There are many different types of thread forms that are used today. Many of these thread forms have been used for centuries and have changed very little other than the precise way they can be manufactured.
The trapezoidal lead screw uses the trapezoidal thread form, which is where this particular type of power screw gets its name. These are very durable, strong and easy to manufacture, which makes them a very good option for all types of equipment and processes.
The Basics
The most common type of trapezoidal thread form is the Acme screw. These can be designed in a variety of options including right and left-hand threads and with just one thread lead or multiple thread leads.
This is an old form of a trapezoidal lead screw, first developing in the mid part of the 1890s. At that time, it was unique as previous types of thread forms had a square thread, which were hard to manufacture and also created more resistance on the nut.
The Acme trapezoidal lead screw has a 29-degree thread angle. At the same time, the thread height is half of the pitch, which is the space between the front side of one thread to the front side of the next thread. As there is the slope up and away from the valley or the space between the crests, this is a stronger overall thread form than others.
Customizing the Lead Screw
Today, more and more companies need custom-designed types of trapezoidal thread lead screws. This can include the use of metric threads, which is particularly important when products or components are going to be exported.
Different alloys, as well as the diameter of the lead screw, can also be selected to create the ideal match for any application.
