Ball Screws and Lead Screws

Ball Screws and Lead Screws

Ball screws and lead screws are threaded steel rods that convert rotary motion into linear motion using a matching load-carrying nut that moves and positions a load along a straight axis. Ball screws use recirculating ball bearings that roll between helical raceway grooves in the rod and nut to reduce friction and provide high efficiency, accuracy, and load capacity, while lead screws use direct sliding contact between matching threads on the rod and nut for simpler, more cost-effective linear motion. In a typical system, the rod rotates while the nut travels axially without rotating; other designs rotate the nut while the rod moves axially. The direction of travel depends on thread handedness and rotation direction, while screw lead—the axial distance traveled per full revolution—and rotational speed determine how far and how fast the nut or rod moves.

PBC Linear ball screws use helical grooves to guide recirculating ball bearings through the nut, providing low-friction linear motion with high efficiency and accurate, repeatable travel. Made in the USA from precision-rolled 1050 steel, PBC Linear ball screws are available in 6mm, 8mm, and 10mm diameters with 1mm, 2mm, and 2.5mm leads, providing six metric diameter-and-lead combinations. Matching ball screw nuts are available in cylindrical and flanged configurations and use a multi-liner ball-return system to continuously recirculate the balls, with polymer seals helping protect the internal rolling elements from contamination.

Lead screws use direct sliding contact between the threads of a steel rod and a matching nut to convert rotary motion into linear movement. PBC Linear PTFE-coated stainless steel lead screws provide corrosion resistance, low friction, low wear, and minimal coating flaking. Available in 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, and 16mm diameters with a wide range of lead options, they can be paired with round, triangular, rectangular, or Constant-Force Anti-Backlash nuts to minimize axial play. Select PBC Linear ball screw and lead screw configurations are compatible with NEMA 08–23 motors or hand cranks, creating screw-driven linear actuators for compact positioning, adjustment, and automation applications.

