For worm gear screw jacks in the steel tube industry, in-line proves to be the best choice for arrangement in getting the job done quickly and efficiently.

To give you an idea of how an in-line arrangement works in a company’s favor, here’s a real-life scenario to observe: A steel tube manufacturer is developing a new OD polisher that will increase production by 22 percent. Because of the increased production time, the set-up crew is unable to set the feed table manually and is looking to automate the feed table height using screw jack actuators.

The feed table length is 24 feet and weighs 5,600 pounds with the largest diameter steel pipe. The table height will need to change approximately once every 15 minutes, but no more than 10 times a day. Maximum height change is nine inches. The rate is .4 inches per second.

By our specifications, the in-line arrangement comes with a single three-HP AC Motor with 1750 RPM and drive, and it comes with the possibility to be removed and driven by hand. With hand-driven possibilities, a machine screw jack with a 24-to-1 gear ratio is needed to prevent back driving.

The mounting constraints call for an upright translating jack with a clevis rod end. Due to the length of the feed table, four jacks will be used in line with a center mounted motor through a single gearbox.

Other specifications for the in-line arrangement include a compression load, a total travel of 14 inches and the ability to move .25 inches in one second.