Friction Torque Analysis and Verification of Planetary Thread Roller Bearing

Abstract

A planetary thread roller bearing (PTRB) is a state-of-the-art component in electromechanical actuators (EMA) due to its high load-bearing capacity and small volume. The study of the PTRB is a leading task in the domain of EMA application. In this study, we propose a mathematical model of PTRB friction torque on its working principle and causes. Specifically, the impact of basic properties of the PTRB on friction torque, i.e., rotating speed and external load, are modeled and analyzed. To verify the variation principle of friction torque, experiments are carried out on an actual PTRB. For the test PTRB, the rotating speed ranges from 200 to 2000 rpm with a reverse load from 2000 to 30,000 N at a constant temperature of 55 °C. Experimental results verify the effectiveness of the mathematical model under conditions of 200–2000 rpm rotating speed and 2000–30,000 N external load, which establish strong evidence for model accuracy and robustness.