Three long ball screw assemblies are waiting for their next step in the workshop. Each one has a long threaded shaft, a large cylindrical nut and carefully machined shaft ends. The blue protective mesh is still on the exposed sections, keeping the finished surfaces covered while the parts are handled and prepared for shipment.
For a long machine axis, making the screw longer is only part of the job.
The shaft ends have to match the bearing arrangement, coupling and motor side of the machine. The nut position also needs to be considered when calculating the usable stroke. If the customer is replacing an existing ball screw, even a small difference in the end machining can mean that the new screw will not fit the original assembly.
That is why long ball screw orders are usually handled from a drawing rather than from a simple length request.
The ball screw shown in this shipment belongs to the type of product Guangyuan supplies for long-travel mechanical systems. The company's Long Ball Screw range is available with customized lengths and is used in CNC machine tools, machining centers, drilling equipment, grinders, automation equipment and other precision machinery.
The application is not limited to completely new machines.
In Germany, machine builders and manufacturers are also dealing with an existing installed base of equipment. Retrofitting an axis, replacing a worn transmission component or extending machine travel can be more practical than replacing an entire machine. Recent figures from the German Machine Tool Builders' Association show that orders related to automation, digitalization, service and retrofitting have been supporting the market while traditional automotive demand remains under pressure.
That makes the details of a replacement ball screw particularly important.
A screw may have the correct nominal diameter and still be unsuitable for the machine. Lead, total length, usable travel, bearing seats, shaft-end dimensions and nut arrangement all have to work together. For a longer screw, the machine structure and support arrangement also need to be considered before production.
This is where a drawing saves time.
For custom orders, we can work from the customer's drawing or sample and prepare the screw length and shaft-end machining according to the confirmed dimensions. Different ball screw series are also available depending on the required lead, load and machine arrangement. gyballscrew.com
Germany's machine tool sector is currently moving through a period of adjustment rather than simply expanding across every segment. The VDW expects German machine tool production to increase slightly in 2026, with investment supported by areas such as infrastructure, digitalization, mobility and other industrial projects.
For suppliers of motion components, that means there is still room in the market for practical replacement work and machine upgrades.
A long ball screw does not need a complicated sales story. It needs to arrive with the right dimensions, the right machining and enough protection to reach the customer's workshop in the same condition in which it left ours.
That is what we focus on when preparing these orders.
