Ball Screw Polishing Synchronization via Oscillating Tape
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ball screw polishing apparatuses do not consistently achieve suitable surface roughness in the screw grooves of ball screws, which affects the friction reduction between balls, screw grooves, and nuts.
Innovation Solution
A ball screw polishing apparatus and method that includes a holding mechanism, rotating mechanism, tape-conveying mechanism, tape-pressing mechanism, tilting mechanism, linear oscillating mechanism, and speed-synchronizing mechanism to rotate and oscillate a polishing tape in synchronization with the screw shaft's rotational speed, ensuring the tape presses against the screw groove aligned with the lead angle, thereby improving surface roughness and polishing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the polishing tape is conveyed continuously, then the polishing efficiency is improved, but the synchronization with screw shaft rotation becomes difficult to control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system where the rotational position of the screw shaft is detected by a sensor, and this information is fed back to control the conveyance of the polishing tape. The control unit adjusts the tape feed speed to maintain precise synchronization with the screw shaft rotation, enabling continuous polishing while maintaining reliable synchronization (resolving the contradiction between productivity and reliability)
Solution Approach 2:
The patent pre-calculates and sets the relationship between screw shaft rotational speed and polishing tape linear speed based on the lead angle and desired surface roughness. This preliminary parameter setting ensures that when polishing begins, the synchronization is already optimized, allowing continuous operation without losing control reliability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus effectively reduces surface roughness and enhances polishing precision by synchronizing the rotational speed of the screw shaft with the movement speed of the polishing tape, ensuring consistent contact and improved polishing efficiency along the screw groove.
Implementation Method 1
conveying a polishing tape continuously or intermittently, the polishing tape having a polishing portion traveled around an outer peripheral surface of a pressing roller
Implementation Method 2
pressing the polishing portion against the screw groove
Data Source
AI summary
A method for polishing a ball screw comprising a screw shaft defining a screw axis. The screw shaft is formed with a screw groove. The method comprises the steps of: rotating the screw shaft at a rotational speed about the screw axis; conveying a polishing tape having a polishing portion traveled around an outer peripheral surface of a pressing roller, the press roller being configured to rotate about a rotational axis; guiding the polishing tape such that the polishing portion is traveled around the outer peripheral surface; pressing the polishing portion against the screw groove; tilting the pressing roller such that the rotational axis is aligned with a lead angle; oscillating the pressing roller linearly along the rotational axis; moving the polishing tape at a moving speed in a direction parallel to the screw axis; and synchronizing the rotational speed with the moving speed based on a lead.