1

Design of Power Screw

Nirmal Baran Hui
2
Power Screw Drives
A power screw is a drive used in machinery to convert a rotary motion into a linear motion
for power transmission. It produces uniform motion and the design of the power screw
may be such that
(a) Either the screw or the nut is held at rest and the other member rotates as it moves
axially. A typical example of this is a screw clamp.
(b) Either the screw or the nut rotates but does not move axially. A typical example for
this is a press.
Other applications of power screws are jack screws, lead screws of a lathe, screws for
vices, presses etc.
The screw is a cylindrical bar with one or several helical grooves of a definite shape.
The nut is a part with a cylindrical hole grooved inside.
Advantages of power screws:
Easily obtainable slow translational motion and a high gain in force.
Smooth and noiseless operation
The ability to carry heavy loads and effect accurate travel and simple in design.
Disadvantages:
High losses due to friction
A comparatively low efficiency

Power screw normally uses square threads but ACME or Buttress threads may also be used.
Power screws should be designed for smooth and noiseless transmission of power with an
ability to carry heavy loads with high efficiency.
3
According to IS-4694-1968, a square thread is designated by its nominal diameter and pitch, as
for example, SQ 10 x 2 designates a thread form of nominal diameter 10 mm and pitch 2 mm.
Square threads: These threads have high efficiency but they are difficult to manufacture and
are expensive. The proportions in terms of pitch are: h
1
= 0.5p ; h
2
= 0.5 p - b ; H = 0.5 p + a ; e
= 0.5 p, where a and b are different for different series of threads.
There are different series of this thread form and some
nominal diameters, corresponding pitch and dimensions a
and b are shown in table 1 as per I.S. 4694-1968.

