Displaying items by tag: NSK

A manufacturer of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles frequently had to replace the linear guides on its blow moulding machines. However, after switching to NSK’s RA series roller guides, there have been no failures for over a year, producing annual cost savings in maintenance, spare parts and downtime of €60,000.

Dissatisfied with the number of linear guide failures on its blow moulding machines, the manufacturer invited NSK to investigate several faulty guides. Expert analysis identified the cause to be end cap damage, which was occurring due to the combination of short stroke movements, short cycle times, frequent start-stop operation and increased displacement force during start-up.

A manufacturer of PET bottles is benefitting from NSK RA series roller guides on its blow moulding machines. Photo: ShutterstockA manufacturer of PET bottles is benefitting from NSK RA series roller guides on its blow moulding machines. Photo: Shutterstock

Given this application profile and the damage that was taking place, NSK recommended that the plastics processor installed RA series roller guides. These guides offer, among other things, very high load-carrying capacity and motion accuracy, extreme rigidity, smooth running, and long service life under conditions of short cycle rates and high loads.

A principal design feature of the RA series are its spacers, which perform a restraining function between each of the rollers. These spacers reduce roller skew and ensure smooth running, as well as lower displacement force during start-up.

The user followed the recommendation and, on a trial basis, equipped one of its blow moulding machines with NSK RA series roller guides. This machine ran for more than a year without any problems or breakdowns, reducing production downtime costs to zero. NSK's cost savings analysis showed that the retrofit of this one machine alone resulted in a saving of €59,500.

NSK RA series roller guides offer high load capacity and rigidity to meet the needs of a wide range of applications. Photo: NSKNSK RA series roller guides offer high load capacity and rigidity to meet the needs of a wide range of applications. Photo: NSK

In the light of this outcome, the PET bottle manufacturer had no hesitation in upgrading its other blow moulding machines.

About NSK Europe
NSK Europe Ltd. is the European organisation of the Tokyo-based bearing manufacturer NSK, which was founded in Japan in 1916 and today employs nearly 30,400 people in its worldwide operations. The products and solutions provided by the industrial and automotive supplier can be found wherever things move. In addition to nearly all types of rolling bearings, the company’s portfolio includes housed bearings, linear technology, wheel bearing units, transmission and engine bearings and steering systems. The company is oriented to perfection in all of its business activities. Its aim is quality leadership in its industry, which it strives for through a continuous process of improvement, excellent product development, optimised production processes and customer-oriented service processes. In fiscal year 2020, the more than 4,350 employees of NSK Europe Ltd. generated sales of over € 792 million.
www.nskeurope.com

Published in Food & Materials
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NSK Self-Lube® bearing units with triple lip seal and end cap protectors provide an extended service life in harsh operating conditions, such as those prevalent within the quarrying, mining and construction sectors. This proven performance is vital in these industries, where contaminants can easily penetrate poorly specified bearings, bringing machinery and equipment to a halt.

Downtime is the enemy of quarry/mine operators and construction project managers. Critical plant and equipment must offer reliable performance to meet demanding output targets, project deadlines and budgets.

Self-Lube® bearing units with triple-lip sealed inserts are ideal for applications where bearings face exposure to dust and water contaminationSelf-Lube® bearing units with triple-lip sealed inserts are ideal for applications where bearings face exposure to dust and water contamination

Whether extraction, transportation, preparation, separation or enrichment, these processes are subject to contamination and debris, not to mention heavy loads, shock loads and vibration. Bearing selection is vital to ensure long service life. Getting it right means that mining and construction sites can maximise their uptime and productivity while simultaneously reducing maintenance costs.

Leveraging state-of-the-art design, material, lubricant and seals, NSK Self-Lube® bearings exceed the life of conventional bearings. Furthermore, by selecting Self-Lube® bearings with triple lip seal and shaft end protectors, it is possible to reduce the costs associated with downtime and repairs.

