Product category:
Drives, motors and power transmission, couplings, clutches
News Release from: THK UK | Subject: SBK and SBN ballscrews
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 06 October 2003
Caged balls improve ballscrew
performance
Two ballscrews provide exceptionally smooth rotational movement at speeds of up to 160,000DN - twice as fast as many competing ballscrews.
THK, one of the world's leading manufacturer of linear motion systems, has launched two new ballscrews, the SBK and SBN, that collectively offer significantly improved levels of performance over previously available devices In particular, the two new ballscrews provide exceptionally smooth rotational movement at speeds of up to 160,000DN - twice as fast as many competing ballscrews - an operating life that can be three times that of traditional devices, minimal maintenance and a reduction in noise levels of around 6dB
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 21 Apr 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Maintenance-free linear motion parts make sense
To ensure that its ground-breaking pick-and-place system is consistently accurate, Arrayjet Ltd opted for linear motion components, which offer long-term, maintenance-free operation.
Caged ball increases ballscrew life
Following the worldwide success of its Caged Ball technology LM Guide Systems, THK has launched the SBN ballscrew with Caged Ball.
The SBK and SBN have been designed at THK's extensive research and development centre in Japan and are intended for use with a wide range of production equipment, including machine tools, industrial robots, high speed transfer units and pick and place systems.
The two ballscrews both achieve exceptional levels of performance by incorporating THK's proven caged ball technology within the ballscrew nut assembly.
The caged ball mechanism is essentially a series of separators between the balls that run between the screw shaft and ballscrew nut to provide smooth and precise motion.
The caged ball system eliminates the problems of noise, friction, heat and wear, commonly associated with conventional ball race configurations, by enclosing high precision stainless steel balls within a separator cage, with controlled density grease pockets on the circumference of each ball.
This effectively prevents contact between balls when in operation, leading to significant improvements in both overall performance and operating life.
The two new products differ, however, in the way in which they utilise the caged ball system within the recirculating mechanisms in each ballscrew nut assembly.
The SBK being a high lead product uses an end cap method of re-circulation, to enable speeds of up to 160,000DN to be achieved.
By comparison, the SBN uses a special geometry return tube within the nut to pickup and recirculate balls back to the beginning of the load zone.
A number of options are available for both ballscrews, including THK's QZ Lubricating system, that continuously applies oil directly to the raceway by means of a compact reservoir and high density fibre applicator, and specialised Wiper Rings, that protect the ballscrew nut and shaft from damage by accumulated dirt or debris.
• THK UK: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Manufacturingtalk email newsletter
• Manufacturingtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
