Experimental Investigation of a Ball Screw for Increasing the Accuracy of Thermal Fe Simulations

Thermally induced displacements due to thermal expansions continue to present one of the main problem areas in the machine tool sector. To compensate displacements simplified thermal FE simulation models are developed, with which compensating calculations will be carried out online in the NC control computer in future (software in the loop). To increase the accuracy experimental tests are conducted on the machine components of the machine tool and compared with FE simulations. The experimental comparison forms the basis for exact simulation models, which are reduced in their complexity though, to subsequently be able to make quick predictions for temperature compensation. This paper describes the thermal investigation on the machine tool component of ball screws as well as the thermal FE model for comparing the heat transfer parameters to be examined.