A CNC milling machine can only perform as well as the motion components inside it. Poor rail support, unstable transmission, slow drive response, or inadequate lubrication can reduce positioning stability and create more maintenance work. For one Iraqi machine builder, the solution was not replacing one part—it was matching the complete CNC motion system.
In 2024, LONGQIAO supplied a complete motion and control component package for a customer manufacturing small CNC milling machines in Iraq. The project included linear guides, linear bearing blocks, ball screws, servo motors and drivers, a spindle motor, cable drag chains, an automatic tool setter, and a lubrication unit. The goal was to help the customer build more stable and maintainable CNC machines using compatible components from one supplier.
| Project Item | Details |
| Customer | Small and medium-sized machine tool manufacturer |
| Market | Iraq |
| Application | Small CNC milling machines |
| Project Start | March 2024 |
| Machine Type | Three-axis CNC milling equipment |
| Main Applications | Metal and acrylic machining |
| Supply Scope | Motion, transmission, drive, spindle and auxiliary components |
| Main Products | Linear guides, bearing blocks, ball screws, servo systems, spindle motor, drag chain, tool setter, lubrication unit |
| Project Type | New machine component matching and complete-axis supply |
LONGQIAO focuses on CNC motion components, motors, drivers, spindle systems and related machine accessories for OEMs, distributors and industrial users. Its current product range covers linear guides, ball screws, servo and stepper systems, spindle motors, planetary reducers, racks and other CNC accessories, with more than 200 SKUs listed as stocked items.
The project began in March 2024.
The Iraqi customer first contacted us about a spindle motor. At that stage, the discussion was mainly about different spindle brands, specifications and pricing. We prepared several options according to the customer’s initial requirements.
After the first quotation, communication slowed down.
About two months later, the customer contacted us again. This time, the requirement was very different. Instead of purchasing only a spindle, the customer sent a complete parts list for several CNC milling machines.
The purchasing scope now included:
This changed the project from a single-component quotation into a complete CNC motion and control system matching project.
For a machine builder, this type of sourcing model has an important advantage. Rails, screws, motors and accessories are not selected in isolation. Their dimensions, loads, speeds and installation interfaces must work together.
Before preparing the final quotation, we reviewed the customer’s machine configuration instead of simply pricing every line on the purchasing list.
The discussion covered the machine structure, X/Y/Z travel, operating speed, expected load, machining materials and production requirements.
According to the project information, several areas required improvement.
1. Linear Motion Stability
The customer needed better support for the moving assemblies on the three machine axes.
A linear guide must do more than allow movement. It must support the table or spindle assembly while controlling unwanted side movement and moment loads.
For CNC milling machines for metal, this becomes especially important because cutting forces can change during machining.
2. Ball Screw Positioning
The existing transmission configuration did not provide the positioning performance the customer wanted.
A ball screw converts servo motor rotation into linear axis movement. Proper screw diameter, lead, nut configuration and mounting support all affect:
The project therefore required the ball screw to be selected together with the guide and servo system.
The drive system also needed better coordination between motor torque, speed and machine-axis load.
A motor that is too small may struggle during acceleration. A motor that is unnecessarily large adds cost, weight and inertia.
This is why our team reviewed the servo and driver as part of the complete axis rather than treating them as independent electrical products.
Repeated machine movement can bend motor cables, encoder cables and other wiring thousands of times.
Without proper cable management, wires may rub against the machine structure or experience uncontrolled bending.
A suitable cable drag chain organizes the moving cables and gives them a controlled bending path.
Manual Z-axis tool setting requires operator time and can introduce setup variation.
The customer therefore included an automatic tool setter in the machine configuration to simplify tool-height setting before machining.
The machine also required a more organized lubrication method.
Linear guides, ball screws and related motion components depend on suitable lubrication to reduce friction and wear.
Instead of relying only on manual lubrication, the project included a centralized lubrication unit for timed and controlled oil delivery.
How We Matched the X, Y and Z Axis Linear Motion System
For this project, the motion configuration combined linear guide rails and matching bearing blocks to support the moving assemblies.
The goal was to improve:
LONGQIAO supplies several linear motion structures, including profiled HGR-type guides as well as SBR, TBR, miniature guides and shaft-based systems. The appropriate structure depends on load, machine layout, required accuracy and budget.
For machine builders, this distinction matters.
A small desktop machine does not necessarily need the same rail configuration as an industrial metal-cutting machine. The right solution is based on actual mechanical requirements rather than simply choosing the largest rail available.
The customer required ball screws for the X, Y and Z axes.
The project configuration used C7 ball screws, balancing positioning requirements and project cost for this machine category.
Ball screws use recirculating balls between the screw shaft and nut. Compared with sliding screw transmission, this design reduces friction and driving torque while supporting smooth linear positioning.
LONGQIAO’s SFU ball screw range is used in CNC and automation systems and includes different accuracy and configuration options for machine-axis applications.
For a complete CNC axis, however, accuracy grade alone is not enough.
We also consider:
The customer order information included 1610 ball screw components, together with additional screw nuts and related motion parts.
The final configuration was checked as a system rather than as separate catalog numbers.
The servo system controls how quickly and accurately each machine axis responds to commands.
