Ball Screws
High load ratings in a compact package
Thomson Industries, Inc., manufacturer of mechanical linear motion solutions, launches new miniature ball screw sizes.
The precision solutions developed and manufactured in Germany offer unsurpassed load ratings with minimal space requirements. For this purpose, the metric miniature ball screws use a unique, multi-start ball deflection, which allows them to reliably accommodate even higher loads. The result is precise, low-friction and low-noise operation for all application scenarios that require high precision and resilience in confined spaces.
“In order to achieve a specified load capacity, developers of laboratory, medical and other space-limited mechatronic solutions often have to choose a larger nut. However, this ultimately results in a solution that takes up more space than actually necessary,” explains Thomas Schwertner, product manager for ball screws at Thomson. “Thanks to our unique ball deflection system, coupled with our expertise in manufacturing precision products, we can now offer a more compact unit with higher load ratings.”
More load-bearing balls mean higher load capacity. In Thomson's metric miniature ball screws, this is achieved through a unique multi-start deflection system that maximizes the number of revolutions and therefore the number of load-bearing balls in the nut. Such a miniature metric system with a multi-turn deflection system, for example, moves 168 balls in eight revolutions and can therefore absorb a static load of 7.6 kN. In comparison, a single-start variant would move just 84 balls in four revolutions and would only be able to withstand a load of 4.2 kN. In addition, an increased number of balls in a single nut also extends the life of the entire system as the load is distributed across multiple points. In addition, the multi-start Thomson deflection system is axially floating so that it can compensate for alignment errors.
Areas of application
Thomson's miniature metric ball screws are ideal for designers who need to fit linear components into very limited spaces. Possible areas of application include:
- Diagnostic and life science instruments, such as chemical analyzers
- Testing and measuring devices, e.g. B. Torque tester
- Fluid pumps, such as medical infusion pumps
- Robotics and assembly equipment, such as engraving, scanning and printing machines
Availability
The new metric miniature ball screws from Thomson with multi-start ball screws are now available in diameters of 8 x 2.5, 8 x 5, 10 x 2, 10 x 3 and 12 x 2 mm. Additional sizes are currently being developed. The mounting variants include threaded, flange and cylinder connections.
All versions are made of carbon steel and offer high repeatability (0.05 mm clearance) and a standard pitch accuracy of ±52 µm/ 300 mm (T7). In addition, the metric miniature ball screws can also be ordered with higher pitch accuracy, with preload and with special coatings, for example thin-layer chrome-plated or burnished.