Analysis of Wear Characteristics of Ball Screw Assemblies with Consideration of Thermal Contact Conductance

LI Ling; PENG Chi; LI Yao; ZHANG Wang

doi:10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2026.13.015

PDF(3262 KB)

Surface Technology ›› 2026, Vol. 55 ›› Issue (13) : 173-184. DOI: 10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2026.13.015

Friction, Wear and Lubrication

Analysis of Wear Characteristics of Ball Screw Assemblies with Consideration of Thermal Contact Conductance

LI Ling^*, PENG Chi, LI Yao, ZHANG Wang

Author information +

History +

Abstract

To investigate the thermal contact conductance and wear behavior of ball screws and provide theoretical guidance for design optimization, the work aims to establish a thermal contact conductance model for ball screw interfaces with friction effects considered. Based on three-dimensional fractal theory, a rough contact surface model of ball screws was developed. By analyzing the deformation state and contact characteristics of the rough surface, a thermal contact conductance model for the rough surface of ball screws was established. The effect of fractal parameters, friction coefficient, and actual contact area was analyzed. Meanwhile, their relationship with the thermal contact conductance of the ball screw interface was investigated. The effect of contact load on thermal contact conductance was also investigated. The analysis revealed that the fractal dimension was positively correlated with thermal contact conductance and actual contact area. In contrast, thermal contact conductance decreased with an increasing friction coefficient. When the fractal dimension exceeded 2.6, thermal contact conductance considering friction became significantly higher than that without friction consideration. Near a fractal dimension of approximately 2.8, an inflection point appeared in the curve, and thermal contact conductance began to decrease.
Furthermore, considering that the working contact pair of a ball screw involved point contact between the balls and the raceway, a ball-on-disc wear test was employed for equivalent simulation. In the experiments, a ball and a disc made of the same material were processed with identical methods and subjected to the same surface heat treatment as the ball screw pair. The ball had a diameter of 6 mm, and tests were conducted with a fixed rotational radius of 8 mm under various rotational speeds and loads. The mass difference before and after wear was measured, and the wear volume was calculated based on the material density. This volume was then substituted into the traditional Archard model to derive the wear coefficient. Experimental results indicated that the wear coefficient was not a fixed value but varied with changes in rotational speed and load. The findings reflected the relationship between the wear coefficient of the ball screw and variations in load and rotational speed. With this relationship, the traditional Archard model was modified, and a ball screw wear model incorporating a variable wear coefficient was established. The new model was employed to investigate the effects of fractal dimension and fractal scale coefficient on the wear rate. The effect of rotational speed on the wear rate was also examined. The wear rate curve exhibited a shape similar to a bathtub curve, indicating that the wear rate was relatively low at moderate fractal dimension levels.
Therefore, in the design of ball screws, the friction coefficient and fractal scale coefficient should be minimized as much as possible. The design must simultaneously meet operational requirements and precision tolerances. This approach helps prevent localized overheating caused by frictional heat during high-speed operation. Such overheating could otherwise lead to uneven thermal expansion. In practical engineering applications, the surface oxide layers may be removed due to friction, thereby exposing the base metal of the screw. This process contributes to an improvement in thermal conductivity.

Key words

fractal theory / thermal contact conductance / friction factor / ball screw

Cite this article

EndNote

Ris (Procite)

Bibtex

Download Citations

LI Ling, PENG Chi, LI Yao, ZHANG Wang. Analysis of Wear Characteristics of Ball Screw Assemblies with Consideration of Thermal Contact Conductance[J]. Surface Technology. 2026, 55(13): 173-184

