The temperature difference describes the disparity between two temperature states of a component, system or its surroundings. In mechanical engineering, it often refers to the difference between operating and ambient temperatures, or to temperature differences within a component, e.g. along a spindle.
Temperature differences lead to:
- Thermal linear expansion of components
- Adjustment of play and preload
- Position and path deviations
- Additional internal tensions
Even in screw drives, even small temperature differences can have a measurable effect.
Technical context
The change in length caused by a temperature difference ΔT is calculated as follows:
α = Coefficient of thermal expansion
L = Component length
ΔT = Temperature difference
Practical relevance
- Differences in the temperature of the spindle and nut can alter the preload
- Temperature variations along the spindle cause deformation and a loss of accuracy
- Important for high-precision CNC and measurement systems
- Accounting for this through temperature compensation, cooling or the selection of suitable materials