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106 products
Ground ball screw, flanged nut, Grade 3, 10mm diameter, 2mm lead, 150mm length. Unlike a precision-rolled ball screw, whose helical thread form is produced by rolling the steel under pressure, this ball screw is precision-ground to achieve tighter lead accuracy and more repeatable positioning. Grade 3 is the highest accuracy..
Ground ball screw, flanged nut, Grade 3, 8mm diameter, 2mm lead, 120mm length. Unlike a precision-rolled ball screw, whose helical thread form is produced by rolling the steel under pressure, this ball screw is precision-ground to achieve tighter lead accuracy and more repeatable positioning. Grade 3 is the highest accuracy..
Ground ball screw, flanged nut, Grade 3, 8mm diameter, 5mm lead, 120mm length. Unlike a precision-rolled ball screw, whose helical thread form is produced by rolling the steel under pressure, this ball screw is precision-ground to achieve tighter lead accuracy and more repeatable positioning. Grade 3 is the highest accuracy..
Ground ball screw, flanged nut, Grade 3, 8mm diameter, 1mm lead, 120mm length. Unlike a precision-rolled ball screw, whose helical thread form is produced by rolling the steel under pressure, this ball screw is precision-ground to achieve tighter lead accuracy and more repeatable positioning. Grade 3 is the highest accuracy..
Ground ball screw, flanged nut, Grade 3, 4mm diameter, 1mm lead, 60mm length. Unlike a precision-rolled ball screw, whose helical thread form is produced by rolling the steel under pressure, this ball screw is precision-ground to achieve tighter lead accuracy and more repeatable positioning. Grade 3 is the highest accuracy..
Ground ball screw, flanged nut, Grade 3, 6mm diameter, 2mm lead, 90mm length. Unlike a precision-rolled ball screw, whose helical thread form is produced by rolling the steel under pressure, this ball screw is precision-ground to achieve tighter lead accuracy and more repeatable positioning. Grade 3 is the highest accuracy..
Ground ball screw, flanged nut, Grade 3, 6mm diameter, 1mm lead, 90mm length. Unlike a precision-rolled ball screw, whose helical thread form is produced by rolling the steel under pressure, this ball screw is precision-ground to achieve tighter lead accuracy and more repeatable positioning. Grade 3 is the highest accuracy..
Ground ball screw, flanged nut, Grade 3, 12mm diameter, 2mm lead, 240mm length. Unlike a precision-rolled ball screw, whose helical thread form is produced by rolling the steel under pressure, this ball screw is precision-ground to achieve tighter lead accuracy and more repeatable positioning. Grade 3 is the highest accuracy..
Ground ball screw, flanged nut, Grade 3, 10mm diameter, 2mm lead, 150mm length. Unlike a precision-rolled ball screw, whose helical thread form is produced by rolling the steel under pressure, this ball screw is precision-ground to achieve tighter lead accuracy and more repeatable positioning. Grade 3 is the highest accuracy..
Ground ball screw, flanged nut, Grade 3, 8mm diameter, 5mm lead, 120mm length. Unlike a precision-rolled ball screw, whose helical thread form is produced by rolling the steel under pressure, this ball screw is precision-ground to achieve tighter lead accuracy and more repeatable positioning. Grade 3 is the highest accuracy..
Ground ball screw, flanged nut, Grade 3, 12mm diameter, 2mm lead, 160mm length. Unlike a precision-rolled ball screw, whose helical thread form is produced by rolling the steel under pressure, this ball screw is precision-ground to achieve tighter lead accuracy and more repeatable positioning. Grade 3 is the highest accuracy..
Ground ball screw, flanged nut, Grade 3, 8mm diameter, 5mm lead, 160mm length. Unlike a precision-rolled ball screw, whose helical thread form is produced by rolling the steel under pressure, this ball screw is precision-ground to achieve tighter lead accuracy and more repeatable positioning. Grade 3 is the highest accuracy..
Ground ball screw, flanged nut, Grade 3, 10mm diameter, 2mm lead, 200mm length. Unlike a precision-rolled ball screw, whose helical thread form is produced by rolling the steel under pressure, this ball screw is precision-ground to achieve tighter lead accuracy and more repeatable positioning. Grade 3 is the highest accuracy..
Ground ball screw, flanged nut, Grade 3, 8mm diameter, 2mm lead, 160mm length. Unlike a precision-rolled ball screw, whose helical thread form is produced by rolling the steel under pressure, this ball screw is precision-ground to achieve tighter lead accuracy and more repeatable positioning. Grade 3 is the highest accuracy..
Ground ball screw, flanged nut, Grade 3, 8mm diameter, 2mm lead, 120mm length. Unlike a precision-rolled ball screw, whose helical thread form is produced by rolling the steel under pressure, this ball screw is precision-ground to achieve tighter lead accuracy and more repeatable positioning. Grade 3 is the highest accuracy..
Ground ball screw, flanged nut, Grade 3, 8mm diameter, 1mm lead, 120mm length. Unlike a precision-rolled ball screw, whose helical thread form is produced by rolling the steel under pressure, this ball screw is precision-ground to achieve tighter lead accuracy and more repeatable positioning. Grade 3 is the highest accuracy..
Ground ball screw, flanged nut, Grade 3, 6mm diameter, 2mm lead, 120mm length. Unlike a precision-rolled ball screw, whose helical thread form is produced by rolling the steel under pressure, this ball screw is precision-ground to achieve tighter lead accuracy and more repeatable positioning. Grade 3 is the highest accuracy..
Ground ball screw, flanged nut, Grade 3, 8mm diameter, 1mm lead, 160mm length. Unlike a precision-rolled ball screw, whose helical thread form is produced by rolling the steel under pressure, this ball screw is precision-ground to achieve tighter lead accuracy and more repeatable positioning. Grade 3 is the highest accuracy..
Ground ball screw, flanged nut, Grade 3, 6mm diameter, 2mm lead, 100mm length. Unlike a precision-rolled ball screw, whose helical thread form is produced by rolling the steel under pressure, this ball screw is precision-ground to achieve tighter lead accuracy and more repeatable positioning. Grade 3 is the highest accuracy..
Ground ball screw, flanged nut, Grade 3, 6mm diameter, 1mm lead, 120mm length. Unlike a precision-rolled ball screw, whose helical thread form is produced by rolling the steel under pressure, this ball screw is precision-ground to achieve tighter lead accuracy and more repeatable positioning. Grade 3 is the highest accuracy..

