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This section provides an overview for linear shafting as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 21 linear shafting manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked linear shafting companies as of December, 2024: 1.NOOK INDUSTRIES, INC, 2.Northlake Steel Corporation, 3.Isotech, Inc..
Table of Contents
Linear shafting is a wear-resistant, high-precision round bar designed to guide linear (reciprocating) motion. These shafts are typically available with outer diameters in f8, g6, and h5 fits.
Common materials for linear shafting include iron, often with surface treatments like hard chrome, and stainless steel. High-frequency quenching can be used to create a robust surface condition. The shafts come in various shapes, such as straight, pipe-stepped, tapped on the end face, D-chamfered, or key-grooved.
Linear shafting is primarily used as a guide in linear reciprocating motion. They are often combined with dry bearings, linear bushings, or other sliding components to enhance the linearity of movement.
These shafts are commonly found in manual straight-line movement jigs, like vices. Additionally, linear shaft motors, which provide low vibration at standstill and high-speed movement, are gaining popularity in machining equipment where positional accuracy is critical.
Linear shafting plays a crucial role in providing inexpensive, high-precision linear drive and static positional accuracy. Their high standardization allows for achieving precise linear motion cost-effectively and easily.
Subject to wear from constant friction, these shafts often undergo surface hardening to increase durability. However, this hardening can make post-purchase machining difficult without a professional machining center.
While similar to linear guides in function, linear shafting is different in terms of strength and application. Linear guides are preferable for high accuracy and strength as their support points are closer to the load, whereas linear shafting is more suited for applications requiring simplicity and cost-effectiveness.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Zenda Linear Motion was founded in 2013 as a family business specializing in the manufacture of linear shafts and bearings. Initially operating from a small production facility, Zenda has experienced significant growth over the last decade. The company has expanded to include a family of over 90 employees and now operates three production sites that cover a total area of 25,000 square meters. Currently, Zenda serves more than 150 customers across various sectors, including automated production, food processing, medical equipment, CNC machinery, and other industries that require linear transmission solutions. Zenda provides a variety of linear motion control components, including linear guides, ball screws, linear shafts, linear bearings, slide units, rod end joint bearings, dual-shaft guide rails, and other linear motion products.
Northlake Steel Corporation (NSC) is an American manufacturer of linear shafting that was established in Valley City, Idaho in 1977. The company specializes in induction hardened, precision ground shafting fabricated from 1060 and 440C alloys in sizes from 1/4" to 10" in diameter, including chrome-plated bars, cold-drawn bars, and linear shafting. It also offers electroless nickel, zinc-nickel, nickel-chrome, and hard chrome plating services for customer projects. NSC products are mainly used by clients utilizing industrial processes centered around fluid power and linear motion, such as Bosch Rexroth, Thomson Industries, and Lockheed Martin.
NOOK INDUSTRIES, INC, established in 1969 in the United States, is a manufacturer and supplier specializing in precision linear motion systems and components. The company offers a comprehensive range of products, including ball screws, linear actuators, and linear guides. NOOK INDUSTRIES, INC has been a pioneer in the field of linear motion technology. Their products find applications in industries like automation, robotics, and manufacturing, enabling precise and efficient motion control solutions. NOOK INDUSTRIES, INC's unique worth lies in their devotion to providing customizable linear motion solutions, such as ball screws that enhance CNC equipment and automation systems.
SKAMAR is an American manufacturer of custom linear automation components that was established in 1977 in Cleveland, Ohio. The company offers a range of fabrication capabilities, including standard and CNC milling, turning, and Swiss machining. These are geared to the production of hardened as well as precision ground shafts used in linear slides, guides, and bearings. SKAMAR primarily serves clients in industrial automation and manufacturing, as well as in the medical, aerospace, and automotive industries.
