Comparative Analysis of the Reliability and Durability of TIC and NSK Ball Screws for Enhanced Process Optimization

Ball screws play an important role in machine tools by converting rotational motion into precise linear motion. This study evaluates and compares ball screws from two companies (TIC and NSK) through simulations and experimentation to assist in the selection process. Simulation results show that TIC exhibits a lower maximum temperature (32.6 °C) and axial deformation (119.3 μm) compared to NSK (34.05 °C and 174 μm, respectively), indicating superior thermal performance and deformation properties. An accelerated life test conducted over 240 h further demonstrates that TIC maintained more stable temperatures during continuous operation. Additional tests on the TIC ball screw include thermal displacement which is 13.5 μm after 2000 cycles of reciprocating motion. Friction torque fluctuation rate which ranges from 11.6% to 19.9%, and test bench positioning repeatability experiment shows a mean deviation of 4.99 μm from the target position. Overall, the results from this work contribute to process optimization by guiding the selection of ball screws based on their thermal performance and durability, ultimately enhancing machine tool accuracy and reliability.