Ball Screws and Lead Screws

106 products

Ball screws and lead screws are threaded steel rods that convert rotary motion into linear motion using a matching load-carrying nut that moves and positions a load along a straight axis. Ball screws use recirculating ball bearings that roll between helical raceway grooves in the rod and nut to reduce friction and provide high efficiency, accuracy, and load capacity, while lead screws use direct sliding contact between matching threads on the rod and nut for simpler, more cost-effective linear motion. In a typical system, the rod rotates while the nut travels axially without rotating; other designs rotate the nut while the rod moves axially. The direction of travel depends on thread handedness and rotation direction, while screw lead—the axial distance traveled per full revolution—and rotational speed determine how far and how fast the nut or rod moves.

PBC Linear ball screws use helical grooves to guide recirculating ball bearings through the nut, providing low-friction linear motion with high efficiency and accurate, repeatable travel. Made in the USA from precision-rolled 1050 steel, PBC Linear ball screws are available in 6mm, 8mm, and 10mm diameters with 1mm, 2mm, and 2.5mm leads, providing six metric diameter-and-lead combinations. Matching ball screw nuts are available in cylindrical and flanged configurations and use a multi-liner ball-return system to continuously recirculate the balls, with polymer seals helping protect the internal rolling elements from contamination.

Lead screws use direct sliding contact between the threads of a steel rod and a matching nut to convert rotary motion into linear movement. PBC Linear PTFE-coated stainless steel lead screws provide corrosion resistance, low friction, low wear, and minimal coating flaking. Available in 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, and 16mm diameters with a wide range of lead options, they can be paired with round, triangular, rectangular, or Constant-Force Anti-Backlash nuts to minimize axial play. Select PBC Linear ball screw and lead screw configurations are compatible with NEMA 08–23 motors or hand cranks, creating screw-driven linear actuators for compact positioning, adjustment, and automation applications.


  • Ball Screw Diameters: 6, 8, and 10mm
  • Ball Screw Lead Sizes: 1, 2, and 2.5mm
  • Ball Screw Nut Fit: Standard and Transitional 
  • Ball Screw Nut Profiles: cylindrical, flanged and externally threaded cylindrical nuts
  • Lead Screw Diameters: 6, 8, 10, 12, and 16 mm
  • Lead Screw Lead Sizes: 1, 2, 2.5, 4, 5, 6, 8 , 10, 12, and 25mm
  • Lead Screws have round and triangular nuts
  • Lead Screws made of stainless steel with a PTFE coating to prevent flaking


More Features of Ball Screw & Lead Screw Assemblies

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a screw lead?
A screw lead is the distance a nut or screw moves axially in one full rotation. It is often confused with thread pitch, or the distance between adjacent threads measured along the screw. On a single-start screw, pitch equals lead; on multi-start screws, lead equals pitch multiplied by the number of thread starts.
What is the difference between screw pitch, screw start and screw lead?
Screw pitch is the axial distance between adjacent threads. A screw start is an independent thread path wrapped around the screw. Screw lead is the axial distance traveled in one full rotation. On a single-start screw, pitch and lead are the same. On multi-start screws, lead equals pitch multiplied by the number of starts.
What does axial movement mean?
Axial movement means motion along the lengthwise centerline of a shaft, screw, axle, or similar part. On a car or truck, axial movement would be motion along the axle from side to side, rather than spinning around it. In ball screw and lead screw systems, axial movement is the straight-line travel produced along the screw’s length.
What does NEMA mean?
NEMA refers to motor frame size standards from the National Electrical Manufacturers Association. In linear motion systems, NEMA sizes such as NEMA 08, 11, 17, or 23 describe the motor mounting face size, helping users match motors, mounts, and actuator assemblies.