Ball screws are virtually ubiquitous in automated equipment. They convert the rotational motion of a motor into linear movement and are a core component for maintaining the precision, speed, and stability of many devices. Common applications include CNC machine tools, 3D printers, automated production lines, medical devices, and industrial robots. Ball screws are used wherever high-precision displacement, repeatable positioning, high speed under light loads, or long-term stable operation are required.
Because of their frequent operation, high speed, and stringent precision requirements, ball screws also encounter many challenges in lubrication. The most common problems include grease being easily squeezed out, leading to dry friction; grease splashing and splattering at high speeds; and dusty environments causing impurities to mix into the grease, affecting the smoothness of the screw .
Prolonged operation can easily lead to problems such as jamming, increased noise, increased return clearance, and accelerated ball wear. If the grease has poor temperature resistance, it can also thin and leak out at high temperatures or harden at low temperatures, causing the lead screw to run unevenly.
The lubrication requirements for ball screws are quite clear. First, they need good lubricity and anti-wear properties to reduce metal-to-metal contact and extend the life of the raceways and balls. Second, they need good adhesion and anti-oil-slinging ability to maintain the oil film during high-speed reciprocating motion.
In addition, high and low temperature stability is also crucial, especially for equipment operating in high-speed, high-temperature, or cold storage environments, where the grease needs to maintain appropriate consistency and fluidity at extreme temperatures. For certain open environments or dusty scenarios, the grease also needs to have certain water resistance, oxidation resistance, and the ability to resist dust.
Therefore, the core principles of selecting the right oil for ball screws are: sufficiently fine and smooth lubrication, a stable oil film, no oil splashing, no gumming, no dust accumulation, and long-lasting wear resistance. Choosing the right oil can make the equipment quieter, more precise in positioning, and longer in life; choosing the wrong oil will not only affect the feel and speed, but also cause rapid wear of the balls and screw, leading to maintenance costs and downtime risks.
Baoxing provides corresponding grease solutions for ball screws in various automated equipment, supports sampling and testing, and has export qualifications, meeting the long-term supply needs of equipment manufacturers both domestically and internationally. Please feel free to leave a message to discuss solutions.