4
Acme or Trapezoidal threads: These
threads may be used in applications such
as lead screw of a lathe where loss of
motion cannot be tolerated. The included
angle 2 = 29
o
and other proportions are
a= p/2.7 and h = 0.25 p + 0.25 mm
A metric trapezoidal thread: Different proportions of the thread form in terms of the pitch
are as follows: Included angle = 30
o
; H
1
= 0.5 p ; z = 0.25 p + H
1
/2 ; H
3
= h
3
= H
1
+ a
c
= 0.5 p
+ a
c ,
where, a
c
is different for different pitch,
for example a
c
= 0.15 mm for p = 1.5 mm ; a
c
= 0.25 mm for p = 2 to 5 mm;
a
c
= 0.5 mm for p = 6 to 12 mm ; a
c
= 1 mm for p = 14 to 44 mm.
The trapezoidal threads are
not preferred because of
high friction but often used
due to their ease of
machining.
5
Buttress thread
This thread form can also be used for power screws but they can transmit power only in
one direction. Typical applications are screw jack, vices etc. A Buttress thread form and
the proportions are shown in the figure in terms of the pitch.
On the whole the square threads have the
highest efficiency as compared to other
thread forms but they are less sturdy than
the trapezoidal thread forms and the
adjustment for wear is difficult for square
threads. When a large linear motion of a
power screw is required two or more
parallel threads are used. These are called
multiple start power drives.
6
Efficiency of a power screw
A square thread power screw with a single start is shown in figure-1. Here p is the pitch,
the helix angle, dm the mean diameter of thread and F is the axial load. A developed single
thread is shown in figure- 2 where L = n p for a multi-start drive, n being the number of
starts. In order to analyze the mechanics of the power screw we need to consider two cases:
(a) Raising the load
(b) Lowering the load.
figure-1
figure-2
7
Raising the load
This requires an axial force P as shown in figure- 3. Here N is the normal reaction and
N is the frictional force.
For equilibrium
Figure-3: Forces acting on the contact surface
8
Lowering the load
Figure-4: Forces acting on the contact surface
9
Condition for self locking
The load would lower itself without any external force if d
m
< L
and some external force is required to lower the load if d
m
L
Efficiency of the power screw is given by
For Square Thread
For trapezoidal thread Bursting effect on the nut: It is caused by the
horizontal component of the axial load F on the
screw and this is given by
10
11
Creating a 3D Screw
Create a 60-degree V slotted screw. It is a 20mm x 8mm screw with a pitch of 1. You may
alter it to your own size later on, but follow this tutorial first till you are comfortable with
the process.
Draw a rectangle 20mm x 8mm offset the right hand line a mm (Half Pitch) and then
offset this line1mm (full Pitch)
Draw a line from the bottom of the .5-offset
line to the top of the 1mm offset line. Copy this
across to the bottom of the 1mm Offset line
(See Below)
12
Draw 60 degree Vs from these 2 new lines and trim back as shown below.
Fillet the opposite angled lines with a Radius of 0 to create the triangles shown below.
13
Draw a long straight line to the right of the drawing and copy this to the left as shown
below. Make sure the line is very long, as we need to extend lines to them.
Extend the lines indicated in red to the long lines as shown below and trim back.
14
Now draw a straight line from the Apex of the left triangle to the left long line and trim
and erase away the bottom of the triangle. As shown below.
Now draw a line from the Apex of the right triangle to the right long line of the
triangle and trim and erase the top away. The drawing should look like below.
15
Pedit the 2 triangles and revolve them about themselves. Create a 20mm x 8mm Cylinder
at the midpoint of the Left line of the rectangle and rotate it 90 degrees using the bottom
and top of the left-hand line on the rectangle as the Axis. (You could set your UCS to do
this) but I just rotate it. The drawing should look like below. (South West View)
Next Subtract the 2 Cones from the
Cylinder. Set the UCS using the
Object option and one of the red lines
shown below
Slice the object using the ZX option
along the left hand line only marked
in Red as shown below.
16
Delete the part to the left (Major part of cylinder).
Set the UCS back to World. Use the southwest view and slice the part in half. Using the 2
points on the right hand side of the rectangle and the bottom left corner. Delete the top
part. You should be left with below.
Copy the part and rotate it 180 degrees as shown below.
Align the 2 parts as shown below.
17
Your part should look like below. (It may start to make a bit of sense now)
Union the 2 parts and array it with 1 row 20 columns and a distance of -1 (Pitch).
Union the arrayed parts.
Draw a 30mm x 8mm Cylinder similar to before and rotate it 90 degrees.
Subtract the arrayed parts from the cylinder. Slice off the end as it has overlapped. Add a
bolt head or Screw Head. And the drawing - once rendered - should look as below.
18
Design of power screws
t
H
a
Height of Rise or Lift
D1
D2
d1
d2
D'
D0 dd
ld
D3
D4
h
d1 = Minor Dia. of Screw
d2 = Major Dia. of Screw
H = Height of Nut
a = Collar thickness
D1 = Nut external diameter
D2 = Collar diameter
D' = (1.5~1.7)d2
D0 = minor dia. of screw or less
dd = diameter of lever
ld = Length of lever
t = 0.25 d1
h = 2 dd
Q
CUP
Bearing
Lever
NUT
Screw
Washer
t
Bell
Bottom
P0
19
Step 1: Selection of Screw and Nut Materials
For Screw: MS or properly heated alloy steels are good materials
For Nut: Generally Bronze, Phosphor Bronze, sometimes Cast Iron is also used
Step 2: Screw Diameter and Selection of Screw
Calculations for Strength
(a) Screw : The body of a screw is simultaneously subjected to compression (and
tension) by the axial force Q and twisting moment M
d

