Thermo-mechanical coupling–based finite element analysis of the load distribution of planetary roller screw mechanism

In this article, 3D or three-dimensional finite element analysis is used to simulate and evaluate the load distribution characteristics of a planetary roller screw mechanism under thermo-mechanical coupling. The finite element model takes into account the installation modes of the planetary roller screw mechanism, which is verified by comparison with theoretical models for a certain load magnitude in four installation modes. In addition, the effects of the installation mode, load magnitude, and temperature condition on the load distribution are also systematically analyzed. The numerical results reveal a phenomenon of threads separating from the meshing, which indicates that the influence of thermo-mechanical coupling on the load distribution cannot be ignored. Furthermore, the influence of the installation mode on the screw–roller interface is larger than that on the nut–roller interface. Compared with the screw–roller interface, the temperature difference is one of the main conditions affecting the load distribution of the planetary roller screw mechanism and has a significant effect on the nut–roller interface. In addition, the influences of the screw rotational speed and the load magnitude on the load distribution on the screw–roller interface are larger than those on the nut–roller interface for the four installation modes.