MECG1022 Handout: Analysis of Ball Screws with Thrust Load and Weight

MECG1022, 2018-II C.G. Helguero

Analysis of Ball Screw: Figure 1 illustrates a ball screw with a thrust load, F , and a weight, W = mg.
When a motor is attached to the ball screw to drive the weight in linear motion, with a thrust load, a torque,
T , is required by a motor. This handout presents the analysis of the rotary and linear motions, as well as
the forces and torque. Ball screws are usually designed with guide rails that will keep the accuracy of the
linear motion by minimizing the angular deflection of the ball screw. In addition, this configuration will
minimize the risk of buckling when the ball screw is employed to move in the direction of the gravity. Most
applications of ball screws, for example, the xy-tables, are configured to move in a horizontal plane, without
the consideration of buckling.

Figure 1: A ball screw showing loading of a thrust force and a weight

Motion: First of all, the rotary and linear motions are related by the following equation
θ x
= (1)
2π L
where θ, in radians, is the angle of rotation of the screw or the motor attached to the screw, L is the lead of
the ball screw, and x is the linear motion corresponding to the angle of rotation θ of the screw. The lead of
the ball screw is defined as follows
L = np (2)
where p is the pitch of the screw, and n = 1, 2, · · · for the single-thread and double-thread screw, ... etc.

Equation (1) can assume different forms. For example, it can be used to determine the linear movement
corresponding to a single step angle by a step motor attached to the ball screw. If a step motor with a 0.9◦
step angle is attached to a single-thread ball screw of pitch p = 6 mm, the linear movement corresponding
to a single step of this step motor is
0.9◦ p
x=p ◦
= = 0.015 mm (3)
360 400

Forces and torque: A ball screw shown in Figure 1, is acted upon by a thrust force, F , and carries a weight,
W = mg. The coefficient of friction between the ball screw and nut is denoted as µ, which is typically

1
very small, in the range of 0.01 to 0.04. Thus, the total linear force along the direction of the ball screw in
operation is
Fa = F + µW (4)
The ball screw has an efficiency of e, which is normally in the range of 90% to 95%. Based on the principle
of virtual work, a linear motion of L = np corresponds to a full revolution of 2π. Thus, we have
FaL
= T 2π (5)
e
The torque required to drive the load can be determined from equations (5) and (4)
 
Fa L F + µW  np 
T = = (6)
e 2π e 2π

When the ball screw moves the load with acceleration, to increase or decrease the speed, additional
torque due to inertia is expressed as follows
Ti = J α (7)
where α is the angular acceleration of the screw1 , and J is the mass moment of inertia of the ball screw
system. The total mass moment of inertia, J, can be written as
J = Js + Jm + Jr (8)
where Js is the moment of inertia of the ball screw, Jm is the moment of inertia of the motor which can be
obtained from the motor spec sheet, and Jr is the reflected inertia of the weight, W = mg, that the screw
carries. If Js is not available, it can be estimated as 21 mr2 where m is the mass of the ball screw, and r is
the mean diameter of the screw. The reflected inertia of the weight W = mg is
 np 2
Jr = m (9)
2π
By combining equations (6) and (7), the total torque required to drive the load with angular acceleration is
F + µW  np 
Ttotal = +Jα (10)
e 2π

Remarks:
1. It is recommended that the SI units be used in the calculations using the equations presented here.
2. If the US customary units are used, special attention must be given to the units of mass used in the
calculation of the weight and the mass moment of inertia.
3. Ball screws are typically single thread (n = 1), with L = p.
4. The ball screw system can be used for back-driving; that is, a linear force is applied to drive a rotary
motion and load. In this case, equation (5) becomes
Fa L e = T 2π (11)
Other relevant equations should be adjusted correspondingly.
1 2π
Note that α is related to the linear acceleration of the linear motion, a, by using equation (1); that is, α = a( np ) when the
linear acceleration is prescribed.

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 5. The thrust force, F , in equation (4) should include the gravity of the load when the ball screw system
is configured to move along the direction of the gravitational field.

Example of a ball screw system: A ball screw system is illustrated in Figure 1. The ball screw has single
thread with a pitch of p = 5 mm, a coefficient of friction of µ = 0.018, and an efficiency of 92%. The ball
screw is attached to a step motor, through a coupler, that has a 0.9◦ step angle (not shown in Figure 1). The
platform and other weight is W = 600 N. A thrust load is applied with F = 150 N.

1. Determine the torque required by the step motor to drive the ball screw system at a constant speed.

2. Determine the additional torque required by the motor in order to accelerate the system with a linear
acceleration of 0.2 m/s2 . The mass moment of inertia of the motor and the ball screws are 40 g-cm2
and 240 g-cm2 , respectively.

3. If a thrust force of Fa = 300 N is applied to back drive the ball screw system, what will be the
resulting torque of the rotary motion due to this force? Neglect the acceleration.

Solution: Refer to the equations of this handout.

1. From equation (6) in the handout, the torque required to drive the load, including the thrust, F , and
the weight, W = mg, is
   
Fa L F + µW  np  150 + 0.018 × 600 0.005
T = = = = 0.1391 N m (12)
e 2π e 2π 0.92 2π
where the efficiency e = 0.92, µ = 0.018, n = 1 for single thread, p = 5 mm, F = 150 N, and
W = mg = 600 N.

2. The total polar moment of inertia, in the unit of kg-m2 , from equations (8) and (9) in the handout is

600 0.005 2
 
−7 −7
J = Js + Jm + Jr = 240 × 10 + 40 × 10 + = 6.673 × 10−5 kgm2 (13)
9.81 2π

The linear acceleration is given as 0.2 m/s2 . The angular acceleration is related to the linear accelera-
tion by the following equation
   
2π 2π
α=a = 0.2 = 251 rad/sec (14)
p 0.005
Thus, the additional torque due to the acceleration from equation (7) is

Ti = J α = (6.673 × 10−5 × 251) = 0.01677 N m (15)

3. In a back-drive situation, equation (11) in the handout should be used to find the resulting torque
Fa Le 300 × 0.005 × 0.92
Fa L e = T 2π =⇒ T = = = 0.2196 N m (16)
2π 2π