Isotech was founded in 182 and is headquartered in Hatfield, Pennsylvania. Isotech is a manufacturer’s representative and distributor of proprietary mechanical and electromechanical products to the industrial, medical, and military OEM and in-plant markets. Some of Isotech’s products include linear slide assemblies & rail sets, shock/vibration mounts & pads, linear bushings & shafting, telescoping lifting columns, positioning stages, air bearings, gas springs/air cylinders, motorized positioning tables, laser marking cutting systems, foamed aluminum/metal/composites, stamped metal, noise control products, and belt driven actuators.
NB Corp. of America, founded in Hanover Park, IL, in 1939 is a supplier of linear motion systems. The company's product portfolio includes motion control components and systems, including, Linear Bearings and Guides, Ball and Lead Screws, Linear Motion Systems, and Precision Balls. The company serves industries such as Oil and Gas, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and Transportation, Construction, and Power Generation. The company has a global sales network and a customer support center.
MORIMOTO SEIMITSU SHAFT Co., Ltd, established in 1971 and headquartered in Osaka, Japan, is a manufacturer of shafts used for producing mechatronics products. The company's range varies from general-purpose shafts and slide shafts to ball screws, miniature slide screws and support units. These products are used for manufacturing high performance parts such as industrial electronic equipment and semiconductors, industrial-use robots, food machinery and cars. The company has obtained ISO certifications for quality management and environmental management systems.
THK Co., Ltd. was incorporated in 1946 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. THK is a manufacturer and supplier of machine components such as linear motion components for customers globally. THK’s products are used in many industries including electronics, aerospace, industrial robots, and precision instruments. THK’s primary product categories are Linear Motion, Feed Screw, Rotation, Custom Assemblies, and Seismic Isolation. Linear Motion products assist in linear motion and transportation. They include linear motion actuators, guides, and rollers. Feed screws include ball screws, screw nuts, and change nuts. Seismic Isolation includes both large systems and small guides.
Takeuchi Precision Works Co., Ltd, established in 1964, is a manufacturer of machine element components, including ball bushings, feed screws, linear guides, ball screws, and linear shafts, headquartered in Fukushima, Japan. The company offers standard, round, and square-shaped ball splines in long, flange, flange double, standard double, and flange long types. Its ball bushings are available in housing, self-aligning flange, flange, and straight shape standard types with a single-length bearing or high-load capacity double-length bearing. TSK has achieved ISO 9001 & ISO 14001 certifications allowing its products to be used in control equipment, including CNC machine tools, medical equipment, and industrial robots.
Miki Pulley Co., Ltd., founded in 1939, is a manufacturer and provider of solutions for power transmission and control problems, headquartered in Kawasaki City, Japan. They manufacture various products essential for all industries, including couplings for high-precision power transmission, electromagnetic clutches and brakes for power transmission when energized, and speed changers and reducers for controlling the speed of machinery. They also offer inverters, linear shaft drives, rotation speed indicators, torque limiters, and ROSTA rubber springs.
Lishui Yongrun Precision Machinery, established in 2002 and based in Zhejiang, China, is a manufacturer and supplier of high-tech precision machinery products. The company product portfolio includes a wide variety of linear rail, ball screws, linear modules, linear machinery, bearings, roller needles, and rods. The company also offers high-precision, and high-tech linear transmission products. The products are widely used in various industries which include machinery, prints, chemical, medical, woodwork, and robotics.
Nippon Bearing was established in 1939 and is headquartered in Ojiya-City, Niigata, Japan as a manufacturer of linear motion products. The company is known for producing linear bearings, and some of its other products include Linear and Slide Guides, Ball Splines, Cross Roller Guides, and Linear Bushings. These items have extensive use in industries that work with optical equipment and high-precision measurements as the products have motion accuracy as well as rigidity. The company also provides parts and tools for general machinery as well.
