is too
small there is too much space between threads; oppositely, if they are too big they are too
close. The crest between the grooves should be flat, but not too big.

2. Loading: There is no retainer between the balls like in circular bearings so the balls can
become jammed when undesirable ball-on-ball contact is made. This can be reduced by
adding spacer balls. Spacer balls are slightly smaller balls that spin between the load
balls, but this reduces load capacity because there are less load balls. A synthetic plastic
cage has been developed that adds many desirable properties to any recirculating ball
bearing application. The plastic cage prevents ball-on-ball contact, reducing friction,
jamming and increasing life. These cages also trap oil and grease helping to keep the ball
well-oiled.
4. Seals: There are both standard and high-performance seals for use in different environments.
All seals prevent foreign matter from entering the space between the nut and ball screw. Some
seals are also for lubricant retention.
1. Standard Seal:
i. Plastic: used for general or standard ball screws and are of the non contacting
type: blocking debris by means of obstruction
ii. Brush: used for rolled ball screws and are of the contacting type, brushing debris
off the track
2. High Performance: Seals that are made specifically for an individual screw nut and lead
combination. These seals have a special lip that blocks contaminants, while only slightly
increasing operational torque. These seals are used for especially dirty jobs, such as
woodworking, welding, and automobile manufacturing.
What is Accuracy?
Accuracy is one of the crucial components in ball screw operation, as ball screws are utilized
primarily for their precision and accuracy retention. Lead error and mounting error are two
calculated error parameters that are important to consider in your ball screw application.
1. Lead Error: Lead Error is defined in two ways: the difference between the expected length
(L) and the actual length (L+/-e), and the sum of all the e's (∑e=E ). For example, if the L is
5mm and the e=+/-.005mm the possible length could be 4.995-5.005mm.
2. Mounting Error: Mounting Error is caused by the way the screw is supported and the
installation of the ball nut. The three most likely mounting errors include, bearing misalignment,
coupling misalignment, and nut misalignment. Mounting error can create noise, shorten life, and
cause positioning errors.
What is Preload?
Preload is a load that is put on a part (bolts, screws, bearings, etc) before its operating load is
applied. This load causes some elastic deformation that improves performance. Elastic
deformation is a change in shape that is fully reversible, like squishing a rubber ball. In the case
of ball screws, the preload is on the interface of the nut and screw. The ball bearings and both the
nut and screw grooves are all "squished" together.

This "squishing" eliminates backlash and reduces deflection. Backlash is the amount of lost
motion caused by looseness in the drive train which can cause placement errors. The preload
creates a tight fit for the nut, eliminating backlash. The increased stiffness is caused from the
phenomenon that as a piece of steel is loaded elastically; it becomes increasingly hard to deform
it. The preload eliminates the possibility of "easy" deformation; a greater amount of force is
required.

There are a few different ways to add a preload:

1. Pick a ball that is bigger than the groove
2. Pick a nut that is smaller than the screw
3. Pick a screw that is bigger than the nut
 4. Use 2 nuts and insert a wedge
5. Use 2 nuts and insert a spring
6. Offset grooves inside the nut
Ball Screw Assembly:
A ball screw must be supported so that the shaft can be rotated. Usually this involves roller
bearings and the holding brackets. Some longer screws need to be supported for critical speed
and bending restraints. End machining may be required to fit into the bearing or connect to the
motor. Connecting to the motor requires a coupling and the appropriate machining. In order for
the nut to translate accurately, it must be restrained by a table and support rails. In the end, a ball
screw assembly should look something like the picture below.

What Type of Lubrication do Ball Screws use?

Ball Screws can use either grease or oil for lubrication. It is recommended to use grease for most
normal applications. This is because grease does not require any special lubricating system and
much less grease is needed than oil. Oil can be needed for high-speed applications or when
required.
History of Ball Screws:
There have been attempts to replace sliding friction screws with rolling friction screws since the
19 century. However because of the limited level of manufacturing and technology, the first
practical application of ball screws was by General Motors, who used ball screws for their
steering columns. Since then the technology surrounding ball screws has advanced rapidly. This
rapid advance has led them to be used in CNC machines, automated manufacturing, and medical
devices. With superior accuracy, repeatability, and high efficiencies ball screws are the best way
to translate rotational motion into linear motion.
Ball Screw Applications
Ball screws are used in motion control but require bearing supports and motor couplings to work
effectively. By using ball screws in conjunction with linear stages we are able to produce stable
linear translation for many applications. For this reason ball screws are used in a broad range of
industries ranging from garage door openers to CNC machines and MRI table sliders. Ball
screws are not commonly used in applications requiring oscillating motions less than a ball
diameter. This type of motion removes the lubrication layer and leads to increased error. This can
be worked around using smaller ball screws and special grease.
Lifetime of a Ball Screw
Ball screws have very low friction coefficients, which is the key to both their accuracy and their
longevity. The actual life is determined by load, speed, lead and screw size. Common values are
20,000 hours, and 50,000 km or 5 years.
Required Maintenance for a Ball Screw
Most ball screws require a certain degree of regular maintenance; however some specialty balls
screws do not require any maintenance! Make sure that the rails are free of contaminates like
water, dirt, dust and debris. The nut should also be lubricated using either oil or grease. Grease
offers lower overall performance but is much more convenient, cheaper to use, and easier to
maintain than oil (which requires a circulation system).
Ball Screw Glossary
Backlash- the "lost motion" that comes from looseness in the drive train.

Ball Bearing- a chromium steel ball set to tight tolerances that support loads.

Ball Nut- the nut that rides a ball screw and uses recirculating ball bearings.

Ball Screw Shaft- a chromium steel shaft with helical grooves that house ball bearings to change
rotational motion into linear motion.

Elastic Deformation- a changing in shape that is not permanent and will reverse on its own.

End Cap Nut- a style of nut that recirculates at the end, it is used to accommodate large and
multiple start leads.

Grease- a lubricant that is not very viscous.

Lead- the linear distance traveled in one rotation.

Lead Error- the difference in the actual travel and the theoretical travel of the ball nut.

Lubricant- a substance that reduces friction between other objects.

Mounting Error- error caused from inaccuracies in mounting the screw in bearings, motors, ball
nuts, etc.

Multiple Starting Threads- a screw that has more than one track, only applicable on large leads
due to space restraints. Used to add more balls to large lead ball nuts.

Nominal Diameter- the diameter of the thread "tops;" the maximum diameter of the screw

Oil- a lubricant that is highly viscous

Pitch Circle Nut- a style of nut that recirculates the balls every rotation, good for small leads
and small nut profiles

Pitch Diameter of Balls- the diameter created by connecting the centers of the ball bearings
Preload- the tightness of the nut to the shaft, caused from the elastic deformation of the parts
involved.

Profile Ball Nut- the most common nut type, it uses tubes to recirculate the balls.

Root Diameter- the diameter made from the bottom of the screw, the thinnest point and used in
life calculations

Seals- a device used to keep things in, out or both.