Ball screws use recirculating ball bearing elements and the movement of these around the screw and through the nut is inherently noisy but there are steps you can take to minimize the noise:
- Speed: Choosing a higher lead that reduces the rotational speed of the screw requires less circulation through the nut and will reduce the noise. Simply running slower will also lower the volume.
- Choose a 'high speed' version of the nut that uses deflectors instead of return tubes. This creates a smoother ball path through the nut.
- Use proper lubrication for the speed and load, a thicker grease can dampen the balls as they move through the nut.
- A custom ball nut with alternating steel and nylon balls will soften the sound of the balls hitting each other as they circulate. This will also reduce the load capacity of the nut.
