A felt wiper is a simple type of wiper used in ball screw drives or other linear systems to protect the spindle surface from dust, small particles, and light contamination. It consists of a felt ring or insert that is mounted in a holder on the ball nut and rests directly against the spindle. The contact wipes off loose dirt and keeps it away from the thread flanks.
The felt is often lightly impregnated with lubricant (e.g., oil), so it also serves as a lubricant reservoir and continuously wets the spindle surface.
The felt wiper features a simple, cost-effective design, yet still provides good protection against dust and fine particles. The additional lubrication results in very low friction. However, felt is not suitable for applications with high chip loads or in environments with a lot of liquid (e.g., coolant lubricants).
Areas of application
- Applications with low contamination (e.g., measuring instruments, small automated machines)
- Machines in dry or dusty environments
- Situations where a cost-effective, low-maintenance solution is sufficient.