{"id":1003,"date":"2026-04-29T08:53:58","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T08:53:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/splined-shaft.net\/product\/ball-splined-shafts\/"},"modified":"2026-04-29T08:53:58","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T08:53:58","slug":"ball-splined-shafts","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/splined-shaft.net\/zh\/product\/ball-splined-shafts\/","title":{"rendered":"Ball Splined Shafts"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n
Linear Motion + Torque Series<\/div>\n

Ball Splined Shafts<\/h2>\n

Recirculating-ball linear bearing meets torque-transmitting spline \u2014 engineered for robotics, semiconductor handling and high-precision machine tool spindles.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

A conventional spline transmits torque, and a linear bearing permits axial travel \u2014 but combining the two in a single compact assembly is the unique province of the ball splined shaft. Hardened balls recirculate inside grooves machined along the shaft, simultaneously locking rotation and rolling along the axis with friction coefficients below 0.005.<\/p>\n

Ever-power supplies ball splined shafts dimensionally and performance-equivalent to THK, NSK and Hiwin catalogue parts, plus fully custom designs for Australian robotics integrators, electronics assembly OEMs and CNC machine tool builders requiring zero-backlash linear-rotational motion.<\/p>\n\n\n
\"Precision<\/td>\n\"Hardened<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n
\n

How a Ball Spline Differs from a Conventional Spline<\/h2>\n

Three structural differences create one operational outcome \u2014 coupled torque and linear motion with rolling-element friction.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n
01 \/ GEOMETRY<\/div>\n

Gothic-Arch Raceways<\/h3>\n

Each shaft groove is a four-point-contact gothic arch ground to within 2 \u00b5m circularity, providing differential ball contact under load and zero clearance pre-load adjustment.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n
02 \/ KINEMATICS<\/div>\n

Recirculating Ball Path<\/h3>\n

Inside the spline nut, hardened steel balls travel down the load zone, return through internal recirculation tubes and re-enter the load zone \u2014 sustaining infinite stroke length at low rolling friction.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n
03 \/ OUTCOME<\/div>\n

Combined DOF Motion<\/h3>\n

A single shaft transmits torque to the nut while permitting axial slide of either the shaft or the nut, eliminating the cost and packaging of separate spline-plus-linear-guide stack-ups.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Technical Specifications & Standard Range<\/h2>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Parameter<\/th>\nRange<\/th>\nNotes<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Shaft Outer Diameter<\/td>\n\u00d86 mm \u2013 \u00d8100 mm<\/td>\nStandard sizes 6, 8, 10, 13, 16, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 80<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Shaft Length<\/td>\n100 mm \u2013 3000 mm<\/td>\nSingle-piece up to 2000 mm; cut-to-length service<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Number of Grooves<\/td>\n3, 4 or 6 raceways<\/td>\n6-groove for highest torque capacity per diameter<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Material<\/td>\nSUJ2 \/ GCr15 bearing steel<\/td>\nStainless SUS440C optional for cleanroom \/ corrosive use<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Raceway Hardness<\/td>\n58 \u2013 62 HRC<\/td>\nThrough-hardened, sub-zero stabilised against retained austenite<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Rotational Backlash<\/td>\n0 \u2013 10 \u00b5m (preloaded)<\/td>\nP0, P1, P2 preload classes available<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Surface Finish (raceway)<\/td>\nRa \u2264 0.2 \u00b5m<\/td>\nCBN-ground with lapping finish<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Travel Speed (max)<\/td>\nUp to 3 m\/s<\/td>\nDN value calculated per ball circle diameter<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Compatible With<\/td>\nTHK LBS \/ LBF, NSK NS, Hiwin SO series<\/td>\nDrop-in dimensional equivalents on request<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Manufacturing Process & Precision Control<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
1<\/div>\n

Bar Stock Selection<\/h3>\n

SUJ2 bearing steel cold-drawn to \u00b10.05 mm tolerance, ultrasonic inspected for inclusions before machining begins.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n
2<\/div>\n

