Correlation between feed velocity and preloading in ball screw drives

The efficiency and reliability of ball screw feed drives is a mayor issue concerning the productivity of modern machine tools. The preloading of a ball screw thereby determines the dynamical operational behavior as well as the attainable life span. The research results presented in this paper now clearly show that the value of pretension changes depending on the velocity of the feed motion. This correlation has a major impact on the actual equivalent load on a ball screw during operation and therefore has to be considered when estimating the operating life of a feed drive.