| 3.2 Nut Configuration (1) Type of return tube design HIWIN ballscrews have three basic ball recirculation designs. The first, called the external recirculation type ballscrew, consists of the screw spindle, the ball nut, the steel balls, the return tubes and the fixing plate. The steel balls are introduced into the space between the screw spindle and the ball nut. The balls are diverted from the balltrack and carried back by the ball guide return tube form a loop. Since the return tubes are located outside the nut body, this type is called the external recirculation type ballscrew Fig. 3.1. The second design, called the internal recirculation type ballscrew, consists of the screw spindle, the ball nut, the steel balls and the ball return caps. The balls make only one revolution around the screw spindle. The circuit is closed by a ball return cap in the nut allowing the balls to cross over adjacent ball tracks. Since the ball return caps are located inside the nut body, this is called the internal recirculation type ballscrew Fig. 3.2. The third design is called endcap recirculation type ballscrew Fig.. 3.3. The basic design of this return system is the same as the external recirculation type nut Fig. 3.4 except that the return tube is made inside the nut body as a through hole. The balls in this design traverse the whole circuit of the balltracks within the nut length. Therefore, a short nut with the same load capacity as the conventional design can be used. |