Extra Long Ball Screw

Barnes Industries has made some of the longest ball screws in the machine tool industry.

lowering-screw-installationThe Daniluk Corporation, Oklahoma City, OK, contracted Barnes to build a custom-made 56 foot long ball screw with a rotating ball nut assembly for a large Giddings and Lewis horizontal boring mill. The traveling boring mill head was originally driven by a rack and pinion. It was retrofitted to a ball screw drive using a 4 inch diameter screw x 56 foot long.

The screw was supported in several areas to eliminate sag and improve overall accuracy. The project was completed in 1998 and is still in service today running two shifts, 6 days a week.

final-installation

The ball screw was originally manufactured in two pieces and permanently joined together by a specially engineered process. We keep an inventory of hardened and ground 40 foot long bars up to 6 inch in diameter in stock at all times in order to expedite delivery of large ball screws.

hardened-ground-bar

The bar was centerless ground on one of the longest bar-feeds in the Midwest holding a roundness of .0002 inches over full length.

centerless-grind-long-barlong-bar-roundness

The screw thread raceway is precut in the hardened state and then precision ground in one of the five Matrix 70 external thread grinding machines.

thread-grinding-long

Barnes Industries can manufacture ball screws up to 70 feet long by this special process with the shortest deliveries in the industry. Contact our sales department to see how Barnes can help with your custom ball screw needs.

Specifications

Product Description

New Extra long ball screw assembly, 4.0 inch diameter by 56 feet long.

Capabilities applied, processes

Joining extra long bars by special process; 40 foot bar and 16 foot bar joined together

Tightest Tolerances

Major diameter of screw is centerless ground to a roundness of .0002” in 56’ length

Material Used

AISI 6150 HR, heat treated and centerless ground in 40 foot lengths - on the shelf, ready for processing

Lead Requirements

  • Screw lead adjusted during thread grind to compensate for screw stretch
  • Less than .0005 inch/foot lead error after screw is stretched
  • Screw stretched to compensate for sag and thermal growth

Screw supports

Screw sag in long shaft eliminated by retractable screw supports

Thread Grinding Requirements

  • Large Capacity Matrix 70 thread grinding machine used
  • Extensive steady rest support required
  • Accurate hook-ups between thread ground sections
  • Solid outboard supports for length outside of thread grinding machine
  • Continuous thermal control during grind operation

Application assistance

  • Engineering assistance available
  • Retrofit from rack and pinion drive to ball screw drive
  • Ball screw load and life calculations
  • Engineered reliability

Industry for Use

Machine Tool

Delivery Time

  • 10-12 weeks
  • Expedited Service Available

Delivery Location

Oklahoma

Project Scope

Design and Build a long ball screw with a rotating nut assembly to replace the rack and pinion drive on a large Giddings and Lewis horizontal boring mill.

Call 248.541.2333 Today visit our faq page for more information