Helix Linear Technologies Blog | Lead Screws

There are a bevy of factors that dictate the performance of a lead screw, to include how it is mounted, as we covered in our last article. However, we believe that the most important factor is the pairing of the lead screw with the lead screw nut.

In order to ensure that an acme lead screw serves a particular application correctly, there are a variety of factors that need to be considered. In fact, there are four primary things to consider when it comes to lead screw selection: load, speed, length of travel and end fixity.

When it comes to lead screw performance, it's all about axial load and rotational speed (RPM). As you likely know, the relationship between these two factors is known as "pressure velocity", or the PV curve. Simply put, this PV curve defines the safe limits of load and speed.

It goes without saying that there are a lot of factors that go into selecting the right lead screw for your linear motion application. In a previous post, we told you about the importance of critical speed, which is defined as the speed that excites the natural frequency of the screw.

There are a variety of factors that must be considered before screw selection is determined in any type of application. One factor that should not be overlooked when it comes to selecting lead screws is critical speed. Lead screws, like any object in our environment, have a natural frequency.

Although lead screw end machining is not required for every application, the vast majority of applications do involve some sort of modification to one or both of the screw's ends. Here, we discuss some of the common elements that go into end machining, some related terms and other concepts that should be considered when utilizing a lead screw in your linear motion application.

Regardless of the details of any given application, there are some pretty important design considerations that should be addressed each and every time you are considering lead screws as a means of linear motion. In this post we will explore four critical design elements that must be properly addressed to achieve success.

Acme lead screw assemblies are the preferred choice of many when it comes to linear motion applications, partially because they're very flexible, coming in "many flavors" so to speak. One example of this is simply how many material combinations are available between the screw and the nut.

You already know that lead screws are quickly cementing themselves as the preferred choice among product developers for use in linear motion applications.

As you know, the performance of lead screw assemblies doesn't just rely on the type of screw used, but in matching the given screw with the proper nut.