Differential Roller Screw (DRS)



High Load Capacity. Long Service Life. Precision Motion.

The DRS is engineered for applications that demand extreme positioning accuracy and resolution, such as laboratory instruments, space systems, telescopes, and medical devices. Effective leads can range from a few hundredths of a millimeter up to a few tenths of a millimeter. This ultra-fine resulting lead is achieved through a differential motion between the screw shaft, nut, and rollers, while the rollers themselves are designed with a larger pitch to preserve high load capacity despite the fine effective lead.



Materials, coatings, and interface dimensions are fully adapted to each application. Consult a Helix application engineer for design guidance specific to your project.



The design has been optimized for fewer components and lower weight while maintaining high load and speed capability. The standard DRS range is available from Ø16 mm up to Ø44 mm, with other sizes available on request.



Possible leads can reach a few hundredths of a millimeter, making this design ideal for applications requiring extreme resolution and positioning accuracy over a short stroke.



Description of the Differential Roller Screw



The DRS achieves its ultra-fine effective lead through differential motion rather than through an extremely fine physical thread pitch. Because the rollers themselves retain a larger pitch, the assembly keeps a high load capacity that a conventional fine-pitch screw of comparable size could not sustain. This combination, fine resolution with real load capacity, is what makes the DRS suited to precision instruments that also need to hold and move meaningful loads.