Do Linear Motor Nuts Require Maintenance?

Yes, all nuts actually require maintenance, especially in applications with high linear speeds. This is because, unless they are wear-resistant types, nuts typically need to be lubricated with grease. The image below shows the types of nuts we can customize (options are not limited to these). Customizing ball nuts is relatively complex, so it is generally not supported.

Causes of Wear: The advantage of linear motors is high thrust at low speeds. The higher the speed, the more severe the wear becomes. Therefore, the international standard typically recommends speeds not exceeding 300 rpm. Once exceeded, the thrust can drop significantly.

Countermeasures:

• Custom maintenance can be performed, such as replenishing wear-resistant grease, which can help slow down wear to a certain extent.
• Nuts can be custom-made from PEEK material (Polyether Ether Ketone), which can effectively increase the nut's service life.
• Alternatively, PEEK material ANTI-BACKLASH nuts can be used, which also improve service life and reduce cumulative error.
• Standard-size PEEK nuts can be customized. However, ANTI-BACKLASH PEEK nuts are more complex and costly to produce, as they require machining.

PEEK Material: This is a semi-crystalline specialty engineering plastic. It ranks in the "first tier" of high-performance polymers and is renowned as a top-tier material in the field of engineering plastics. PEEK is a specialty engineering plastic known for its excellent properties, which include being lightweight, high-strength, heat-resistant, corrosion-resistant, and self-lubricating.

Conclusion: Generally, the main causes of nut wear are high speed, frequent use, heavy loads, or improper installation (such as misalignment). Higher degrees of wear lead to greater cumulative error. The cumulative error of the nut is also related to the number of reciprocating cycles. Using PEEK material can increase the service life, allowing for longer usage times.

Updated on: 26/09/2025