Soft Turning & Pre-Grooving<\/h3>\n

CNC lathe rough turning, raceway pre-form milled with \u00b10.02 mm allowance for finish grinding.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n
3<\/div>\n

Through Hardening<\/h3>\n

Vacuum austenitising at 845 \u00b0C, oil quench, sub-zero treatment at \u201375 \u00b0C, double tempering for dimensional stability.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n
4<\/div>\n

CBN Raceway Grinding<\/h3>\n

CBN form-grinding wheels finish all raceways simultaneously, holding gothic arch profile to \u00b12 \u00b5m.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n
5<\/div>\n

Cylindrical OD Grinding<\/h3>\n

Centreless and between-centres grinding to h6 \/ h5 OD tolerance, straightness \u2264 0.01 mm per metre.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n
6<\/div>\n

Raceway Lapping<\/h3>\n

Final lap reduces surface roughness to Ra \u2264 0.2 \u00b5m, eliminating micro-asperities for low-noise operation.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n
7<\/div>\n

Final QC & Pairing<\/h3>\n

Ultrasonic clean, demagnetise to < 2 Gauss, CMM dimensional check, ball nut paired and preload-torque tested before VCI packaging.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n\n\n
\"CNC<\/td>\n\"Inspection<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

Application Domains<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
<\/div>\n

Industrial Robotics<\/h3>\n

SCARA Z-axis, six-axis robot wrist, palletising end-effectors \u2014 combined torque drive and vertical lift in one slim assembly.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n
<\/div>\n

Semiconductor Equipment<\/h3>\n

Wafer transfer arms, die-attach machines, photolithography stages \u2014 sub-micron repeatability in cleanroom-compatible stainless variants.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n
\u2699\ufe0f<\/div>\n

CNC Machine Tools<\/h3>\n

Spindle quill drives, ATC tool magazines, multi-axis indexing heads \u2014 long stroke with backlash-free torque transfer.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n
<\/div>\n

Packaging & Pick-and-Place<\/h3>\n

High-cycle FMCG packaging lines, pharmaceutical blister handling, electronic component placement \u2014 millions of cycles without service.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n
<\/div>\n

Medical Device Manufacturing<\/h3>\n

CT gantry indexing, surgical robot tool changers, lab automation liquid handlers \u2014 quiet, validated, traceable to lot.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n
<\/div>\n

Logistics & AGV Systems<\/h3>\n

Automated storage and retrieval, AGV lift columns, conveyor diverters \u2014 proven in 24\/7 distribution-centre duty cycles.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

Why Choose Ever-power for Ball Splined Shafts<\/h2>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\u2713<\/div>\n

Drop-In Equivalence<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n

Dimensionally and performance-equivalent replacements for THK LBS\/LBF, NSK NS and Hiwin SO catalogue parts at typically 35\u201350% lower landed cost into Australian ports.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n
\n
\u2713<\/div>\n

Three Preload Classes<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n

P0 (light), P1 (medium) and P2 (heavy) preload selection, allowing engineers to optimise rigidity versus running torque for the actual application duty cycle.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n
\n
\u2713<\/div>\n

22 Years of Spline Specialisation<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n

Over 1.6 million spline assemblies shipped to 38 countries since 2003 \u2014 measurable history serving robotics integrators, machine tool builders and semiconductor equipment OEMs.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n
\n
\u2713<\/div>\n

Sub-250 PPM Defect Rate<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n

IATF 16949 quality system, EN 10204 3.1 mill test certificate, CMM dimensional report and preload torque chart supplied with every batch \u2014 full traceability to heat number and operator.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n
\n
\u2713<\/div>\n

In-House Heat Treatment<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n

Vacuum hardening, sub-zero treatment and double-tempering all in-house \u2014 eliminating sub-supplier risk and shortening lead time by 8\u201312 days versus competitors who outsource.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n
\n
\u2713<\/div>\n

DDP Australia Logistics<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n

Sea freight to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Fremantle with full ChAFTA Form for duty exemption, plus DDP option for receiving teams who prefer single-line landed pricing.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
\"Ever-power<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