Reliable protection
NSK recommends its specially developed triple-lip seal for applications with a high degree of contamination. Bonded to a protective outer steel pressing (secured in the outer ring), this one-piece moulded nitrile seal with three lips makes for a highly efficient sealing design that protects the bearing in severe operating environments.
Standard Self-Lube® bearing inserts also have a locating groove to allow the easy fitting of an optional end cap protector. The cap helps to protect personnel from rotating components and the bearing from external contamination.

NSK Self-Lube® bearing units comprise a broad portfolio of reliable inserts and housings. Notably, these cost-effective solutions provide a fast and straightforward solution for mounting bearings without the need for complex housings or special shaft arrangements.

Self-Lube® end cap protectors help to protects personnel from rotating components, and bearings from external contaminationSelf-Lube® end cap protectors help to protects personnel from rotating components, and bearings from external contamination

Reduce costs
The combination of easy use, self-lubrication and long service life mean that increasing numbers of companies in the quarrying, mining and construction sectors are now reducing their costs for replacement bearings, maintenance and downtime.

A case in point involves a company that was experiencing frequent reliability problems with the bearing units assembled in a vibrating drum. These bearings work in severe environments, where they suffer exposure to sand that often wholly covers the units. In addition, due to the nature of the application and its difficult access, the regularity and increasing cost of maintenance was proving an issue.

Following a comprehensive failed bearing analysis as part of its AIP Added Value Programme, NSK proposed Self-Lube® bearing units with triple lip seals, which increased the operating life by a factor of 10 against the previous solution. In addition, the three high-integrity nitrile seal lips with lubrication traps have provided an effective way of stopping the ingress of contaminants.

Self-Lube® end cap protectors easily clip into place on the outer ring of the bearing insertSelf-Lube® end cap protectors easily clip into place on the outer ring of the bearing insert

Design innovation
In another customer success story, a company supplying ready-mixed concrete and other construction materials invited NSK to perform an application review of its augur screw pump bearings. The augur pumps transfer ash (an abrasive mixture of ash, sand, glass, fibres and metal grit) into waiting containers. Here, the screws lift the ash at an angle of approximately 40°, where the lower bearing units frequently fail.

Upon examination of the failed bearings, NSK was able to identify several issues. For instance, after removing the flinger seal, it was evident that no contact seal was running against the inner ring of the bearing. It had likely worn away, and there was now a direct contamination path into the bearing. Further problems included heavy cage corrosion and the absence of lubrication. The ingress of fine dust and particulates had probably soaked up any grease and created a grinding paste, eroding the rubber seal.

To rectify the situation, NSK again recommended its Self-Lube® bearing units. In this case, NSK also suggested the inclusion of a small disc plate with an additional seal. This minor redesign would help stop most of the contamination and significantly reduce pressure on the bearing seal as it features a path for the debris to escape.
By further improving the sealing, using the triple lip sealing solution on the Self-Lube® insert bearing, it is likely that reliability will significantly improve. In addition, the use of an end cap protector for the bottom bearing could also benefit the company as it will help reduce any dust ingress.

These examples are just two of many successes that NSK is encountering in quarrying, mining and construction applications.

About NSK Europe
NSK Europe Ltd. is the European organisation of the Tokyo-based bearing manufacturer NSK, which was founded in Japan in 1916 and today employs nearly 30,400 people in its worldwide operations. The products and solutions provided by the industrial and automotive supplier can be found wherever things move. In addition to nearly all types of rolling bearings, the company’s portfolio includes housed bearings, linear technology, wheel bearing units, transmission and engine bearings and steering systems. The company is oriented to perfection in all of its business activities. Its aim is quality leadership in its industry, which it strives for through a continuous process of improvement, excellent product development, optimised production processes and customer-oriented service processes. In fiscal year 2020, the more than 4,350 employees of NSK Europe Ltd. generated sales of over € 792 million.
www.nskeurope.com 

Published in Mining
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Monday, 13 September 2021 20:32

Big performance from small NSK ball screws

A new high-speed series of miniature large-lead ball screws from NSK Linear Motion Control offers a number of important benefits to users, including reduced product takt time, the potential to downsize equipment, and reduced power consumption. Among the applications set to benefit are semiconductor chip mounters and parts aligning equipment.