1
tan( ) (1)
2
d
d
M Q o
'
= +
For this reason the bolt should be calculated for equivalent stress
| |
2 2
1
2 3
1 1
3 (2)
4
where and and minor diamete
0.2
eq s
d
s
M Q
d r
d d
o o t o
o t
t
= + s
= ~ =
For the transverse section of a screw it may be assumed that
3
1
0.2
d
W d =
Since in this case it is difficult to determine the minor diameter of the thread on the basis
of strength, it is usually found in advance only from the calculations for compression but
increasing design force by -times. The standard parameter of thread are determined.
20
| |
1
, where = Torsion factor = 1.25 to 1.3
4
= (3)
des
Q Q
Q
d
| |
|
t o
=
Then the value of M
d
is calculated and the strength is finally checked using formula (2)
Check for self locking: To prevent spontaneous lowering of the screw under load it is
necessary to check the condition for self-locking
arctan and with an average value of 0.4 f f ' ' ' s = =
Follow Design data book compiled by PSG College of Technology, Section 5.71 (SQ. Threads)
21
Step 3: Length of Nut (determined from the calculations of wear)
Let, the number of screw thread in the nut is z and height of nut (H) = z. s (s= pitch of thread)
| |
2 2
2 1
4
Total Load (4)
( )
Q
p
d d z t
= s

Where [p] is the allowable pressure on the Nut for nut material.
Allowable bearing pressure is mentioned in the Table given below. So, knowing [p], determine
z from the expression (4) and then calculate H = z. s
Check: z 10 and H 2.5 d
1

Table 1: Allowable Bearing Pressure on the Nut [p]
Application Material [p] in MPa Sliding speed at at thread p.c.d.
(m/min)
Screw Nut
Hand Press STEEL BRONZE 15--22.5 Low speed, well lubricated
Screw Jack STEEL CI 10--15 Low speed < 2.5
BRONZE 10--15 Low speed <3
Horizontal
Screw
STEEL CI 4--5 Medium speed 6 ~ 12
BRONZE 5--9 Medium speed 6 ~ 12
Lead Screw STEEL BRONZE 1--1.5 High speed > 15
If the checks are not satisfied, then take the higher value of Screw dimensions from the
Data book and recalculate the height of the Nut
22
Sometimes this calculation is called calculation of unsqueezing the lubricant i.e., for
limiting the pressures on the surfaces of threads to such values at which the lubricant is not
squeezed out and ensures a long service life of a screw pair.
Step 4: Major stresses on Screw
2 3
1 1
2
2
. .
max
16 4
Compressive stress ;Shear stress,
Maximu shear stress (5)
2 2
where n = factor of safety and it is not less than 4 to 5.
d
c
c Y P
M Q
d d
n
o t
t t
o o
t t
= =
| |
= + s
|
\ .
Step 5: NUT Design
A phosphor bronze nut for the screw jack
A suitable material for the nut is phosphor
bronze, which is a Cu-Zn alloy with small
percentage of Pb and the yield stresses may be
taken as Yield stress in tension
ty
= 125MPa;
Yield stress in compression
cy
= 150MPa; Yield
stress in shear
y
= 105MPa Safe bearing
pressure p
b
= 15MPa. Considering that the load
is shared equally by all threads bearing failure
may be avoided using the expression in (4)
23
The nut threads are also subjected to crushing and shear.
Due to the screw loading the nut needs to be checked for tension and we may write
( )
| |
2 2
1 2
(6)
4
t t
Q
D d
|
o o
t
= s

Since the Nut is not only subjected to tension but also twisted moment M
d
, a correction
factor is used.
( )| |
2 2
2 1
Under Crushing (7)
4
c
D D Q
t
o =
| |
1
Under vertical shear, (8) Da Q t t =
Calculate a and it should not be less than 5-6mm.
24
Step 6: Buckling of the screw
Maximum portruded length of screw
= L = Lift + H/2
For bottom end fixed, top end free,
end-fixity condition c = 0.25
Radius of gyration k = 0.25d
1
2
2
Critical slenderness ratio
where = Yield point stress
Modulus of Elasticity of the screw material
cr y
y
L c E
k
E
t
o
o
| |
=
|
\ .
=
J. B. Johnson Formula of Short Column Eulers Formula of Long Column
( )
2
2
/
then Critical Load 1 (9)
4
cr
y
cr y
L L
If
k k
L k
P A
c E
o
o
t
| | | |
s
| |
\ . \ .
(
= (
(

