Machining of lead screws to meet individual needs

ABSSAC, an established supplier of precision lead screws, offers a comprehensive selection, including power, miniature and high helix thread forms. These lead screws find applications across a broad range of industries, and with four decades of experience, ABSSAC excels in providing the perfect linear product for an ever-expanding array of applications.

With the ability to combine all lead screws with a variety of nuts, ABSSAC caters to a multitude of performance requirements. The advantage of an in-house machine shop ensures the swift delivery of lead screw and nut programs that are ready for seamless installation.

Up until quite recently we were subcontracting this type of work out, says general manager Phil Jones. That was okay, but if the customer needed something quickly, that could present challenges and we had to ensure we found suppliers who could do the job for the right price and at the right quality.

What we have found is that there are very few companies with the ability to machine lead screws to the specification that we need especially when we were getting into much longer lengths of screw, because you need the correct set-up in order to hold everything properly while youre machining it.

The acquisition of a new ROMI GL250M CNC turning centre has enabled ABSSAC to bring all of this work in house. The turning centre offers integral C axis milling capability for off centre drilling, as well as a milling process for items such as keyways and flats.

We really focus on machining lead screws and the nuts to go with them, says Phil. The processes we are able to perform include turning and milling for example, turning for the bearing journals and for the motor connection, and perhaps some milling of flats or keyways. Once these processes are complete, a carbide wheel burnishing process smooths off the part to give an almost ground finish.

The company says that working closely with its customers to supply a finished, ready-to-fit linear product not only reduces their scrap rates, but also ensures that the lead screw and nut fit tolerances are maintained every time. With a machining capability that is enjoyed by numerous customers, an excellent journal concentricity product is delivered, regardless of diameter.

To meet specific customer requirements, the lead screws and nuts can be combined with a full range of lead screw support bearings, linear guides and carriages which will provide load support to any linear mechanism. Offering excellent rigidity and parallelism during operation the guides can be used in both vertical and horizontal planes. The whole linear program allows the supply of complete mechanical systems, through knowledgeable staff.

And because we offer the whole supply, we can ensure that all the components will fit first time, says Phil.

Among various types of lead screws offered by ABSSAC used in mechanical systems, trapezoidal lead screws stand out as a popular choice. These screws feature a robust trapezoidal thread profile, which provides high load ratings and precise positioning in many applications.

With their self-locking ability and large selection of sizes, trapezoidal lead screws are commonly utilised in industries such as manufacturing, automation and robotics. Engineers and designers often rely on these reliable and durable components to convert rotary motion into linear movement with minimal backlash, ensuring smooth and accurate operations in diverse systems.

Because were doing everything in-house, its obviously the most economical way to do it and we 100% inspect everything before it goes out, Phil concludes. Finally, because were a dedicated lead screw machinist, we can offer really competitive delivery times.