When motion system designers need complex, high-speed, multiaxis motion, they might first think of elaborate, prepackaged robot arms. Or, if they need only a few axes, they might configure a separate profile or round rail for each axis. But hiding between those options is simple and proven ball spline technology. This multiaxis motion solution has existed for years and is still highly relevant to today’s complex motion schemes. Ball splines use a unique architecture integrating rotary and linear motion on a single shaft. This gives them more flexibility to implement complex motion schemes in tighter spaces, providing a two-for-one deal in motion control.

To determine whether a machine screw jack or ball screw jack is the right fit for your application, Thomson and Motion engineers offer the following application parameters early in the design phase.