( )
2
2
then Critical Load (10)
/
cr
cr
L L
If
k k
c EA
P
L k
t
| | | |
>
| |
\ . \ .
=
(3 ~ 4)
cr
P
Q
>
Check:
25
Step 7: Design of Lever
1
(11)
tan( ) (12)
2
(13)
2
Lever Support Thread
Thread
cm
Support
M M M
d
M Q
d
M Q
o

= +
| |
' = +
|
\ .
=
Here, M
support
is due to Cup and Pad. If there is any antifriction thrust bearing between the
Cup and Pad, then M
support
is considered as zero and M
Lever
= M
Thread
. It may be necessary to
provide such antifriction bearing, if the length of the lever comes out to be excessively
large. Once M
Lever
is calculated from eqn. (11), effort at the lever P
0
can be calculated as
0
, effective length of the lever.
Lever
d
d
M
P L
L
=
Take:
2 0 1
cm 0
(1.5 ~1.7) ; same as minor dia. d or less
0.5( )
D d D
d D D
'
= =
' = +
26
The length of the lever can be calculated by assuming the effort applied at the lever
end P
0
. One worker can produce a range of force between 20 to 40 Kg. Any value
within such range can be taken. If calculated Ld on such a basis (single worker) comes
out to be excessively large, two workers can be assumed with a reduction of force by a
factor 0.9.
Therefore, for two workers P
0
= 2 x 0.9 (20 to 40) kg.
If the length of the lever still comes out to be very large, in that case follow the
following steps.
Step A: Consider one worker with antifriction thrust bearing at Pad.
Step B: Two worker with anti-friction thrust bearing at Pad.
Lever diameter:
| |
3
32
Lever
d
M
d
t o
=
0 0 Lever
after calculation of actual L and P , calculate M
Lever d
M P L =
27
Problem 1: Design a screw jack for a lifting capacity of 7.5 ton with a lifting height of 250
mm. Use C-35 steel as a screw material and Phosphor Bronze as Nut material. Screw Jack
may be of bell-bottom shape.
Stress Type C-35 Steel Phosphor Bronze

YP
for tension 315 MPa 128 MPa

YP
for compression 315 MPa 114 MPa

YP
for shear 180 MPa 107 MPa
Step 1: Material Properties
As mentioned, for screw: C-35 steel and for Nut: Phosphor Bronze
Step 2: Selection of screw
Load capacity Q = 7.5 Ton = 73575 Newton. Since []
YP
for compression
Therefore, Minor Dia.

| |
| |
1
YP
4 4 73575 1.4
= 40.5mm
3.14 80
Considering = 80
factor of safety
Q
d
MPa
|
t o
o
o

> =

=
On the basis of minor diameter d
1
,
we select from standard tables,
d
1
=42mm, d
2
(major dia.) = 50
mm and s (pitch) = 8mm.
28
From this selected screw thread data, we can calculate the following
1 2
0
Mean dia. 0.5*( ) 46
Helix Angle tan( ) 3.1685
m
m
d d d mm
s
arc
d

t
= + =
= =
Step 3: Check for self locking
0
Friction Angle arctan( ) arctan(0.15) 8.53
Since Screw nut pair is self-locked.


= = =
>
Step 4: Check for screw stresses
2
1
3 3
1 1
2
2
max
max
4
Compressive stress 53.1
16 16 ( / 2) tan( )
Shear stress, 24.08
Maximu shear stress 35.84
2
Factor of safety (n) = 180/ 35.84 5.02 (Safe)
c
d m
c
YP
Q
MPa
d
M Q d
MPa
d d
MPa
shear
o
t

t
t t
o
t t
t t
= =
+
= = =
| |
= + =
|
\ .
= =
29
Step 5: Calculation of Nut Height
| |
| |
2 2
2 1
2 2 2 2
2 1
1
4
Total Load
( )
4 4 73575
8.48
( ) (50 42 ) 15
Take 9 Height of Nut = 72
Check: 2.5 2.5 42 105
Q
p
d d z
Q
z
d d p
z H z s mm
H d mm
t
t t
= s

