Nook Industries, a leading innovator of linear motion components and systems, proudly offers a complete line of standard ball screw products. An upgrade from acme screws, ball screws provide advantages similar to those had by antifriction bearings over plain bushings. Ball screws serve a variety of applications, including machine tools, assembly devices and robots.Nook’s precision […]
Linear drives (all)
Linear motion tips for food and beverage applications
It’s not hard to understand why applications in the food and beverage industry are especially challenging for linear motion systems. Food processing and packaging equipment must simultaneously meet high throughput requirements and withstand harsh environments, while safely handling and processing products which are at constant risk for spoilage or dangerous contamination caused by environmental factors or improper handling. Add to this […]
How to avoid ball screw buckling
Imagine two columns—one short and wide and the other long and narrow. As you begin to put weight on them, the long, narrow column gradually begins to bend, to the point that it becomes permanently deformed and eventually breaks, while the short, wide column handles the weight with ease. In the same way the long, […]
New line of metric ballscrews alternative to expensive ground-thread devices
Cleveland-based Nook Industries now sells a complete line of precision metric ballscrew (PMBS) products. They’re an alternative to expensive ground-thread devices manufactured overseas. The ballscrews can move significant loads and masses with great precision, making them useful for aerospace to tool-making applications. Options include linear lead-accuracy classes of T10, T7, T5 and T3 that comply with ISO 3408-3 ballscrew standards. Preloaded and […]
How to determine if a screw will back drive
Screw assemblies are generally preferred over belts or linear motors in vertical applications. This is because a screw will prevent the load from catastrophically crashing if there’s a loss of power to the motor. But a vertical load can still cause a screw to back drive, allowing the load to drop, albeit at a slightly […]
What happens when you combine a planetary gear with a ball screw?
Answer: You get a planetary roller screw. Replacing the recirculating balls of a ball screw with grooved rollers results in a precision drive mechanism with extremely high load capacity, acceleration, and speed capabilities, all in a small footprint. Planetary roller screws fit well in applications at the upper end of ball screw capabilities, but that require […]
Three factors critical to servo motor sizing for linear motion systems
Selecting the right servo motor for a linear motion system is a complex task, beginning with initial assumptions and component selections, which must be checked through a series of calculations and, in most cases, repeated over several iterations until a suitable combination of motor and mechanics is found. Most motor manufacturers offer online sizing tools that make […]
Glide-Line introduces IMPACT interactive configuration system
Glide-Line, manufacturer of the most versatile multi-strand panel and pallet-handling conveyor solution available for the industry, introduces the IMPACT Interactive Configuration System. IMPACT (Interactive Modeling Program and Application Configuration Tools), goes far beyond a typical 3D CAD conveyor configurator. The Excel version of IMPACT uses your system configuration data to recommend the best-fit options, so […]
Direct drive combines linear and rotary motions
by Ernst Blumer, LinMot & MagSpring Linear-rotary motors provide users with greater on-the-fly process flexibility. Linear-rotary motions are required in many machine applications, such as carton closing or handling and pick-and-place systems. For the first time, LinMot, a manufacturer of linear motor systems, has combined a linear motor with a servomotor in a compact unit […]
How to reduce energy use of conveyor systems
Conveyors make up a significant part of most assembly and automation systems, not only in size, but also in terms of energy consumption. Think about it – they often run continuously and operate with motors, gearboxes, and pneumatic cylinders, all of which can be energy hogs. But there are ways to reduce the amount of energy […]