Category Archives: Products

Three Advantages for Using Ball Screws

July 1, 2015 admin Leave a comment

Of all the screws in industry used for motion, ball screws provide unique benefits when compared to other standards, such as roller screws or acme screws. Here are just three of the benefits to using ball screws in your future applications.

High Efficiency – Ball screws typically operate at a minimum of 90 percent efficiency, which makes them an optimal choice in converting rotary motion into precision linear motion.

Load Capabilities – A part of what makes ball screws versatile in so many industries is their ability to carry remarkably heavy loads at fast, efficient speeds.

Cost-Efficient – In the long run, ball screw systems can prove to be a cost-effective alternative to pneumatic or hydraulic systems, which require constant electrical and air power.

What are some of the other ways ball screws have enhanced your business? Let us know below.

Medical, Modular Actuator Accessories, Uncategorized

The New Modular Actuator Calculator Provides Solutions for Bearing Life & Load Considerations

June 30, 2015 admin Leave a comment

When trying to figure out the load size for an actuator, many engineers find themselves making guesses for the bearing considerations. This is because the bearings are buried within the actuator, which makes it impossible to determine their exact location.

Well, thanks to a new modular actuator calculator, engineers can stop guessing and receive precise load figures. The German-developed calculator works by simply choosing the desired product, entering its load definitions and allowing the tool to calculate the bearing stress and load to determine the bearing life of the product. The results can be viewed in an easy-to-read, printable format.

Now, if you want a particular product to last five years, all you have to do is plug in a few definitions and the calculator will determine the load necessary to achieve that life expectancy.

The free-to-use calculator is compatible with Safari and Internet Explorer. To access this resource, visit here.

Industries, Linear Motion Design Considerations, Uncategorized, Worm Gear Machine Screw Jacks

Advantages of a U-Shaped Worm Gear Jack Screw Arrangement

June 25, 2015 admin Leave a comment

In worm gear screw jacks, the “U” arrangement’s configuration is often preferred for manufacturers in the food industry.

U Arrangement For example, a leading cookie manufacturer could be adding a new product that requires a greater distance to the top heating element of the conveyor oven. The oven originally only had a static-top heating element and with this new order, it needs to be adjustable up to 14 inches. The top heating element weighs 5,000 pounds. The manufacturer anticipates only making adjustments to the height once or twice a month.

Our specifications for the U arrangement include a single 5-Horsepower 1750 AC Motor that allows full travel in 36 seconds, food-grade grease, compression load and a double safety factor. The actuators and power train must be located outside of the oven frame. Travel rate is negligible as long as the total travel can be reached in less than 60 seconds. The application’s infrequent cycles makes the use of a machine screw jack the best fit.

Upright rotating jacks allow the jacks to be easily retrofitted to the existing oven with minimal modifications. The jacks will be fully loaded in both the retracted and extended position, but because of the retrofit condition, having a support bearing on the lift shaft will not be possible. A 10-ton jack was selected for the mounting condition to fulfill safety requirement.

For calculating column strength, check out Nook’s calculator, as well as other useful engineering calculators here.

Industries, Linear Motion Design Considerations, Worm Gear Machine Screw Jacks

H Arrangement of Worm Gear Screw Jacks

June 24, 2015 admin Leave a comment

One of the most common arrangements used for worm gear screw jacks is the “H” arrangement. The name comes from the arrangement’s shape, which is made up of four jacks, three gearboxes and a 3 HP AC Motor capable of a dual-speed 1750/800.

An example of this arrangement could be a manufacturer of steel frames for the commercial dairy industry is building a material lift which contains a stack of prefabricated frames. The material lift will index up as each frame is removed by an automated grip from the top of the stack. The jack will index up 1 inch in 2 seconds every 30 seconds. After the last frame is removed, the jacks will fully retract to the collapsed position in 6 seconds waiting for the next load of frames. Complete cycle time is 10 minutes running 6 hours per day, 5 days a week. The design calls for a four-jack arrangement lifting from underneath the lifting stage, driven by a single motor.

The frequency of these cycles and suggested design life makes the use of a ball screw jack the best option for this application. Using upright translating jacks allows the jacks to be located under the material lift without creating obstruction.

When fully loaded, the frames hold a total weight of 16,800 pounds, but when the load is fully extended, the weight is less than 5,000 pounds. The compression load travels 6 inches. The desired design life for the arrangement is one year, as the application is expected to go through 3,120 cycles a year.

Ball Screw Jacks, Linear Motion Design Considerations

Worm Screw Jack T Arrangement Advantages

June 17, 2015 admin Leave a comment

With all the arrangements available, what is it about the “T” arrangement that appeals to a manufacturer?

Well, for a manufacturer looking to periodically raise and lower a cylindrical mixer 8 inches during the mixing cycle to allow product testing, the T arrangement ensures the load is lifted uniformly and safely.

The 1,700-pound cylinder is mounted on a movable cart, allowing for the final product to be moved to a dispensing station. The arrangement offers a redundancy and reliability that gives the manufacturer assurance that their production will not be compromised.

For this configuration, a ball screw jack will be used to minimize the size of the motor drive. Based on the mounting frame, the inverted rotating configurations will be used. The jacks will be loaded in tension, therefore column strength will not need to be considered.

Specifications for the arrangement include: a single 1750 AC Motor and 2.5HL-BSJ with a 12–to-one gear ratio and the capability to travel 8 inches in five seconds.

Making Motion Work