Mechanical
Ball Screw
Converts rotary motor motion into precise, low-friction linear motion using recirculating ball bearings.
A ball screw converts rotary motor motion into precise linear motion, using recirculating ball bearings riding in helical grooves between the screw shaft and the nut to minimize friction and backlash compared to a plain threaded screw.
This part appears on linear robot axes, such as SCARA Z-axes and external rail or slide units, more often than on the rotary joints of a standard 6-axis arm.
Contamination and lubrication condition drive most of this part's wear, since debris trapped in the ball recirculation path scores the shaft and nut and introduces play that shows up as reduced repeatability.
Related components
Common questions
- What does the Ball Screw do?
- Converts rotary motor motion into precise, low-friction linear motion using recirculating ball bearings.
- How does the Ball Screw fail?
- Common failure modes: Contamination ingress scoring the shaft and nut raceways, Lubrication breakdown accelerating wear, Increased backlash from ball or raceway wear, Nut preload loss reducing positioning accuracy.
- What fault codes relate to the Ball Screw?
- Related codes include SRVO-021.