For small CNC milling machines, the correct servo selection requires a balance between speed and torque.
We reviewed the customer’s operating requirements and matched motors and drivers based on the intended axis duty.
The goal was to improve:
Acceleration → Deceleration → Direction Change → Position Holding
A properly matched servo system can react to changing motion commands more consistently while avoiding unnecessary oversizing.
LONGQIAO supplies servo and stepper drive components as part of its complete CNC motion portfolio, allowing machine builders to source linear motion and motor-control components together.
This was particularly useful for the Iraqi project because the customer did not have to coordinate rail, screw and drive specifications with several unrelated suppliers.
The purchasing list also included 2.2 kW, 220 V water-cooled spindle motors.
A spindle directly affects cutting speed, tool operation, vibration and machining quality.
For this machine configuration, water cooling provided a practical solution for managing spindle temperature during extended operation.
The spindle was intended to support machining tasks involving materials such as metal and acrylic, according to the customer’s project requirements.
For spindle selection, our team normally checks:
This prevents a common purchasing mistake: selecting a spindle only by kilowatt rating.
A reliable CNC machine requires more than major transmission components.
The auxiliary parts often determine how easy the machine is to operate and maintain.
The cable carrier was used to organize electrical wiring and protect moving cables during repeated axis travel.
Its function is simple but important:
Guide → Protect → Control Bend Radius → Reduce Cable Wear
LONGQIAO’s broader CNC accessory portfolio includes drag-chain solutions alongside its linear motion and drive products.
The tool setter helped reduce dependence on repeated manual tool-height setup.
For a machine builder, this adds practical value to the final machine because the operator can establish the tool reference more efficiently before machining.
The lubrication unit supplied oil to guide and screw components according to the machine’s lubrication arrangement.
Regular lubrication helps control friction and wear in linear-motion components.
LONGQIAO supplies both motion components and lubrication-related CNC accessories, allowing lubrication to be considered during machine design instead of being treated as an afterthought.
This project shows one of the biggest sourcing challenges faced by CNC machine manufacturers.
Buying each component from a different supplier may appear flexible, but it creates additional work.
The machine builder must confirm:
If one part changes, several other specifications may also need to change.
LONGQIAO’s one-stop model is designed around supplying compatible motion components together. Its website specifically describes complete-axis matching for linear guides, ball screws, motors, drivers, spindle motors and accessories, as well as support for new machines and retrofit projects.
For this Iraqi project, that approach simplified the purchasing process:
One Requirement Review
→ One Component Matching Process
→ One Consolidated Order
→ One Shipment
That is particularly useful for OEM customers building several machines with the same configuration.
After the technical solution was agreed, the project moved into component confirmation and preparation.
According to the project requirements, our process included:
This step was important because the customer’s order contained parts from several machine subsystems.
The objective was not merely to confirm that each item worked independently. We needed to reduce the risk of interface problems when the customer assembled the complete CNC milling machines.
LONGQIAO states that it supports OEM machine builders, distributors and factories with technical selection, flexible order quantities, stocked standard models and complete motion-component sourcing.
After inspection and packing, the complete order was shipped to Iraq.
The transportation period was approximately two months. We kept the customer updated on shipping progress until the products reached the destination safely.
About three months after delivery, the customer contacted us again.
The feedback was especially valuable because it was not limited to saying that the parts had arrived.
The customer reported satisfaction with the supplied products and told us that the completed machines had helped support new orders for multiple machines.
For us, this is the most meaningful result of the project.
The goal of a CNC components supplier is not simply to ship rails, screws and motors. The real goal is to help the machine manufacturer build equipment that it can confidently sell to its own customers.
There are many types of CNC milling machines, from compact desktop units to gantry machines and larger industrial machining systems.
Their component requirements differ, but the engineering logic remains similar.
A reliable machine needs the guide, transmission, drive and machining system to work together.
For a small or medium-sized CNC milling machine, a typical motion architecture may look like this:
| Machine Function | Component |
|---|---|
| Linear guidance | Linear guide + block |
| Rotary-to-linear transmission | Ball screw + nut |
| Axis drive | Servo motor + driver |
| Cutting | Spindle motor |
| Cable management | Cable drag chain |
| Tool reference | Automatic tool setter |
| Lubrication | Automatic lubrication unit |
None of these components works completely independently.That is why machine builders should evaluate a complete motion system, especially when developing a new model or preparing multiple machines for production.
Jinan Longqiao Electromechanical Equipment Co., Ltd. is based in Jinan, China and has focused on CNC machine parts since 2017. Its product range includes linear motion components, ball screws, motors, drivers, spindle systems and related CNC accessories for machine builders, automation integrators, distributors and industrial users.
For projects like this one, our role is not limited to sending a price list.
We can help customers review:
This makes LONGQIAO particularly suitable for OEM customers that want to source several related CNC components through one supply channel.
If you manufacture small CNC milling machines, CNC milling machines for metal, CNC routers or automated machine tools, you do not need to source every axis component separately.
Send us:
Our team can review the requirements and help match the linear guides, bearing blocks, ball screws, servo systems, spindle motors and supporting CNC accessories for your project.
From one spindle motor to a complete CNC motion system, the goal is the same: make every component work as part of one machine.
