A Small Support Unit Can Have A Huge Effect?

The ends of the ball screw have been machined to be installed on fixed brackets and support brackets, with the support unit being a unified term for both names. It involves placing bearings inside a completed mold, which work together with the rotation of the ball screw. In fact, the support unit is installed at both ends of the ball screw to secure it.

So, what do the support unit and fixed unit consist of? What roles do they each play? Taking the FF series and FK series as examples, the FF mainly includes Block(1pc), Bearing(1pair), C-Rings(1pc), while the FK mainly includes Block Body(1pc), Bearing(1set), Binder Pate(1pc), Distance Ring(2pcs), Seal(2pcs), Lock nut(1set), and Hexagon Socket Set Screw(2pcs).

FF series：

FK series：

Although the support unit may look small, it actually has great power.

Therefore, the ball screw support unit mainly plays the following important roles:

1. Provide stable support

1.1 Axial support: During operation, ball screws bear axial loads, such as the axial force generated when moving the worktable in a machine tool's feed system. The support unit reliably supports the screw axially, preventing axial play and ensuring its axial position remains stable, thus guaranteeing transmission accuracy and stability.

1.2 Radial support: Restrains radial displacement of the ball screw, maintaining accurate alignment with the axis during rotation. This prevents radial wobbling that could affect the transmission precision with mating components like nuts, allowing the screw to rotate smoothly.

2.Ensure installation accuracy

2.1 Facilitate accurate installation: Provide standard installation reference surfaces and fixing methods for ball screws, allowing the screws to be installed more conveniently and accurately into the equipment. Technicians can use support unit to precisely install and adjust the screw position, ensuring that its relative position with other drive components (such as motors, couplings, guides, etc.) meets design requirements and minimizes installation errors.

2.2 Maintain stable precision: During equipment operation, factors such as vibration and thermal deformation may alter the position of the ball screw. High-quality support unit, with excellent rigidity and stability, can minimize the interference from these external factors, ensuring that the drive system maintains high precision over long periods.

3. Load Distribution and Stress Management

3.1 Proper Load Transmission: During operation, the axial force, radial force, and overturning moment experienced by the ball screw need to be properly distributed and transmitted. The support unit, acting as a load-bearing component, can evenly distribute these loads to more stable structures such as the equipment base, thereby enhancing the overall load-bearing capacity of the system. This prevents excessive localized stress that could damage the screw or related components, thus extending their lifespan.

4.Adaptation to Different Operating Conditions

4.1 Accommodate Various Installation Configurations: There are different types of support unit, such as fixed-end support unit and supported-end support unit, which can adapt to various ball screw installation methods like one end fixed and the other end free, or both ends fixed. This meets the requirements of various machinery under different operating conditions (such as high-precision machining, automated production) for the ball screw drive system.

4.2 Adapt to Various Environmental Conditions: The material and structural design of the support unit can be optimized based on actual usage environments. For example, in industrial settings with harsh conditions like dust, humidity, or high temperatures, support unit with corresponding protective and thermal stability features can be selected to ensure reliable operation of the ball screw system.

In conclusion, despite being made up of just a few small components, the support unit plays a crucial role.

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