SMALL DIAMETER METRIC BALL SCREW ASSEMBLIES DESIGNED FOR COMPACT / PRECISION APPLICATIONS.

April 21, 2009
Nook Industries (Cleveland, OH) has responded to the growing worldwide shift toward smaller packaged applications, by introducing its Small Diameter Ball Screw Assemblies (SD Ball Screw) designed for smaller footprint applications. These screws are used in robots, medical equipment, guided missiles, unmanned vehicles and aerospace applications. Nook’s Precision Screw Group developed the small diameter ball screw line as an extension to its Power-Trac™ offering to provide design engineers a globally accepted metric product for compact, portable, and lightweight applications requiring high accuracy, repeatability, and durability. Ball screws offer an efficient means of converting rotary motion to linear motion; ideal for smaller package applications typically requiring lower load capacity and higher precision. With over four decades of experience manufacturing precision ball screws, Nook’s Precision Screw Group designed the small diameter (below 10mm) ball screws with a load capacity of 40-100lbs., and a high-precision (lead accuracy measured in microns ; 10ths of 1,000s of inches). Lead accuracy of: ± 100µm/300mm - Standard Rolled (Carry, MRT) / ± 25µm/300mm - Precision Rolled (PMT)Standard diameters from 6mm to 12mm, Standard leads from 1mm to 3mm According to Nook Industries Vice President of the Precision Screw Group James Lincoln, “The SD Ball Screw’s small size and customizable design offers precise efficient movement in a compact package for applications.” MANUFACTURING CONFIGURATION: Nook’s SD Ball Screw’s basic configuration assembly is typically powered by a motor which generates torque as the rotating screw pushes the nut along the screw shaft; producing linear thrust. They are often used alongside linear slides or as part of a linear actuator to move parts and devices along a single axis A wide range of materials including alloy, stainless, aluminum, titanium, and other exotic metals are available to match customer’s application performance requirements; i.e.-stainless steel for medical or non-magnetic, non-corrosive applications. PACKAGE SPECIFICATIONS: Nook’s SD Ball Screw standard line is offered in two versions for application-specific need: Designed in metric dimensions to meet universal industry performance standards, Nook catalogs SD Ball Screw sizes from 6mm diameter to 12mm. Additionally, the size required will be determined by the needed load capacity, speed, duty cycle, and environmental conditions (dust, metal particles, silicate, etc.) specified by the customer. While the SD Ball Screw’s are offered as modified standard parts, Nook can customize these standard designs to meet the unique material, end machining, and application specifications. Nook also implements a rolled manufacturing process; which is more cost efficient vs. cutting or grinding. Available in a wide assortment of diameters and lead accuracies, quantities are currently being sold from single units to tens of thousands per year. The Power-Trac™ SD Ball Screw series are currently in use by many major medical, military and robotics entities.