The performance attributes of the new ball screws, together with a large lead and small diameter, make the products optimal for equipment used in the semiconductor industry, where demands include exceptionally high levels of throughput and chip mounting accuracy.

NSK has successfully reduced the load on motors by making the ball screw shaft diameter as small as possible to reduce inertia, while at the same time increasing the lead through the introduction of new manufacturing technologies. Furthermore, by adopting the company’s end deflector recirculation system, which offers high speed and low noise characteristics, NSK has succeeded in achieving rotational speeds of up to 5000 rpm.

These advanced capabilities are ideal for chip mounters and other such equipment that requires a relatively short stroke, enabling operation at high acceleration/deceleration, as well as traverse speeds exceeding 1.25 m/sec. This speed surpasses the performance of linear motors to ensure the easy reduction of takt time.

Applications set to benefit from NSK’s miniature large-lead series of high-speed, low-noise ball screws include semiconductor chip mounters and parts aligning equipmentApplications set to benefit from NSK’s miniature large-lead series of high-speed, low-noise ball screws include semiconductor chip mounters and parts aligning equipment

The miniature large-lead ball screw, which is part of NSK’s Compact-FA series and available on a short lead time, can also replace small air cylinders as it offers both high-speed and high-precision multipoint positioning. Importantly, the range is environmentally friendly, free from any hazardous substances, thus helping to support the sustainability credentials of NSK customers.

Both 6 and 8 mm shaft diameters are available alongside the largest lead options in its class: 8, 10, 12 and 15 mm. A low-profile nut, which reduces flange and nut heights by up to 33% compared with conventional ball screws, contributes to the downsizing of machines and, in turn, reduces power consumption.

Among the available options is NSK’s K1 lubrication unit, which slowly exudes lubricating oil from its resin component to provide long-term maintenance-free operation.

Further information is available at www.nsk-literature.com/en/compact-fa-ball-screws

About NSK Europe
NSK Europe Ltd. is the European organisation of the Tokyo-based bearing manufacturer NSK, which was founded in Japan in 1916 and today employs nearly 30,400 people in its worldwide operations. The products and solutions provided by the industrial and automotive supplier can be found wherever things move. In addition to nearly all types of rolling bearings, the company’s portfolio includes housed bearings, linear technology, wheel bearing units, transmission and engine bearings and steering systems. The company is oriented to perfection in all of its business activities. Its aim is quality leadership in its industry, which it strives for through a continuous process of improvement, excellent product development, optimised production processes and customer-oriented service processes. In fiscal year 2020, the more than 4,350 employees of NSK Europe Ltd. generated sales of over € 792 million.
www.nskeurope.com 

Published in Technology News
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Following success with previous-generation machines, a leading manufacturer of press brakes is once again specifying high-quality NSK ball screws for its latest electric model. The company is using the NSK HTF-SRC high-speed, high-load ball screw with A1 seal for its new machine, which with 80 tonnes of press force is the most powerful in the range.

As with previous electric press brake models, the force will be carried by two HTF-SRC ball screws in tandem configuration, with independent electronic control of each axis. Thanks to the design of HTF series ball screws and NSK’s technical knowledge, the solution can withstand large forces while retaining a compact shaft diameter - smaller than ball screws from other manufacturers - to help OEMs minimise machine size.

Such is the customer’s confidence regarding the performance of NSK ball screws that its first order was for a full production batch, rather than prototype quantities.

NSK’s HTF-SRC ball screws offer numerous benefits to OEMs and end users, including super-high dynamic load, high speed, low noise and extended operating life thanks to proper load distribution.

