What Is a Ball Screw and How Does It Work?

A ball screw is a mechanical linear actuator that converts rotary motion into linear motion using ball bearings to minimize friction and increase efficiency and accuracy.

What Types of Ball Screws Do You Offer?

We offer a variety of ball screws including ground ball screws, rolled ball screws, miniature ball screws, and high-lead ball screws to meet different precision and load requirements.

How Do I Choose the Right Ball Screw for My Application?

Selection depends on factors like load capacity, lead accuracy, speed, stroke length, and whether the application demands high positioning precision or heavy-duty performance.

What Is the Difference Between Ground and Rolled Ball Screws?

Ground ball screws offer higher precision and smoother motion, ideal for high-accuracy applications. Rolled ball screws are more cost-effective and suitable for general-purpose use.

What Maintenance Is Required for a Ball Screw?

Regular lubrication is essential. Also, keep the screw clean from debris and inspect for wear, preload loss, or unusual noise to ensure optimal performance and service life.

Aluminium Profiles for Precision Linear Motion Systems

Sourced from high-grade 6063-T5 and 6061-T6 alloys. Engineered for OEM automation frames, linear guides, and modular assemblies. Export-ready from Hebei YIDI.

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What's Driving Demand for Aluminium Profiles Right Now

Procurement teams in automation and machinery are shifting hard toward modular aluminium profiles. It's not just hype. With supply chains still shaky post-pandemic, buyers want profiles that slot into linear guides or ball screw assemblies without custom fab delays.

Take the US market. Importers report lead times stretching 12-16 weeks from European mills, while Asian suppliers like us deliver in 4-6. We've seen orders spike for 20-series and 40-series profiles used in gantry systems. Why? Robotics boom. Factories automating pick-and-place lines need lightweight, rigid extrusions that won't warp under load.

One observation from years handling exports: many US ops managers overlook anodizing thickness. Thinner coatings flake in humid warehouses. Our standard 10-15 micron clear anodize holds up better, cutting callbacks.

Globally, it's the same story. German machine builders pair our profiles with Bosch Rexroth-style linear rails. Japanese integrators spec them for cleanroom modules. Even Canadian woodworkers adapted 80-series for CNC frames—strong enough for 500kg spans.

Quick Buyer Note: If you're speccing for vibration-heavy apps like vibratory feeders, go 6061-T6 over 6063. Higher tensile strength means less deflection.

What Sets Our Aluminium Profiles Apart

No fluff. These are extrusions pulled from billet on 1800-ton presses. Tolerances hit ±0.05mm on slots for T-nuts. We machine them in-house for precise ends, M8 taps, and counterbores—no post-order fees.

Slot Variety: 6mm, 8mm, 10mm Eurogrooves standard. Mix-and-match for your linear module builds.
Finishes: Clear anodize, black, or powder coat. UV-stable for outdoor solar trackers.
Alloy Options: 6063-T5 for frames, 6061-T6 for load-bearing beams.
Custom Cuts: Up to 6m lengths, bundled for 40' containers. Saw kerf under 2mm.

We've tweaked the die designs based on feedback. Deeper base webs prevent twisting in long spans. Contractors tell us it shaves 20% off assembly time versus thinner imports.

Short note on strength: A 40x80 profile spans 3m with <2mm sag at 200kg uniform load. Test data available on request.

Real-World Applications We've Delivered

Linear motion is our wheelhouse. Pair these profiles with our ball screws and guides for cartesian robots. Or standalone for enclosure frames.

Automation Gantries

40x80 profiles as X/Y beams. Slots take our linear blocks direct. Seen in US packaging lines.

Workstation Builds

20-series for ergonomic benches. Adjustable heights via lead screws.

Machine Guards

Clear panels in 30-series frames. OSHA-compliant designs.

Solar Trackers

Corrosion-resistant for outdoor pivots.

One integrator in Texas built a 4x2m portal mill frame. Held 1-ton spindle without flex. They reordered triple after first run.

Technical Specifications

Standard series below. Full catalog via email.

Series	Cross-Section (mm)	Weight (kg/m)	Moment of Inertia Ix (cm4)	Slot Size
20x20	20x20	0.8	0.35	6mm
30x30	30x30	1.2	1.8	8mm
40x40	40x40	1.7	4.2	10mm
40x80	40x80	3.4	18.5	10mm

aluminum profile aluminium systemprofile aluminium profile linear guide

Tolerances: Length ±0.5mm/m, straightness 0.1mm/m. Heat-treated to T5/T6.

Installation Tips from the Field

Align first. Use laser levels for spans over 2m. Torque T-nuts to 10Nm—overdo it and you'll strip.

Cut to length with carbide blade. Bundle scraps for next order.
Deburr edges. Sharp slots snag cables.
Mount linear guides centered. Offset causes bind.
Level assembly on 4 corners. Shim as needed.

Common mistake: Ignoring thermal expansion. 1m profile moves 0.23mm per 10°C. Factor into long runs.

For overhead gantries, add diagonal braces every 1.5m. We've seen unbraced frames sag 5mm under dynamic loads.

Export Logistics You Can Count On

FOB Tianjin port. 20' container holds 5-7 tons. We strap bundles, foam ends, plywood sides.

Lead times: Stock 20/30 series ships 7 days. Customs 30/60 days to LA/Long Beach.

Duties: US importers avg 3-5% on HTS 7604.21.
Packing: Max 6m lengths. Nested to save space.
Tracking: Full visibility via sea freight partner.

Pro tip: Consolidate with ball screws in one container. Cuts freight 15-20%.

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Inside Hebei YIDI: Our Production Edge

100-person team, 30% senior techs. German Homag CNCs, Japanese die presses. ISO 9001 certified since 2021.

Exports to 50+ countries. US clients include automation firms in Michigan, California. OEM for linear modules complete.

Full traceability: Lot numbers etched on profiles. Rejects under 0.5%.

What Buyers Are Saying

Mark T., Procurement Mgr, Texas Automation: "Switched to YIDI 40-series after Italian supplier hiked prices. Profiles machined perfect, no rejects on 500m order. Lead time beat quotes by 2 weeks."