As the core component of modern mechanical transmission, the precision rotary motion mechanism and its drive system have wide applications in aerospace, robotics, and other fields. This article systematically reviews the design principles, performance characteristics, and research progress of various rotational motion mechanisms and their driving technologies. The working principles, advantages, disadvantages, and applicable scenarios of gears, drive belts, sprockets, camshafts, ratchet claw mechanisms, and linkage mechanisms were analyzed in terms of traditional mechanisms. In terms of new mechanisms, we focused on exploring the innovative design and application potential of intermittent indexing mechanisms, magnetic gears, 3D-printed spherical gears, and multi-link mechanisms. In addition, the paper compared the performance differences of electric, hydraulic, pneumatic, and piezoelectric drive methods. Research has shown that through material innovation, structural optimization, and intelligent control, there is still significant room for improvement in the load capacity, accuracy, and reliability of precision rotary motion mechanisms, providing theoretical support and practical reference for innovative design and engineering applications of future mechanical transmission technologies.

As a core component of modern mechanical transmission, rotary motion mechanisms and their drive systems have broad applications in aerospace, robotics, and other fields. This article systematically reviews the design principles, performance characteristics, and research progress of various rotary motion mechanisms and their driving technologies. The advantages, disadvantages, and applicable scenarios of traditional mechanisms such as gear mechanisms, drive belt mechanisms, sprocket mechanisms, cam mechanisms, ratchet and pawl mechanisms, and connecting rod mechanisms were analyzed in detail. The innovative design and application potential of new mechanisms, such as intermittent indexing mechanisms, magnetic gears, spherical gears, and multi-link mechanisms, were also explored. In addition, the paper provides a detailed comparison of the performance differences among electric, hydraulic, pneumatic, and other driving methods and summarizes the optimization directions for efficient driving systems. Research has shown that through material innovation, structural optimization, and intelligent control, there is still significant room for improvement in load capacity, accuracy, and reliability of rotary motion mechanisms, providing theoretical support and practical reference for future mechanical transmission technology development.

Background: The lack of a systematic selection framework for the selection of linear feed mechanisms in precision machine tools results in a mismatch between the performance of the mechanism and the specific application requirements in terms of accuracy, stiffness and load capacity, which restricts the optimization design of high-performance machining systems. Objectives: We are committed to establishing a systematic classification system to categorize existing technologies and define their quantified performance boundaries, in order to guide the optimal choices of institutions and future innovation directions. Methods: This review establishes a structured classification system, dividing mechanisms into four clear categories: typical linear drive mechanisms, linear linkage mechanisms, high-precision feed mechanisms and novel linear mechanisms. We compared and analyzed their working principles based on key parameters such as positioning accuracy, structural stiffness and load capacity; quantified their performance boundaries; and provided their applications. At the end of each section, a table is listed to summarize the content for easy reference. Discussions: The analysis reveals that a typical linear feed mechanism, as the basic unit of machine tool linear motion, is widely used but has low accuracy. A linear linkage mechanism may not have high accuracy, but it can help machine tools complete specific structures. A high-precision linear feed mechanism has high precision, usually reaching the micrometer level, and is applied in scenarios with high precision requirements. The new linear feed mechanism represents the direction of technological development and guides the optimization design of machine tools. Results: The performance-oriented classification framework developed in this study effectively resolves the selection challenge for precision linear feed mechanisms in machine tools. Its theoretical contribution lies in proposing a systematic performance spectrum, while its practical significance is to provide engineers with a clear decision-making tool for mechanism selection and to illuminate directed pathways for future innovation in precision motion systems.

(1) Objectives: This article presents a dual linear-motor differential drive micro-feed servo system, mainly through the optimization design of the transmission mechanism. Owing to the differential synthesis of the micro feed from the upper and under linear motors, the impact of friction nonlinearity during the ultra-low velocity micro feed is avoided, endowing the system with a lower stable feed speed to achieve precise micro-feed control. (2) Methods: Transmission components of the dual linear-motor differential-drive system are analyzed using the lumped parameter method, and a dynamic model of electromechanical coupling is created, which takes into account nonlinear friction. The motion relationship of the dual linear-motor differential-drive servo feed system is characterized using a transfer function block diagram. (3) Discussions: Through simulation, the differences in response between the linear-motor single-drive system and the dual linear-motor differential-drive system are examined under fixed or variable feeding velocities as well as the impact of varying velocity combinations of dual linear motors on the output speed of the differential drive system. (4) Results: Nonlinear friction factors exert an impact on the feed velocity of both linear-motor single-drive and dual linear-motor differential-drive systems during low-velocity micro feed. However, regardless of the constant or variable speed conditions, the dual linear-motor differential-drive servo system significantly outperforms the linear-motor single-drive system regarding low-velocity micro feed. Our simulation results are basically consistent with engineering practice, thus validating the rationality of the created system models, which paves the ground for the micro-feed control algorithms.

This study designs a differential dual-drive micro-feed mechanism, superposing the two “macro feed motions” (“motor drive screw” and “motor drive nut”) using the same transmission of “the nut rotary ball screw pair” structure. These two motions are almost equal in terms of speed and turning direction, thus the “micro feed” can be obtained. (1) Background: Thermal deformation is the primary factor that can restrict the high-precision micro-feed mechanism and the distribution of heat sources differs from that of the conventional screw single-drive system owing to the structure and motion features of the transmission components. (2) Discussion: This study explores the thermal field distribution and thermal deformation of the differentially driven micro-feed mechanism when two driving motors are combined at different speeds. (3) Methods: Based on the theory of heat transfer, the differential dual-drive system can be used as the research object. The thermal equilibrium equations of the micro-feed transmission system are established using the thermal resistance network method, and a thermal field distribution model is obtained. (4) Results: Combined with the mechanism of thermal deformation theory, the established thermal field model is used to predict the axial thermal deformation of the differential dual-drive ball screw. (5) Conclusions: Under the dual-drive condition, the steady-state thermal error of the nut-rotating ball screw transmission mechanism increases with the increase in nut speed and composite speed and is greater than the steady-state thermal error under the single screw drive condition. After reaching the thermal steady state, the measured thermal elongation at the end of the screw in the experiment is approximately 10.5 μm and the simulation result is 11.98 μm. The experimental measurement result demonstrates the accuracy of the theoretical analysis model for thermal error at the end of the screw.