> = =

= = =
s = =
It is verified that the chosen thread form may be accepted. However, for proper wear
compensation, we can modify the thread form slightly to a modified square thread. This will
facilitate slight wear compensation and also enhance load capacity because of more real root
area than the original square thread.
Note: Such thread forms have all the advantages of square thread with additional benefit of
wear compensation in the Nut and enhanced load capacity.
Step 6: Nut Design
| |
| |
| |
2
1 2
2
2 1
1
4
76.0
4
Collar Dia. 90.0
Collar thickness a 7.703 8.0
c
c
Q
D d mm
Q
D D mm
Q
mm mm
D
|
t o
t o
t t
= + =
> + =
> = =
30
Step 7: Buckling of the screw
Maximum portruded length of screw = L = Lift + H/2=250+72/2=286mm
Radius of gyration k = 0.25d
1
=10.5mm

2 2 5
Slenderness ratio 286/10.5 27.24
2 2 0.25 2.1 10
Critical slenderness ratio 57.36
315
Since Use J. B. Johnson Formula of Short Column
cr y
cr
L
k
L c E
k
L L
k k
t t
o
| |
= =
|
\ .

| |
= = =
|
\ .
| | | |
<
| |
\ . \ .
( )
2
2
/
Critical Load 1 387075
4
y
cr y
L k
P A N
c E
o
o
t
(
= = (
(

387075/ 73575 5.26(Safe, since (3 ~ 4))
cr
P
Q
= = >
Check:
Note: If this check fails, take the next higher screw dimensions from the standard or
reduce the lift.
31
Step 7: Design of Lever
( )
( )
1
2 tan( ) 73575 (46/ 2) tan(3.1685 8.53) 350396.78N-mm
2 0.25 (73575/ 2) (80 20) / 2 367800 N-mm
350396.78 367800 = 718200 N-mm (approx.)
Thread
Support c cm
Lever Support Thread
M Q d
M Q d
M M M
o

' = + = + =
= = + =
= + = +
0
Approximate length of the lever 718200/ 400 1790 1.79 .
Lever
d
M
L mm m
P
= = = =
2
0 1 cm 0
Consider (1.5 ~1.7) 75 ~ 85 80
same as minor dia. d or less = 20mm; 0.5( ) 50
D d mm mm
D d D D mm
' = = =
' = = + =
Note: Considering maximum force by a single human worker as 400N
The calculated length is excessively large/long and therefore, second option anti-friction
thrust bearing may be provided over the pad of the screw, so that M
support
= 0
0
d
So length of the lever 350396.75/ 400 876
Total length of the lever = L + 0.5 D + Gripping allowance = 876 + 40 + 150 = 1066 mm
Lever
d
M
L mm
P
= = =
'
| |
3
3
32 32 400 1066
Lever Dia. 30.707 32
150
Lever
d
M
d mm mm
t o t

> = = =

Note: High value of allowable stress chosen as the lever becomes weakest portion.
32
Note: A required length of lever approaching 2000mm may be considered to be excessively
long because such a Screw Jack will require more free-space for its operation. Normally
such free-spaces are not available in situations where screw jack finds application. A lever
rod which comes out to be very small should also be disregarded on the ground that
operator may find difficulty in providing the force that has been assumed in the calculation.
Application Coefficient of Friction ()
For high-grade materials and workmanship and for well
run-in and lubricated threads
0.10
For average quality material, workmanship and conditions
of operation
0.125
For poor quality material and workmanship and for newly
machined surfaces which are indifferently lubricated and
which have slow motion
0.15
Coefficient of friction for starting conditions may be taken as 1.333 times the value for
running conditions
Coefficient of collar friction may be taken as the same as for thread friction
Problem 1: Design a screw jack for a lifting capacity of (5+X/10) ton with a lifting height of
(200 + 10*X) mm. Use C-35 steel as a screw material and Phosphor Bronze as Nut material.
Screw Jack may be of bell-bottom shape. Here, X = Your Roll Number.
33
34
35
36
37