Lead Screw Vs Ball Screw - The Difference

①Lead Screw

​Advantages	Disadvantages
Lower cost than ball screws	Require more regular maintenance,costing more long-term
​Self-locking (dependant on thread angle)	Less efficient; require greater torque/larger motor
Do not always require braking system	Higher friction, thus run at a higher temperature
Can be self-lubricating bronze or plastic nuts	Not as well suited to high-speed applications or continuous/long cycle times
​Can carry heavier loads than ballscrew screw counterparts	​More axial play/lower position accuracy

② Ball Screw

Advantage	Disadvantage
Higher positional accuracy	Require braking systems
High speeds and lead options	Require grease or oil lubrication
Require less torque so smaller,cheaper motors	No self-locking
Energy efficient	Less shock-resistance than lead screws
Low friction	More expensive
Run at low temperatures for high duty
Adjustable for preload and axial play

A ball screw uses these ball heading inside the screw instrument, recycling balls inside circuits, meaning that the screw shaft which passes through the ball nut pivots easily utilizing ball point contact – which offers exceptionally moo grinding and near contact between ball and screw. This gives you awesome control over the direct movement, with tall effectiveness and positional exactness. Moo grinding implies merely require less revolving input control to form the direct movement – permitting for a littler fueled engine; this not as it were implies that cheaper choices for motors are suited, it too permits for a littler footprint. A key advantage within the ballscrew plan is lead alternatives: exceptionally quick lead can offer exceptionally quick straight movement for tall speed situating, with moo contact for tall obligation utilization. Near ball contact offers moo backfire when changing heading, and can be preloaded with zero play utilizing bigger ball sizes. Exactness and blunder can be controlled with diverse accuracy grades of fabricate from rolled to ground shapes. So in outline: ball screws are way better suited to applications where speed, positional exactness and tall usage/duty is required; in any case, you may moreover got to figure a braking framework into the plan, as ball screws are not self-locking.

In lead screw there are no ball bearings – meaning that the screw threads are in direct contact with the moving component – i.e. the bronze nut acts as a plain bearing, with much higher surface area of contact. Higher forces are possible, but this contact creates more friction – and thus requires more power from the motor. The cut or whirled threads offer a more shock-resistant, self-locking system (depending and thread angle) meaning that you need no additional braking system for them to maintain their position.

There's a common qualification between the applications for a ball and lead screw. Lead screws are connected in OEM applications where a “just right” arrangement is required. Lead screws can be easily tailored to supply the desired execution for the proper applications at the least fetched. This in some cases requires life cycle testing within the plan stage but for an OEM, the additional up front work is well worth the item taken a toll reserve funds. The capacity of ball screws to carry much higher loads, accomplish quicker speeds with continuous duty cycles can be well worth their included fetched. For conclusion clients, the consistency of ball screws makes them the most excellent choice for quick integration and unwavering quality. Production line robotization depends intensely on ball screw innovation for occasion. Of course there are numerous OEM applications where a ball screw is required such as within the machine instrument industry. For OEM’s, execution & fetched, not expository consistency, eventually manage the innovation.

The key difference between a ball screw and a lead screw is in the way the load is carried between the moving surfaces. A ball screw uses recirculation ball bearings to minimize friction and maximize efficiency while a lead screw depends on low coefficients of friction between sliding surfaces. A lead screw therefore typically cannot achieve the efficiency of a ball screw (~90%). A quick review of tribology (study of wear and friction) leads one to conclude that sliding friction is inherently less predictable than power transmission utilizing recirculating ball technology.