Wuxi Longzhichen Machinery Co., Ltd. (WLM) is a Chinese custom manufacturer of hydraulic and pneumatic machinery components that was established in Huishan, Wuxi City in 2010. The company produces various hydraulic and pneumatic machinery components to customer specifications, including honed tubes, chrome-plated steel bars, double-acting telescopic oscillating hydraulic cylinders, and rodless cushion end pneumatic air cylinders. These are critical components in suspension kits across all vehicle classes, including standard automobiles and heavy tractors. WLM primarily serves clients in the construction, agriculture, and automotive industries, which include Volkswagen, Bechtel, and John Deere.
Xingborui is a Chinese manufacturer of linear motion technology components that was established in Lishui City, Zhejiang in 2009. The company’s product lineup includes linear shafts, bearings, guides, and stages, as well as ball screws and ball screw nuts. These are crucial in converting, generating, supporting and controlling linear motion functions between parts or assemblies. It also offers related products, such as motor brackets and couplings. Xingborui primarily serves clients in the printing, textiles, medical, and power tool industries.
Ningbo Kete Transmission Technology Co. Ltd., established in 2020, and based in Zhejiang, China, is a manufacturer and supplier of precision machinery tools. The product portfolio includes a diverse range of linear shafts, linear motion slide units, ball screw brackets, couplings, linear guideways, needle rollers, and others. All the company products are ISO-certified with production automation equipment and OEM customized solutions. The products are used mainly in the machinery industry and other sectors associated with it.
Thomson Industries, headquartered in the United States, is a global manufacturer of motion control solutions since 1936. They have been one of the forerunners in the motion technology industry with products supplying optimized motion solutions to a broad range of industries and application areas including factory automation, medical, aerospace and defense, and more. The company merged with Regal Rexnord in 2023 as a key business in the automation and specialty platform. As part of Regal Rexnord, they are even more equipped to provide complete system solutions through their control, drive, power transmission and precision linear motion technologies.
igus GmbH, established in 1964 and based in Cologne, Germany, is a manufacturer and distributor of technical products made using polymers for movement. Its products include injection molding frames, motor control systems, and plain bearings, and it has over 240,000 products in over 1,000,000 variations. It serves 188,000 companies from over 80 countries worldwide in 50 different industries, including packaging, automotive, and renewable energy. The company is ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 50001 certified, and in 2023, it recorded €1.115 billion in sales. Since 2021, the company has purchased 380 new injection-molding machines and has replaced 275 old ones.
Linear Bar Limited (LBL) is a British manufacturer of linear bearing shafts and components that was incorporated in 2011. Based in Kenilworth, United Kingdom, the company primarily produces chrome-plated linear bearing bars, hardened stainless shafting, and hollow linear shafts. It also offers components machined from linear bearing shafts (e.g. radial bores, keyways) as well as various bars hardened and ground to precise diameters. LBL products are mainly used by clients in the automotive, aerospace, and industrial automation industries, including by companies such as the Parker Hannifin Corporation and the Schaeffler Group.
Lee Controls LLC (Lee Linear), established in 1965 and headquartered in Roscoe, Illinois, United States, is a manufacturer and supplier of precision linear motion components. The company's products include linear shafts, linear shafting support rails, and flange mount plain bearings. It offers full customization and ordering through its website or by requesting a quote on specially machined products. Its products are used in various commercial and industrial applications for material handling assembly systems, automation in wash-down bottling, and heavy-duty saws.
Lishui Yongrun Precision Machinery Co. Ltd., established in 2002 and based in Lishui, China, is a manufacturer and supplier of transmission products. Its product portfolio includes linear shafts, motor brackets, and linear guides, and it has ISO 9001 certification for the production and sale of linear sliders and ball screws. The company also makes customized self-lubricating bearings built from materials such as white zinc, carbon steel, and hard chrome. The products are used in industries such as printing, chemical, and medical machinery, and the company has customers in several regions, including Africa, North America, and Europe.