References

[1] SONG S, CHOI Y, KIM M S, et al.Effect of Thermal Contact Resistance on Heat Generation in Conduction- Cooled Binary Current Lead[J]. International Journal of Nanotechnology, 2024, 21(3): 171-178.
[2] LI Y, SHI Y, WANG X H, et al.Thermal and Electrical Contact Resistances of Thermoelectric Generator: Experimental Study and Artificial Neural Network Modelling[J]. Applied Thermal Engineering, 2023, 225: 120154.
[3] CHENG J, ZHOU Z D, LIU Z Y, et al.Thermo- Mechanical Coupling Analysis of a High-Speed Actuating Mechanism Based on a New Thermal Contact Resistance Model[J]. Applied Thermal Engineering, 2018, 140: 487-497.
[4] 姜歌东, 王昊, 荆亚彬. 接触热阻对高速滚珠丝杠副温升特性的影响[J]. 吉林大学学报(工学版), 2025, 55(6): 1915-1922.
JIANG G D, WANG H, JING Y B.Influence of Contact Thermal Resistance on Temperature Rise Characteristics of High-Speed Ball Screw[J]. Journal of Jilin University (Engineering and Technology Edition), 2025, 55(6): 1915-1922.
[5] GONG X X, LI C Y, XU M T, et al.Temperature Field Modeling and Vibratory-Thermal Coupling Analysis of Ball Screw Feed System[J]. Thermal Science and Engineering Progress, 2023, 45: 102105.
[6] QIU Y F, ZHOU C G, FENG F T, et al.The Influence of Temperature Rise on the Friction Torque of Ball Screw during Low Speed Operation[J]. Results in Physics, 2023, 51: 106703.
[7] CHEN M J, XIE Z, ZHANG P, et al.Prediction of High Temperature Thermal Contact Conductance Considering Radiation Effects Based on Fractal Theory[J]. Tribology International, 2025, 207: 110620.
[8] 李小彭, 刘洋, 王雪, 等. 三维分形接触热导的建模与多参数影响分析[J]. 振动与冲击, 2018, 37(5): 1-6.
LI X P, LIU Y, WANG X, et al.Modeling of 3D Fractal Thermal Contact Conductance and Multi-Parameter Effect Analyses[J]. Journal of Vibration and Shock, 2018, 37(5): 1-6.
[9] JI C C, ZHU H, JIANG W.Fractal Prediction Model of Thermal Contact Conductance of Rough Surfaces[J]. Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 2013, 26(1): 128-136.
[10] MA C, ZHAO L, SHI H, et al.A Geometrical- Mechanical-Thermal Predictive Model for Thermal Contact Conductance in Vacuum Environment[J]. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part B: Journal of Engineering Manufacture, 2016, 230(8): 1451-1464.
[11] ZHAO Y S, FANG C, CAI L G, et al.A Three- Dimensional Fractal Theory Based on Thermal Contact Conductance Model of Rough Surfaces[J]. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part E: Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering, 2018, 232(5): 528-539.
[12] ZHANG J H, LIU Y L, YAN K, et al.A Fractal Model for Predicting Thermal Contact Conductance Considering Elasto-Plastic Deformation and Base Thermal Resistances[J]. Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology, 2019, 33(1): 475-484.
[13] 孙献光, 孟春晓, 段田堂. 两圆柱体结合面的接触热导分形模型研究[J]. 固体力学学报, 2019, 40(6): 552-559.
SUN X G, MENG C X, DUAN T T.Research on Fractal Model of Thermal Contact Conductance between Two Cylinders' Joint Surfaces[J]. Chinese Journal of Solid Mechanics, 2019, 40(6): 552-559.
[14] LIU J L, MA C, WANG S L.Thermal Contact Conductance between Rollers and Bearing Rings[J]. International Journal of Thermal Sciences, 2020, 147: 106140.
[15] MA C, LIU J L, WANG S L.Thermal Contact Conductance Modeling of Baring Outer Ring/Bearing Housing Interface[J]. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2020, 150: 119301.
[16] 赖建林, 范元勋. 高承载滚珠丝杠接触变形与磨损的研究[J]. 机床与液压, 2018, 46(15): 151-154.
LAI J L, FAN Y X.Research on Contact Deformation and Wear of Ball Screw under High Load Condition[J]. Machine Tool & Hydraulics, 2018, 46(15): 151-154.
[17] 徐向红, 汤文成, 俞涛, 等. 基于Archard理论的滚珠丝杠磨损预测[J]. 组合机床与自动化加工技术, 2016(2): 54-59.
XU X H, TANG W C, YU T, et al.Wear Prediction of Ball Screw Using Archard’s Model[J]. Modular Machine Tool & Automatic Manufacturing Technique, 2016(2): 54-59.
[18] YAN W, KOMVOPOULOS K.Contact Analysis of Elastic-Plastic Fractal Surfaces[J]. Journal of Applied Physics, 1998, 84(7): 3617-3624.
[19] YU X, SUN Y Y, ZHAO D, et al.A Revised Contact Stiffness Model of Rough Curved Surfaces Based on the Length Scale[J]. Tribology International, 2021, 164: 107206.
[20] ZHAO J J, LIN M X, SONG X C, et al.A Modeling Method for Predicting the Precision Loss of the Preload Double-Nut Ball Screw Induced by Raceway Wear Based on Fractal Theory[J]. Wear, 2021, 486: 204065.
[21] YIN X, KOMVOPOULOS K.An Adhesive Wear Model of Fractal Surfaces in Normal Contact[J]. International Journal of Solids and Structures, 2010, 47(7/8): 912-921.
[22] AURÉGAN G, FRIDRICI V, KAPSA P, et al. Experimental Simulation of Rolling-Sliding Contact for Application to Planetary Roller Screw Mechanism[J]. Wear, 2015, 332/333: 1176-1184.
[23] ZHANG X C, LIU G, MA S J, et al. Study on Axial Contact Deformation of Planetary Roller Screw[J]. Applied Mechanics and Materials, 2012, 155/156: 779-783.
[24] XING M C, LIU S, CUI Y, et al. A Comprehensive Sliding Wear Prediction Method for Planetary Roller Screw Mechanism[J]. Wear, 2024, 558/559: 205536.
[25] SOMBERG J, RUDNYTSKYJ A, BERGLUND K, et al.The Effect of Lubrication on the Tribological Properties of Polymer Composites for High Contact Pressure Hydropower Bearings[J]. Tribology International, 2024, 199: 109974.
[26] 孙献光, 段田堂, 孟春晓. 考虑弹塑性变形的结合面接触热导建模[J]. 应用力学学报, 2020, 37(4): 1703-1708.
SUN X G, DUAN T T, MENG C X.Modeling of Thermal Contact Conductance of Joint Surfaces Considering Elasto-Plastic Deformation[J]. Chinese Journal of Applied Mechanics, 2020, 37(4): 1703-1708.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (52475124); Shaanxi Qinchuangyuan “Scientist + Engineer” Team Building Project (2025QCY-KXJ-165); Xi'an "Scientist + Engineer" Team Construction Project (24KGDW0026)