The Differences in Materials of Ball Screws

I. Main Material Types

• SUJ2 (Japanese Standard) / GCr15 (Chinese Standard): High-carbon chromium bearing steel, the most widely used material for ball screws.

• SCM440 (Japanese Standard) / 42CrMo (Chinese Standard): Chromium-molybdenum alloy structural steel, a medium-to-high strength alloy.

• Stainless Steel (e.g., SUS440C, SUS304): Primarily used in corrosion-resistant scenarios.

II.Core Differences Between Materials

III. Application Scenarios of Different Materials

1. SUJ2 / GCr15 (Bearing Steel)

• Application Scenarios: General machinery, CNC machine tools, automation equipment, precision instruments, and other scenarios that require high precision and wear resistance but have no strong corrosive environment.

• Typical Cases: Feed axes of CNC lathes, transmission mechanisms of robotic arms, and high-precision axes of 3D printers.

2. SCM440 / 42CrMo (Alloy Structural Steel)

• Application Scenarios: Heavy-duty equipment under large loads and impact conditions, or scenarios where toughness is more required than extreme wear resistance.

• Typical Cases: Spindle transmission of heavy-duty machine tools, motion axes of large presses, and precision transmission components of construction machinery.

3. Stainless Steel (e.g., SUS440C)

• Application Scenarios: Food processing equipment, medical equipment, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, transmission mechanisms in outdoor or humid environments, and scenarios that require rust prevention or pollution prevention.

• Typical Cases: Transmission axes of food packaging machines, precision components of surgical robots, and motion mechanisms of cleaning equipment.

IV. Supplement: Impact of Surface Treatment on Material Performance

• Chrome Plating / Zinc Plating: Improve the corrosion resistance of SUJ2 and SCM440 materials and extend their service life in humid environments.

• Nitriding Treatment: Increase surface hardness and wear resistance while reducing internal material stress, suitable for high-precision and high-speed scenarios.

• Black Oxide Treatment: Mainly plays a basic rust prevention role, with low cost, suitable for ordinary dry environments without corrosion.