On the Effect of Thread Turn Profile Angle of the Planetary Roller-Screw Mechanism Parts on Their Basic Parameters

Abstract

One of the most important trends in mechanical engineering development is the constant improvement of load capacity of machines, mechanisms, units and parts without increasing their overall dimensions and weight. This is also true for today’s most prospective planetary rollerscrew mechanisms (PRSM) converting motion from rotary to linear type. The problem of PRSM load capacity improvement deserves more attention, because these mechanisms have very high performance characteristics, which leads to problems in the choice of support devices for these mechanisms. However, for many mechanical engineering industries it is important to decrease the PRSMs weight and dimensions, or to improve their reliability and durability. This has led to finding the reserves for improving the PRSM load capacity by decreasing the thread turn profile angle, α, of PRSM threaded parts, as compared to α = 90° in traditional mechanisms. When PRSM calculation methods were developed, it was decided to use α = 90° for transforming the mechanism parts into a physical model and a design pattern. It allowed us to reduce the PRSM designing to well-known roller bearing designing based on very extensive experimental data. Proposed PRSM designs do not contradict to accepted physical models and design patterns – they just have different basic characteristics of PRSM, i.e. static and dynamic load ratings. Proposed PRSM designs with a thread turn profile angle α=70° on their parts allow to increase the load capacity by 15%, as compared to traditional PRSMs, which have threaded parts with a thread turn profile angle α = 90°. There are two factors, which can improve the PRSM load capacity. The first one is the decrease of normal force between mating thread turns of a screw and a roller with the same operational axial force. The second one is the increase of the radius of the shaped profile of a roller thread turn resulting in the expansion of the contact area pattern between the mating thread turns of a screw and a roller. The first factor dominates here. For implementing the proposed PRSM designs into production, one has to explore additionally the effect of α-angle on linkage parameters, process requirements and specific features of the initial contact between the mating thread turns of a screw and a roller.