Australian Project Case Studies<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
Case 01 \/ Sydney<\/div>\n
\n

SCARA Robot Z-Axis for Electronics Assembly<\/h3>\n

A Sydney-based robotics integrator building printed-circuit-board assembly cells for Australian medical device makers needed \u00d813 mm ball spline shafts with 320 mm stroke and zero rotational backlash. Their previous Japanese supplier had quoted 14-week lead time.<\/p>\n

Ever-power delivered 80 paired shaft-and-nut assemblies in 6 weeks, P1 preload class, paired and serial-tagged. After 18 months in continuous three-shift operation, all 80 cells reported zero spline-related downtime.<\/p>\n

Outcome: 8-week lead-time reduction, 41% cost saving versus original supplier.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n

\n
Case 02 \/ Melbourne<\/div>\n
\n

CNC Tool Changer Spindle Drive<\/h3>\n

A Melbourne machine-tool builder retrofitting their five-axis vertical machining centres specified \u00d825 mm 6-groove ball splines for the automatic tool-change quill, requiring 40 Nm torque transmission while sliding 180 mm at 2.5 m\/s.<\/p>\n

Ever-power supplied custom shaft length 750 mm with integral keyway at the drive end, hardened to 60 HRC, ground to JIS C5 accuracy. Acceptance testing showed 0.6 \u00b5m rotational backlash \u2014 well inside the 5 \u00b5m specification.<\/p>\n

Outcome: Specification exceeded, repeat order for 240 units across 2025\u20132026.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Can your ball splines directly replace THK LBS series?<\/h3>\n

Yes. Our shaft and nut envelope dimensions, mounting hole pattern, dynamic and static load ratings are matched to THK LBS catalogue values within \u00b15%. Provide the THK part number and we return a quotation against the equivalent Ever-power model.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

What torque can a \u00d820 mm ball spline transmit?<\/h3>\n

For a \u00d820 mm 6-groove configuration, dynamic torque rating is approximately 95 N\u00b7m and static rating 220 N\u00b7m. Always derate by 0.6\u20130.8 for shock and reversing loads, and confirm against your service-factor calculation.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Do you supply stainless steel ball splines for cleanroom use?<\/h3>\n

Yes. SUS440C martensitic stainless raceways and AISI 440C balls are available for ISO Class 5 and Class 7 cleanroom environments, semiconductor lithography and pharmaceutical filling lines. Lead time is approximately 2 weeks longer than carbon-steel variants.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

What is the minimum order quantity?<\/h3>\n

Standard catalogue sizes ship from 10 sets MOQ. Fully custom shafts (custom length, special end-form, non-standard groove count) typically start at 50 sets, though we run prototype quantities of 5\u201310 for development projects.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

How is rotational backlash measured and certified?<\/h3>\n

Each preloaded assembly is fixtured on a calibration jig, the nut is rotated under a 0.1 N\u00b7m reversing torque, and angular displacement is measured with a 0.1 \u00b5rad encoder. The certificate of conformity records the actual reading per assembly serial number.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

What lubricant is recommended?<\/h3>\n

For most applications a NLGI Grade 2 lithium-soap grease (Shell Alvania or Mobil Mobilux EP-2 equivalent) suits operating temperature \u201310 to +80 \u00b0C. Cleanroom variants ship pre-lubricated with vacuum-rated PFPE grease. Re-lubrication interval is typically 100 km of travel or 5 million revolutions.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

\n
<\/div>\n
Engineering Enquiry<\/div>\n

Specify Your Ball Spline \u2014 One Business Day Response<\/h2>\n

Send a drawing, a competitor part number, or a description of the motion profile. Our engineering team confirms feasibility, preload class and lead time within one Australian business day.<\/p>\n

sales@splined-shaft.net<\/a>Submit Enquiry Form<\/a>About Ever-power<\/a><\/div>\n

Browse the full splined-shaft catalogue from the Ever-power home page<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n