Rolled Ball Screw vs Ground Ball Screw: What’s The Difference?

Ball screws are critical motion transmission components widely used in CNC machines, automation equipment and robotic systems. Two mainstream manufacturing methods are rolling and grinding, producing rolled ball screws and ground ball screws respectively. Many buyers wonder which type fits their projects.

Rolled ball screw and ground ball screw comparison

Rolled ball screws are formed by cold rolling process. The thread profile is formed in one continuous forming pass. The main advantage is competitive pricing and shorter production lead time. Our rolled ball screws reach C5 precision grade. They are ideal for general automation equipment, conveying systems and machinery that do not require ultra-high positioning accuracy.

Ground ball screws go through precision grinding after thread rolling. The grinding operation removes tiny material deviations to achieve superior accuracy and smoother surface finish. Our ground ball screws can reach C3 grade or higher. They are used for high-precision machines such as CNC machining centers, laser cutting machines and precision testing instruments.

Key comparison:

1. Precision: Ground ball screw > Rolled ball screw

2. Price: Rolled ball screw is more cost-effective

3. Surface finish: Ground version has smoother thread surface

4. Application: C3 ground for high-precision equipment; C5 rolled for standard automation machines.

We supply both rolled and ground ball screws with custom sizes according to customer drawings. Contact us to discuss your project requirements and get your quotation.