Preloaded Ball Screws are ball screw assemblies that are much more intricate than other ball screw models. Typically ball screw assemblies make use of only one grouping of ball bearings, which are contained inside the ball screw nut. As the screw turns, the ball bearings must roll along the raceway of the ball screw nut. This activity results in linear motion, as it forces the ball screw nut to travel along the screw. As previously mentioned ball screw assemblies are examples of linear actuators, that change circular motion into straight line movement by the workings of the ball screw assembly.
In the case of a standard ball screw assembly, when compared to the kind of mechanism used by preloaded ball screws, there is only one group of ball bearings, that is pushed through the ball screw assembly in an incessant circle by employing a recirculation system. When considering preloaded ball screw assemblies however, the ball screw nut has two sets of ball bearings inside it.
These sets of ball bearings are positioned on each side of the ball screw nut barrel, and move on threadways that are oppositely oriented to each other. As a result of the added group of ball bearings in the system, there are greater friction levels. This issue is just about totally cancelled out by the benefits afforded by the second group of ball bearings.
Preloaded ball screws usually fall into the category of precision ground ball screws. There is a range of different preloaded ball screw assemblies that have these properties, and there is therefore a choice of models. These preloaded ball screw assemblies are not expensive to manufacture, but can be less accurate than that of other ball screws. This is typically not an issue however, if the preloaded ball screw is required for an apparatus which does not depend on precision readings.