Ranking as of December 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | NOOK INDUSTRIES, INC |
19.0%
|
| 2 | Northlake Steel Corporation |
8.3%
|
| 3 | Isotech, Inc. |
7.1%
|
| 4 | NB Corporation of America |
6.0%
|
| 5 | Linear Bar Limited |
6.0%
|
| 6 | SKAMAR |
6.0%
|
| 7 | Takeuchi Precision Works Co.,Ltd. |
6.0%
|
| 8 | Ozak Seiko Co., Ltd. |
6.0%
|
| 9 | MORIMOTO SEIMITSU SHAFT Co., Ltd |
4.8%
|
| 10 | MIKI PULLEY CO., LTD. |
4.8%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the linear shafting page as of December 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
|
Japan
|
6 | 37.5% |
|
China
|
5 | 31.3% |
|
United States of America
|
5 | 31.3% |
73 products are listed.
YSK CO.,LTD.
160+ people viewing
Last viewed: 20 hours ago
■Summary Linear shafts and slide shafts are used as guides for linear reciprocating mechanisms, etc. Therefore, it must have excellent wear resista...
YSK CO.,LTD.
90+ people viewing
Last viewed: 11 hours ago
■Summary Stainless steel linear shafts are used as guides in linear reciprocating mechanisms, etc. Therefore, it must have excellent wear resistanc...
YSK CO.,LTD.
70+ people viewing
Last viewed: 4 hours ago
■Summary Pipe linear shafts are used as guides for linear reciprocating mechanisms, etc. Therefore, it must have excellent wear resistance and high...
Nagoya High-Tech Co., Ltd.
30+ people viewing
■Features ・SCE type standard, with seal ・SCEL type long, with seal
Wilco Co., Ltd.
380+ people viewing
Last viewed: 8 hours ago
■Features - Stainless steel shaft with high processing precision. - Suitable for use on bearings, pulley shafts, etc. - EU-RoHS2 compliant product.
Ozak Seiko Co., Ltd.
390+ people viewing
The strong main body made of steel and the axis holding manager are long -sized, making it ideal for long -size shafts and vertical axis support. I...
Ozak Seiko Co., Ltd.
430+ people viewing
Last viewed: 17 hours ago
The linear bearing exclusive axis is equivalent to the inner ring of the ball bearing, so various requirements such as dimension accuracy and hardn...
Ozak Seiko Co., Ltd.
390+ people viewing
Last viewed: 12 hours ago
The linear bearing exclusive axis is equivalent to the inner ring of the ball bearing, so various requirements such as dimension accuracy and hardn...
Ozak Seiko Co., Ltd.
460+ people viewing
Last viewed: 7 seconds ago
The linear bearing exclusive axis is equivalent to the inner ring of the ball bearing, so various requirements such as dimension accuracy and hardn...
Ozak Seiko Co., Ltd.
250+ people viewing
Last viewed: 6 hours ago
The linear bearing exclusive axis is equivalent to the inner ring of the ball bearing, so various requirements such as dimension accuracy and hardn...
Ozak Seiko Co., Ltd.
480+ people viewing
Last viewed: 51 minutes ago
The cast iron body with sufficient strength can be compact like a flange mounting structure. The linear bearing exclusive axis is equivalent to th...
Ozak Seiko Co., Ltd.
410+ people viewing
Last viewed: 11 hours ago
It is made of a tough aluminum die -cast, and can be compact and reduce costs by attaching flange. The linear bearing exclusive axis is equivalent...
Nagoya High-Tech Co., Ltd.
30+ people viewing
■Summary -NHK linear shafts are made of superior materials and manufactured with precision. - Uses high carbon chromium bearing steel (SUJ-2) and m...
YSK CO.,LTD.
60+ people viewing
Last viewed: 11 hours ago
■Summary YSK's high-frequency heat treatment technology has successfully refined the shaft surface structure. This microstructure has resulted in t...
MIKI PULLEY CO., LTD.
160+ people viewing
■Features Miki Pulley's electric linear actuator is a cylindrical linear motor system that can be driven with a simple system. Position detection u...
