Lead screws, often referred to as power screws, are very similar to traditional screws but feature a continuously threaded shaft without a drive head at one end. Lead screws are commonly made from carbon steel, stainless steel or aluminium and can be found in a wide range of lengths and diameters to meet almost any need. Lead screws are used in motion control to translate turning or rotating movements into a smooth and consistent linear motion.

How do lead screws work?

Lead screws enable smooth, precise, movement and are often preloaded with an axial load that enables consistent contact between the nuts and screw filets. The screw threads require a large area of sliding contact between the external male threads and internal female threads. As the lead screw turns or rotates on a machine, the attached threaded hole from the nut moves along the screw in a linear motion.

These nuts are typically made from plastic or bronze and sometimes feature the addition of a PTFE type coating, this protects the screws and provides additional lubrication for the nut for prolonged life.

Lead screws are available in various diameters and lengths with a range of different pitches or lead dependent upon your application. Different pitches enable different travel speeds to ensure you can create the perfect solution for any application. These screws are widely used in lab testing equipment such as sampling and scanning as well as within the biomedical industry, clinical and hospital equipment.