Malto, Darrell

Marsamolo, Jhoniel
Olaer, Ron Jacob
Orlasan, Nio Walter
Paa, Ronard G.

POWER THREADS CO.

A Report on Power Screws

By: GROUP 4 BSME-4

Power Screws are used for providing linear

motion in a smooth uniform manner.
They are linear actuators that transform
rotary motion into linear motion.
Power screws are are generally based on
Acme , Square, and Buttress threads.
Ball screws are a type of power screw.
Efficiencies of between 30% and 70% are
obtained with conventional power
screws.

TYPE
by thread
geometry
S
SQUARE
THREAD
most
efficient
most
difficult to
machine

ACME
THREAD
have a
29thread angle
easier to
machine

BUTTRES
S
triangular
shape
THREAD
threads

as efficient as
the
square

SQUARE
THREAD

ACME
THREAD

BUTTRESS
THREAD

ADVANTAGES
large load carrying
capability
compact
simple to design
large mechanical
advantage
precise and accurate
linear motion
smooth, quiet, and low
maintenance

DISADVANTAGES
high degree for friction
on the threads
cannot be used in
continuous power
transmission
applications

PITCH
distance from the
crest of one thread
to the next

LEAD
distance that a
thread advances
in one turn

ACME
THREAD

SCREW
THREADS
by
starts and L&P

SINGLE
THREAD

DOUBLE
THREAD

TRIPLE
THREAD

L=P

L=2P

L=3P

has one
start

has two starts

has three starts

SINGLE
THREAD

DOUBLE
THREAD

BUTTRESS
THREAD

LEAD ANGLE
LEAD
tan=Lead/
Dm

angle between a
tangent to the pitch
helix and a plane
normal to the axis of
the screw

PITCH

ACME
THREAD

LEAD ANGLE
TORQUE TO TURN SCREW
LEAD

It is the twisting moment

necessary to move an
axial load by as screw

Torque Formula

using the Angle of Friction:

LEAD

using Coefficient of Friction:

LEAD ANGLE

LEAD

for an ACME thread:

Note:
Fig. 8.21(b)

for a standard ACME thread,

COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION OF POWER

LEAD ANGLE

SCREW

LEAD

IF THE THREAD SURFACES ARE SMOOTH AND

WELL LUBRICATED, THE COEFFICIENT OF
FRICTION MAY BE ASA LOW AS 0.10, BUT FOR
MATERIAL AND WORKMANSHIP OF AVERAGE
QUALITY , HAM AND RYAN RECOMMENDED
F=0.125.FOR DOUBTFUL WORKMANSHIP , f MAY
BE ASSUME AS 0.15. INCREASE THESE VALUES
BY 30-35% FOR STARTING FRICTION.

LEAD ANGLE

ON THE BASIS OF EXPERIMENTS, HAM AND RYAN CONCLUDED

THAT THE COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION IS PRACTICALLY
INDEPENDENT OF THE AXIAL LOAD;THAT IT UNDERGOES
NEGLIGIBLE CHANGES DUE TO SPEED FOR MOST SPEED RANGES
ENCOUNTERED IN PRACTICE; THAT IT DECREASES SOMEWHAT
WITH HEAVIER LUBRICANTS; THAT IT IS SHOWS LITTLE VARIATIONS
OF DIFFERENT COMBINATIONS OF COMMERCIAL MATERIALS, BEING
LOWEST FOR STEEL ON BRONZE; AND THAT THE THEORITICAL
EQUATIONS GIVE A GOOD PREDICTION OF ACTUAL CONDITONS.

LEAD

EFFICIENCY OF A SQUARE THREAD

LEAD ANGLE
LEAD
SCREW
USUALLY, IN THE DESIGN OF SCREW, THE AIM IS TO OBTAIN A
LARGE MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE, AND SINCE THE POWER
TRANSMITTED IS SMALL, THE EFFICIENCY IS COMPARATIVELY
UNIMPORTANT. THE EFFICIENCY OF THE SCREW WOULD BE 100%
IF THERE WERE NO FRICTION . IF THE FRICTION IS ZERO, F AND B
ARE EACH EQUAL TO ZERO, AND EQUATION (f) OR (g) BECOMES

LEAD ANGLE

LEAD

e=
WHERE T REPRESENTS THE TORQUE (TWISTING EFFORT
NEEDED) TO MOVE THE LOAD WITHOUT FRICTION . THE
EFFICIENCY OF THE SCREW, WHICH IS THE EFFORT WITHOUT
FICTION DIVIDING BY THE EFFORT NECCESARY TO TURN THE
SCREW WITH FRICTION , IS T IN THE ABOVE EQUATION ,
DIVIDED BY T IN (g)

CONDITIONS OF SELF-LOCKING SCREW

LEAD ANGLE
LEAD

A self locking screw is one that requires a positive

torque to lower the load or to loosen the screw if it has
been turned tight against a resistance. Fig. 8.26 (in the
book) shows the force arrangement on a square thread
if the load w is to be lowered (moved down the inclined
of the tread). Proceeding as we did to get the torque to
move the load up the plane, and summing the forces
vertically and horizontally ,we find
(From V)
W=Rcos(-),
(From H)
Q=Rsin(-).

LEAD ANGLE

Dividing the value of Q by W, solving for Q,

and then multiplying each side by Dm/2, we
get

Which is turning moment that must be

exerted on the screw to lower the load.

DESIGN OF SCREWS

LEAD ANGLE

It will be quite conservative to based the design

of axially loaded screws on the root area,
because the threads provide a definite
strengthening. One could use in design some
diameter between the minor and the major
diameters, but if the effort is to get something
in the vicinity of the smallest safe size, the
design should be substantiated by test.

LEAD ANGLE
If Le/k <40, where Le is the length, design on the
basis of W=ScAr. If Le/k >40, use a proper
column formula.Be careful of a situation similar
to that of an automobile screw jack; for
example , if one corner of an automobile is jack
up, the screw would probably not act as a freeend column, but on the other hand, the
restraint is not sufficient to classify it is a
rounded end.

THANK YOU
REFERENCES:

Design of Machine Elements

Mechanical
V.M. Faires Engineering
Design R.
Gordon
THOMSONBSA