Beta
Ball screw lead, rpm and travel animation
Enter screw diameter, lead and rpm to compare nut travel in millimetres against real elapsed time. Change lead, rpm or diameter independently.
Lead is travel per revolution. Larger lead increases travel speed at the same rpm. Changing diameter alone does not change travel when lead and rpm stay the same.
- ① Play an exampleCompare 5 mm and 10 mm leads at 120 rpm over a 100 mm target.
- ② Edit the blue fieldsSet diameter, lead, rpm and target travel for A and B.
- ③ Return to the drawingsBoth share one clock and scale. Each drive stops at its target.
Compare the motion
A preset replaces both A and B. Edit blue fields individually. Numerical inputs are not saved.
B: comparison
Nut travel
A: reference
Speed, angle and time
B: comparison
Speed, angle and time
Compare your own inputs
Each field shows its input range. Editing pauses playback and returns to the starting pose.
A: dimensions and inputs
B: dimensions and inputs
Equations and scope
Speed v = lead × rpm / 60 [mm/s]; travel x = v × t [mm]; target time = S / v. Screw rotation and translation stop at the target.
What this motion model covers
Constant screw rpm, a non-rotating nut, and ideal kinematics without slip or elastic deformation. Grooves depict a single-start right-hand helix, not the exact groove, start count or recirculation hardware of a product. Diameter affects the drawing but not lead-based travel. The input range is not a permissible product speed range. Check critical speed, DN limits, buckling and thrust separately.
The viewing window is at most 600 seconds. Fast rotation can appear stationary through sampling. Reduce the playback multiplier to inspect it.
Values are not transferred automatically to calculators. Check the required conditions before entering them.
Common questions
Are lead and pitch the same?
They coincide for a single-start screw, but not a multi-start screw. Enter actual axial travel per revolution: the lead.
Does a larger diameter move faster?
Not at the same lead and screw rpm. Diameter matters to stiffness, buckling and permissible speed selection.
Can I enter motor rpm?
With gearing or pulleys, first convert motor rpm to actual screw-shaft rpm.
Explore more motion
Inspect force transmission and drive effort
Enter axial resisting force, lead and driving efficiency to calculate constant-speed load torque T=Fℓ/(2πη). Use efficiency for the product conditions.
Load calculations exclude friction, inertia, deformation and part strength except explicitly entered cylinder losses or screw efficiency. Capacity comparisons cover only the entered condition, not overall machine safety.