How does leadscrew and nut design affect motion?
The leadscrew provides linear force via its inclined plane. Much like a steel shaft with a ramp wrapped around it, the mechanical advantage (or force amplification) is determined by the ramp’s angle in turn, a function of lead, pitch, and screw diameter. (Lead is the axial distance a screw thread advances in a single revolution. Pitch is the axial distance between adjacent thread forms. Number of starts is the number of independent threads on a screw.) The relationship of lead to pitch depends on the starts: Lead = Pitch Number of starts. For a single-start thread, the two are equal.
