Profab Machine makes stainless steel ball transfer units to your drawing or sample, including non-standard sizes and mounting styles. Our engineers review the ball diameter, mounting, load, and environment before production. We stay in touch from the first quote to final delivery.
A ball transfer unit is a load ball held in a housing on smaller support balls, so a package, pallet, or workpiece can move in any direction across it. It is a single load-bearing component, not a conveyor. It differs from a shaft bearing because it supports a load from below and rolls in any direction.
Stainless steel is used where wash water, chemicals, or salt would corrode carbon steel ball transfer units. Specify a ball transfer unit by ball diameter, body size, mounting style, load, working direction, and grade.
Profab Machine makes stainless ball transfer units in the families below, and each one is built to your load, mounting space, and environment. Send a drawing, a sample, or a part number, and we will quote from it.
In all stainless steel ball transfer units the housing and the load ball are stainless steel in 304 or 316L, so they suit food, pharmaceutical, chemical, and marine equipment where a carbon steel ball transfer unit would corrode. Tell us if the support balls and spring must be stainless as well.
A ball transfer unit with a stainless load ball in a carbon steel housing costs less and suits dry general industrial handling, where the housing is not exposed to water or chemicals.
A reinforced housing lets heavy duty ball transfer units carry heavy loads and impact, as in mold handling and aircraft tooling.
The built-in spring of a spring loaded ball transfer unit absorbs shock and returns the ball to height, which suits positioning and buffering stations.
The small body of a miniature ball transfer unit fits tight spaces and clean areas. Miniature ball transfer units are common in electronics and precision handling.
A recessed ball transfer unit sits flush with the surface, so it fits into automation tables and stations without raising the product.
The flange of a flange mounted ball transfer unit bolts straight onto heavy bases and modular conveyors.
A low profile ball transfer unit has a short body, so it works where height is limited and the product still needs to roll freely.
A ball transfer unit holds a large load ball that supports a product from below and rolls in any direction. A ball bearing supports a shaft or a ring and turns in one plane, so it does not replace a ball transfer unit.
A ball caster is a ball held in a housing and mounted under equipment so the equipment rolls on it. A roller conveyor uses cylindrical rollers that move product in one direction. Choose a ball transfer unit when the load must be turned or moved in several directions.
See our roller conveyors for one-direction conveying.
The table shows typical ball sizes and ratings for stainless flange ball transfer units. Your drawing sets the exact dimensions of the ball transfer unit.
| Ball Diameter | Inch | Typical Ball-Up Load | Typical Ball-Down Load |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15.8 mm | 5/8 in | about 12 kg | about 6 kg |
| 19 mm | 3/4 in | about 25 kg | about 10 kg |
| 25.4 mm | 1 in | about 55 kg | about 25 kg |
| 31.7 mm | 1 1/4 in | about 125 kg | about 55 kg |
| 39.7 mm | 1 9/16 in | about 140 kg | about 60 kg |
| 50.8 mm | 2 in | about 250 kg | about 100 kg |
Typical ratings for stainless flange ball transfer units, taken from published manufacturer catalogs and rounded, for reference only. Capacity depends on the model, the housing, and the working direction, so confirm the rating for your ball transfer unit before ordering.
304 stainless steel ball transfer units suit indoor machinery, automation, and dry to mildly humid areas, and they handle routine cleaning chemicals. Avoid them in continuous salt spray and chloride-heavy washdown.
316L stainless steel ball transfer units are the standard choice for marine, chemical, and food equipment cleaned with CIP chemistry. The 2 to 3% molybdenum in 316L protects against chloride pitting far better than 304 does.
17-4PH is a precipitation-hardened grade that reaches about 1,310 MPa tensile strength in H900 condition. We use it for ball transfer unit housings, seats, or other parts where hardness and strength govern. It is available on request.
Stainless steel ball transfer units belong at the points of a line where a load must turn or slide in any direction and the surface meets water, chemicals, or frequent cleaning. Each application below names the station where the ball transfer units are fitted.
Stainless steel ball transfer units sit in packing and inspection tabletops, so boxes and trays turn by hand for sealing and scanning. 304 handles washdown.
