Thomson Industries Inc.’s miniature metric ball screw line uses a unique multi-start ball return design that maximizes support for higher loads. This design provides precise, smooth and quiet operation for applications requiring high precision and load handling in confined spaces.
Using more balls enables higher loads to be supported. Thomson miniature metric ball screws accomplish this with a unique multi-liner return system that maximizes the number of circuits and loaded balls in the nut. A miniature metric system with a multi-liner return system, for example, deploys 168 balls in eight circuits to support 7.6 kN of static load, as compared to a single-liner design, which would use 84 balls in four circuits to support only 4.2 kN. Maximizing the number of balls within a single nut also extends the life of the system by spreading the load across multiple points. Furthermore, the Thomson multi-liner return system floats axially to compensate for misalignment.
Thomson miniature metric ball screws are ideal for designers who specify linear motion components with minimal space requirements. Common applications include:
- diagnostic and life science instruments, such as chemistry analyzers
- test and measurement equipment, such as torque testers
- fluid pumping, such as medical infusion pumps
- robotics and pick-and-place equipment, such as engraving, scanning and printing machines