#5: How to size a rack and pinion drive
Unlike ball screw sizing — which must take into account factors such as characteristic and critical speeds, end bearing considerations, and the effects of preload, in addition to basic thrust force and drive torque calculations — rack and pinion drive sizing is primarily based on three factors: the force the rack sees (referred to as the “feed force” or “tangential force”), the torque the pinion sees, and the rotational speed of the pinion.