316L ball transfer units sit in transfer and packing tabletops, where acids, alkalis, and cleaners attack carbon steel.
Stainless steel ball transfer units form the ball decks that move ULD containers and pallets through cargo holds and terminals, and they sit in baggage tables.
Stainless steel ball transfer units sit in patient-handling and equipment-transfer tabletops, where trays and boards slide sideways.
If your station needs smooth, multi-directional movement, Profab stainless ball transfer units are a good choice. They suit wet, chemical, food processing, and medical areas. Typical uses include:
Ball transfer units usually fail because point loads, duty cycles, or contamination were underestimated. A lightweight housing can deform under a concentrated load, which makes the ball turn unevenly and raises friction. Too little ball support wears the ball transfer unit faster and can end in jamming.
We review your real operating conditions with you and recommend the ball diameter, the support layout, and the housing thickness that suit the load.
Work through these points before you request a quote, and send what you know.
| Factor | What to Confirm | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Ball and body size | Load ball diameter, body diameter, and overall height | These set the rating and decide whether the ball transfer unit fits your hole or frame. |
| Mounting | Flange, stud, or press-fit, with hole size or thread | The mounting style decides the dimensions and how the ball transfer unit is removed. |
| Load | Load per ball transfer unit, shock load, and the number of active ball transfer units | A table rarely loads every ball transfer unit equally. |
| Orientation | Ball-up, ball-down, or angled | Capacity of a ball transfer unit changes with the working direction. |
| Environment and seal | Washdown, dust, salt, chemicals, and temperature | Contamination and cleaning chemistry decide the seal and the grade of the ball transfer unit. |
| Material | 304, 316L, or 17-4PH, and which parts must be stainless | "All stainless" must name which parts of the ball transfer unit are stainless: the housing, the load ball, and the support balls. |
| Special features | Spring, low profile, recessed, or non-marking ball | These change the height and the load path of the ball transfer unit. |
We CNC machine your ball transfer unit parts ourselves, so you deal directly with the factory. Tiered pricing is available on larger orders.
Send a CAD file, a sample, or a drawing, and our engineers will review the ball diameter, the mounting, and the load before cutting metal. For new custom ball transfer units we make a sample first. Samples are typically ready in about 20 days.
Ball transfer unit pricing is tiered by order quantity. We are glad to talk through terms for long-term partnerships.
Not seeing your question? Email us at [email protected] and we typically reply same day.
The common styles are flange mount, stud mount, and press-fit or recessed mount. Each one needs different dimensions from you. Send the mounting style with the panel hole or stud thread, and we will confirm the fit against your drawing or sample.
Yes. A ball transfer unit that carries a given load ball-up can carry less ball-down or at an angle. Shock and side loads are harder on it than a smooth load. Tell us the working direction and the load footprint, and we will review the ball transfer unit against them.
A common rule is to divide the load weight by 3 for the maximum load on any one ball. Set the ball transfer unit spacing at no more than the narrowest dimension of the load divided by 3.5, so the load rests on at least three ball transfer units. A ball transfer unit rating does not validate a whole table, so send us the load and the frame and we will review how many ball transfer units the table needs.
Stainless steel resists rust, but wear and contamination depend on the seal, the ball support, and how you clean. Tell us the cleaning method and the environment, and we will recommend 304 or 316L and the ball transfer unit style.
Send a part number, a sample, or a drawing, or list the ball diameter, body diameter and height, mounting style, load, working direction, and quantity. Photos of the worn ball transfer unit help.
Send the ball diameter, mounting style, load, working direction, grade, and quantity, plus a drawing or sample.
Our engineers review your ball transfer unit request or drawing and send you a specific quote within 24 hours.
Standard lead time for ball transfer units is 30 days. Custom designs are sampled before the full production run.
We ship ball transfer units by sea, air, or express courier. A tracking number follows once the order ships.
We support small-batch and prototype runs with no hard minimum order quantity. A first prototype run is typically around 100 pieces.
Most ball transfer unit failures trace back to identifiable causes at installation or in the operating environment, and this guide shows how to read the symptoms.
Read More »If you already have drawings, email [email protected] directly and we will quote from them.
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