Ball & Lead Screws
Many factors must be considered when designing or selecting a linear positioning device. Operating load, speed, accuracy, environment, and power requirements all play major roles in the design decision. Whether the engineer selects a rolled ball screw, precision ground ball screw, or an Acme lead screw, the lubricant should also be carefully considered. A properly selected lubricant minimizes friction, reduces torque, increases the screw’s efficiency, and extends performance life.
Enhancing grease performance.
High quality synthetic greases offer many performance advantages over mineral-based lubricants. Synthetic lubricants function over wider temperature ranges; they offer greater thermooxidative stability and lower volatility; and they retain the viscosity needed to provide an adequate film thickness through a specified range of operating temperatures, speeds and loads. Special additive packages can further improve a grease’s natural ability to resist water wash-out and reduce wear in the presence of shockloading and vibration. Other additives can improve lubricity, to further reduce friction.
Specifying a lubricant.
Proper lubrication plays an especially vital role in the performance and life of Acme lead screws with bronze or polymer nuts, because they are subject to higher friction and greater wear than ball screws. Even with self-lubricated nuts, lead screw performance can be significantly enhanced with light greases. Additional lubrication can also reduce heat in these units. Polymer or plastic nuts benefit from silicone-based greases and PTFE additives, which lower friction, increase efficiency and prolong performance life. Solid lubricants such as PTFE may also improve the roughness associated with the increased preloads of anti-backlash nuts.
Precision ground ball screws, where precise motion and smooth, quiet operation are desired, can take advantage of ultrafiltration technology. Pioneered by Nye Lubricants, ultrafiltration of grease and oil results in lubricants with unsurpassed cleanliness. For greases, ultrafiltration also improves the homogeneity of the thickening agent.
Ultrafiltration.
Ultrafiltration removes virtually all particulate matter from grease and oil. For greases, it also improves the homogeneity of the thickening agent. Nye will ultrafilter any oil or grease and typically will recommend this service for precision bearing and ball screw applications to extend the bearing life.
Our Products
Following is a partial list of popular Nye lubricants for ball screws and lead screws. Additional oils and greases are available to meet a wide range of application requirements. For technical specifications, evaluation samples, questions about any Nye products, or to discuss a lubricant custom-designed for your application — call us at +1.508.996.6721.
Medium to Heavy Duty Ball Screws
| Grease | Temperature Range (°C) | Applications |
|---|---|---|
|
FLUOROCARBON GEL 866R-MS |
-40 to 125 | EP-fortified, rust-inhibited, PTFE thickened for heavily-loaded low torque applications. |
|
RHEOLUBE 380 |
-50 to 130 | EP-fortified, lithium-gelled, synthetic hydrocarbon & ester formulation. |
Precision Ground & High Speed Ball Screws
| Grease | Temperature Range (°C) | Applications |
|---|---|---|
|
INSTRUMENT GREASE 732C |
-54 to 150 | Ester-based grease for high-speed, wide-temperature, light-to-medium duty applications |
| RHEOLUBE 733F | -54 to 125 | A medium consistency, EP- & PTFE-fortified grease for medium-duty precision ball screws, where smooth, precise motion is needed. Good low-temperature, low-noise properties. |
Lead Screws with Polymer Nuts
| Grease | Temperature Range (°C) | Application |
|---|---|---|
| RHEOSIL 500F | -40 to 200 | Soft, light-duty, silicone grease. PTFE-fortified. |
| UNIFLOR 8192R | -20 to 250 | High-viscosity, PFPE grease. Excellent plastic & elastomer compatibility. |
Lead Screws & Ball Screws for Vacuum Applications
| Greases | Temperature Range (°C) | Applications |
|---|---|---|
|
NYETORR 5200 |
-45 to 150 | Ultrafiltered, soft consistency grease with good load-carrying capability & very low vapor pressure characteristics for hight-vacuum applications. PTFE-thickened to enhance low-temperature performance & reduce noise. |
|
NYETORR 5350 |
-55 to 250 | Ultrafilitered, chemically resistant, wide temperature grease for extreme conditions. Low vapor pressure. Good wear resistance & endurance |
Light Duty Balls & Lead Screws
| Grease | Temperature Range (°C) | Applications |
|---|---|---|
|
FLUOROCARBON GEL 855D |
-40 to 125 | A PTFE thickened, light viscosity, synthetic hydrocarbon grease intended for light damping & noise reduction in gear trains, slides & plastic components. Benefits include good water resistance |
|
FLUOROCARBON GEL 866 |
-54 to 125 | Rust inhibited. A PTFE thickened, light viscosity, synthetic hydrocarbon grease intended for instruments with moving plastic parts, gears & slides & lightly loaded mechanical applications where available torque is low |
|
RHEOLUBE 362HF |
-54 to 125 | A light viscosity, lithium-thickened, synthetic hydrocarbon grease, PTFE-fortified for low starting torque |
|
UNIFLOR 8512 |
-50 to 225 | Chemically resistant, fluorinated, wide-temperature grease for extreme conditions |
