An Overview of Jack Screw Equipment

A jack is a type of mechanical lifting device that utilizes large amounts of force to lift heavy loads. Jacks may be powered through various means, and hydraulic jack, car jack, and floor jack types all are common for different applications. The jack screw, or screw jack, is a specific type of jack which may be operated through the turning of a leadscrew. As an equipment piece that is well capable of lifting very heavy loads, the jack screw assembly may be found on aircraft for adjusting horizontal stabilizers, in garages for lifting automobiles, or may serve as an adjustable support for house foundations.

While a jack screw may come in a variety of forms, most consist of a gearbox assembly and a transmission product which take advantage of a motor for transforming rotary motion into a linear force. The gearbox assembly can contain various components, though worm gear and bevel gear sets are the most common. The transmission product, on the other hand, may be a machine cut lead screw, a rolled ball screw, or a ground ball screw.

Whether a jack screw is a hydraulic jack screw, a jack screw aircraft device, a machine jack screw, or another common type, such equipment is ideal for applications in which heavy loads need to be pushed, pulled, raised, lowered, or positioned. With their advantageous reliability and synchronization, jack screws are a basic element of automated machinery. Furthermore, such equipment is also common for high-load applications due to its capabilities.

Hydraulic jack screw assemblies are slowly becoming an alternative for conventional hydraulics or pneumatic systems, due in part to their increased energy efficiency and higher precision. Additionally, many jack screw assemblies also present less risk of high-pressure oil leaks, and they generally provide increased safety in the event of a jack screw power AC loss as they are self-locking. With the addition of their quick and simplistic set-up, management, and maintenance, jack screws can be a useful alternative to standard hydraulic and pneumatic equipment for various high-load applications.

Depending on one’s needs, there are numerous types of jack screws that may be acquired for a particular assembly or application. Translating jack screws are the most popular variation, and they utilize a worm screw set, trapezoidal lifting screw head, and other components for their functionality. The worm screw may be operated manually or with the use of a motor, and the screw will rotate the worm gear so that the lifting screw may move up and down. Depending on the thread size and rotation ratio of the worm gears, the linear motion speed of the lifting screw head will be affected.

Rotating jack screws, or traveling nut jack screws, are another common type. Unlike vertical screw feed types, the traveling nut jack screw features a lifting screw that rotates around its axis. To ensure that friction is low, the lifting nut component is manufactured from bronze. With the basic design and functionality of rotating jack screws, such devices are most often used for applications that need a flush mount or for those that are unable to accommodate a screw protection tube.