What role can a linear motion Application Engineer play in my project?
Helix Linear Technologies Application Engineers are subject matter experts in linear motion. When you choose us as your linear motion manufacturing solutions provider for ball screw assemblies or lead screws, our engineering team becomes an extension of your design team, working with you to provide solutions and recommendations. We view this relationship as a partnership, and we are heavily invested in your success.
Here are some common examples of how our application engineers assist our current clients:
- Changing design specs from a non-captive to a captive actuator - eliminating additional anti-rotation components.
- Reversing the assembly to drive the nut instead of the lead screw nut or ball screw to avoid critical speed issues and achieve higher speeds.
- Developing a custom thread form to achieve finer resolution and optimum accuracy to overcome motor limitations or accommodate software requirements.
- Recommending proper lubrication such as PTFE coating or grease to improve product life while accounting for special conditions like ambient temperature, vacuum rating, high pressure, contamination, and food-grade requirements.
- Understanding critical aspects of challenging application environments and recommending suitable materials. (For example, should you spec a rolled ball screw or ground ball screw?
- Selective fitting a ball nut on a precision ball screw to reduce backlash to acceptable levels
- Incorporating anti-backlash or custom nut designs to improve repeatability or reliability.
- Upsizing to a double stack motor to gain more torque for increased safety when moving loads and, in some cases, avoiding the need to pay for the next larger motor size.
- Switching to PEEK or other high-performance plastics for added strength and wear resistance.
- Select motor windings to attain a higher power supply to voltage ratio for maximum performance.
- Determining the proper lead screw or ball screw for back driving and self-locking requirements.
Not many companies have the luxury of having no competition, and these decisions can help provide the advantage your project needs to propel you to success.