Ball Screw Handling Precautions

Handling

1. Please use at least two people to move any product weighing 20 kg or more, or use a cart or another method of conveyance. Otherwise, it may cause injury or damage the unit.
2. Do not disassemble the parts. This will result in loss of functionality.
3. Tilting the screw shaft and nut may cause them to fall under their own weight.
4. Take care not to drop or strike this product. Otherwise, it may cause injury or damage the unit. Even if there is no outward indication of damage, a sudden impact could prevent the unit from functioning properly.
5. Do not remove the nut from the screw shaft during set up.
6. Wear appropriate safety gear, such as protective gloves and safety shoes, when handling the product.

Use

1. Prevent foreign materials, such as cutting chips or coolant, from entering the product. Failure to do so could damage the product.
2. If the product is used in an environment where cutting chips, coolant, corrosive solvents, water, etc., may enter the product, use bellows, covers, etc., to prevent them from entering the product.
3. The operating temperature range for this product is between -15°C and 80°C with no freezing or condensation.
4. If foreign material such as cutting chips adheres to the product, replenish the lubricant after cleaning the product.
5. Slight oscillations can inhibit the formation of an oil film between the raceways and the area of contact for the balls, resulting in fretting. Therefore, be sure to use a type of grease with high fretting resistance. We recommend periodically rotating the nut once to help ensure that a film forms between the raceways and balls.
6. When using the return-pipe or return-piece type ball screw in a horizontal orientation, there is a difference in torque on the outbound and inbound cycle depending on the mounting orientation of the circulation part (return pipe or return piece). To use the product with a consistent torque, we recommend designing the product with the mounting orientation of the circulation part facing downwards.
7. Do not forcibly drive a pin, key, or other positioning device into the product. This could create indentations in the raceways and impair the product's function.
8. If offset or skewing occurs with the ball screw shaft support or the ball screw nut, it may substantially shorten the service life. Pay attention to mounted components and to mounting accuracy.
9. If any rolling elements fall out, contact THK. Do not use the product in that condition.
10. When using this product with a vertical orientation, take preventive measures such as adding a safety mechanism to prevent falls. The ball screw nut may fall by its own weight.
11. Do not use this product beyond its permissible rotational speed. This could damage the product or otherwise cause it to malfunction. Be sure to use the product within the specification range designated by THK.
12. Do not allow the ball screw nut to overshoot. The product may malfunction if any of the balls fall out, the circulation components become damaged, or any indentations form in the ball raceways. Continuing to use the product in this condition may lead to premature wear or damage to circulating parts.
13. Use a ball screw in conjunction with a guide element such as an LM Guide or ball spline. Failure to do so could damage the product.
14. If the mounting material lacks sufficient rigidity or accuracy, the bearing load may be focused in one area, and bearing functionality will dramatically decrease. Therefore, carefully consider the rigidity and accuracy of the housing and base, and the strength of the securing bolts.
15. If performing a task involving multiple people, confirm how to perform the work, what signals will be used, and how to handle problems before beginning, and assign another person to monitor the work.
16. A stopper is installed inside the product. It is intended to limit the stroke, and may become damaged in the event of a strong impact.

Lubrication

1. Thoroughly wipe off anti-rust oil and feed lubricant before using the product.
2. Do not mix different lubricants. Even grease containing the same type of thickening agent may, if mixed, interact negatively due to disparate additives or other ingredients.
3. When using the product in locations exposed to constant vibrations or in special environments such as clean rooms, vacuums, and extreme heat or cold, use a lubricant suitable for its use/environment.
4. When lubricating products that do not feature a grease nipple or oil hole, directly coat the raceways with lubricant and perform several warm-up strokes to ensure that the grease permeates the interior.
5. Grease viscosity can vary depending on the temperature. Please keep in mind that the torque may be affected by changes in viscosity.
6. After lubrication, the rotational torque of the ball screw may increase due to the stirring resistance of the grease. Be sure to perform a warm-up operation and allow the grease to break in sufficiently before operating the machinery.
7. Excess grease may spatter after lubrication. Wipe off spattered grease as necessary.
8. Grease deteriorates over time, which decreases the lubricity. Perform regular grease inspections and replenish grease based on frequency of use.
9. Although the lubrication interval may vary according to operating conditions and the service environment, lubrication should be performed approximately every 100 km in travel distance (three to six months). The final lubrication interval/amount should be set at the actual machine.
10. There is a risk that lubrication may not work sufficiently if the lubricating oil does not circulate due to the mounting orientation or the oiling port of the nut, so be sure to give these factors adequate consideration during design.
11. It is necessary to provide adequate lubrication when using ball screws. Using the product without lubrication may increase wear on the rolling elements and shorten the service life.

Storage

1. When storing the ball screw, pack it as designated by THK and store it indoors in a horizontal position away from high or low temperatures and high humidity.
2. Please note that if the product has been kept in storage for an extended period, the lubricant inside may have deteriorated. Please ensure that you replenish the lubricant before using.
3. If you request that we do not apply anti-rust oil to a product, please be aware that it may rust due to the storage environment or length of storage.

Disposal

1. The product should be treated as industrial waste and disposed of appropriately.