Salient Motion launches Saginaw Precision to manufacture precision ball screws, a critical link in the missile and robotics supply chain

Salient Motion today announced the launch of Saginaw Precision, a new division focused on precision ball screws and roller screws for aerospace, defence, robotics, and other high-performance actuation applications.

Missiles rely on electromechanical actuators to precisely position their fins and control their flight. At the heart of each actuator is a high-precision ball screw, manufactured to tolerances measured in fractions of the width of a human hair. Because a missile typically uses four or more actuators, each system requires multiple precision ball screws.

For decades, much of the U.S. capacity and know-how to produce high-performance ball screws has moved overseas or disappeared. Salient Motion is rebuilding that capability in Saginaw, Michigan, a historic centre of American precision manufacturing and ball screw production. Precision ball screws have been called "literally rocket science" by The New York Times.

"Precision ball screws sit at the heart of the systems that move aircraft, missiles, and robots, yet much of that precision manufacturing capability has moved offshore," said Vishaal Mali, founder and CEO of Salient Motion. "This critical part is a constraint, and bringing it in-house gives us greater control end-to-end."

SP-1 in Michigan

The Saginaw facility is the first in what Salient Motion intends to build into a broader precision screw manufacturing platform.

Saginaw Precision has developed proprietary manufacturing processes that pair specialized ball screw expertise with modern software, conventional machine tools, repurposed equipment, and thread-grinding capability. The approach is designed to make high-precision screws faster and at greater scale without relying solely on traditional purpose-built equipment.

Integrating precision ball screw manufacturing directly with Salient Motion's actuator development removes a critical supply-chain dependency and allows the teams to move faster across the full development cycle. Salient Motion has reduced the cycle for a custom actuator prototype from years to approximately eight weeks.

SP-1 is projected to reach capacity of approximately 50,000 ball screws annually by 2027. The facility will also serve as a proving ground for manufacturing intellectual property that Salient Motion intends to carry into future factories.

Rebuilding in Saginaw

Saginaw has deep roots in precision motion manufacturing. Generations of engineers and machinists in the region helped build the steering and motion systems that powered American industry, leaving behind specialized manufacturing knowledge that still exists today.

The operation is led by Garrett O'Brien, whose former company was recognised by Northrop Grumman as a 2024 Supplier of the Year for precision ball screw production. The Saginaw Precision team brings decades of experience in grinding, machining, inspection, and the demanding tolerances required for aerospace and defence applications.

"This is specialized manufacturing expertise that only a handful of people in the country still have," said Mali. "We're fortunate to join forces with Ben Davis, Garrett O'Brien, and the team in Saginaw, who bring decades of know-how in making these precision ball screws. Salient Motion is pairing that experience with a very different approach to manufacturing them, and that combination is what gives us confidence we can build this capability back at scale."

Salient Motion plans to continue investing in the Saginaw operation and hiring from the region's experienced manufacturing workforce as production expands.