Ball-Screw/Lead-Screw Thread Pitch vs Lead

The screw pitch and lead are key concepts in threaded mechanisms, such as screws and lead screws. Here’s a quick explanation of both:

1. Screw Pitch
  • Definition: The distance between adjacent threads, measured parallel to the screw’s axis.
  • Example: If the distance between two consecutive threads is 1 mm, the pitch is 1 mm.
2. Screw Lead
  • Definition: The distance the nut (or corresponding part) travels along the screw’s axis in one complete rotation.
    • For single-start screws, lead = pitch.
    • For multi-start screws, lead = pitch × number of starts.

Reference: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lead_and_pitch_in_screws.png

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