At the heart of the Dominator’s Z-axis is a 1605 ball screw — and there’s a good reason we chose this specific spec. Let’s break down what it means, why it matters, and how it benefits your CNC performance.

What Does “1605” Mean?

The “1605” designation refers to the dimensions and pitch of the ball screw:

• 16mm diameter

• 5mm lead (the linear travel per screw revolution)

This size is a widely adopted industrial standard and strikes a proven balance between speed, precision, and load-bearing capacity — ideal for high-performance CNC operations.

Why Not a 1610 or Higher Lead Screw?

While higher lead ball screws (e.g., 1610 or 1620) might allow for faster travel speeds, they sacrifice resolution and torque. This trade-off isn’t acceptable on our machine where precision and rigidity are paramount — especially when running:

• Heavy spindles (including ATC systems)

• Large tooling

• Tall carve jobs requiring deep plunge accuracy

Instead, the 1605 offers superior control with the ideal mechanical advantage to support the Dominator’s expanded 8.65" Z capacity, delivering more accurate cuts under real-world loads.

Performance You Can Rely On

When paired with 3Nm closed-loop steppers and high-quality linear rails, the 1605 ball screw ensures:

• Excellent rigidity under load

• Reduced backlash and deflection

• Smooth, controlled motion — even when plunging into hardwoods or aluminum

This is the same caliber of hardware you’d expect in machines costing twice as much. It’s part of what makes the Dominator not just a powerful "second" machine, but a serious upgrade from other entry-level systems.

Bottom Line

The use of the 1605 ball screw on the Dominator Pro reflects our philosophy:
Precision and reliability come first — even if it costs us a little more to build it right.

It’s just one of many ways the Dominator is engineered to dominate, not just participate.