The study deals with the friction drive as a precise linear feed mechanism and the application to feed component of an ultra precision lathe. An experimental setup of the friction drive is subjected to investigation to make clear inherent physical phenomena of a friction drive such as the relationship between slip and load under the feed speed of 0.1-10 mm/s. The practical precise linear feed mechanism for the ultra lathe is designed, combining the friction drive with an air slider in reference to the experimental results. It is experimentally confirmed that the feed mechanism having a linear encoder with a resolution of 0.2 μm provides the rapid step response and the positioning accuracy of ± 0.4 μm over a travel of 50 mm.
