Generally, in machining precision machine elements such as ballscrews, machining errors could occur for various reasons. In this research, the influence of improper setting errors in ballscrew machining, such as misalignment between centers, runout of spindle, and unsuitable contact conditions between the center and the center hole, was analyzed. From the analysis, among the setting errors, the misalignment between centers was found to be an important one. An automatic adjustable center for 2D arbitrary positioning was designed and manufactured to eliminate the alignment error in machining workpieces supported by two centers. This adjustment system could be practically applied to reduce machining errors. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.