NSK’s HTF-SRC ball screws offer high dynamic load and extended operating life thanks to proper load distributionNSK’s HTF-SRC ball screws offer high dynamic load and extended operating life thanks to proper load distribution

The press-brake manufacturer has been using NSK HTF series ball screws since 2017, when it produced its first electric machine. Originally, the decision to select NSK was based on the company’s globally recognised leadership in high-load ball screws. Since then, the press brake manufacturer has seen first-hand the product quality and performance of these ball screws, leading to retained supplier status for the new 80-tonne electric model.

Compared with hydraulic press brakes, electric machines offer low maintenance thanks to automatic lubrication, low power consumption, low noise and shorter cycle times. The press brake manufacturer’s sales force also refer to the use of NSK ball screws as another key selling point to customers.

Further information about NSK’s HTF series ball screws is available at: www.nskeurope.com/en/products/nsk-innovative-products/ball-screws-htf-series.html

About NSK Europe
NSK Europe Ltd. is the European organisation of the Tokyo-based bearing manufacturer NSK, which was founded in Japan in 1916 and today employs nearly 30,400 people in its worldwide operations. The products and solutions provided by the industrial and automotive supplier can be found wherever things move. In addition to nearly all types of rolling bearings, the company’s portfolio includes housed bearings, linear technology, wheel bearing units, transmission and engine bearings and steering systems. The company is oriented to perfection in all of its business activities. Its aim is quality leadership in its industry, which it strives for through a continuous process of improvement, excellent product development, optimised production processes and customer-oriented service processes. In fiscal year 2020, the more than 4,350 employees of NSK Europe Ltd. generated sales of over € 792 million.
www.nskeurope.com 

Published in Metals
Tagged under

Certain sectors and applications place particularly challenging demands on bearings. Steelmaking is one such example, where the aggressive operating environment means potential bearing failures present a genuine threat to production. Extreme temperatures, particle contamination, shock/heavy loads, water, vibration, high speeds and rapid acceleration/deceleration are just some of the daily hazards that steel plant bearings have to endure. However, the NSK RHP Self-Lube® range of bearing housings and inserts can overcome these issues, as confirmed by a major steel plant.

The international steel plant in question was struggling with up to three bearing failures a year on a rotary coal valve used in its ore preparation process. In addition to the cost of replacement bearings, the failures had knock-on effects in terms of lost production, downtime and damage to associated components. The plant clearly needed a solution to this expensive problem.

The steel plant was struggling with up to three bearing failures a year on a rotary coal valve used in its ore preparation processThe steel plant was struggling with up to three bearing failures a year on a rotary coal valve used in its ore preparation process

NSK duly conducted a full application review, which included a temperature survey and a bearing condition report. The review revealed that the current bearing was inadequate for the high process temperatures, while the lubrication quantities and frequencies were incorrect. As a result, NSK recommended a customised RHP Self-Lube® HLT bearing insert within an RHP Self-Lube® cast iron FC housing, plus a bespoke adaptor plate and a special heat-isolating spacer.

RHP Self-Lube® units include two basic components, the insert and the housing. Each unit consists of a sealed single-row ball bearing with spherical outside diameter and extended inner ring mounted in a high-quality flanged housing made from a rigid one-piece design. Importantly, spherical seating accommodates any initial misalignment when mounting.

Self-Lube® inserts, which feature hardened, high-quality steel for inner and outer rings, also offer optimised internal geometry, a two-piece riveted high-strength steel cage, high-performance grease and durable silicone seals. Notably, the Self-

Lube® HLT inserts implemented at the steel plant provide opportunities to reduce maintenance, downtime and replacement costs when operating at temperatures up to 180°C.

NSK RHP Self-Lube® HLT inserts help to reduce maintenance, downtime and replacement costs when operating at temperatures up to 180°CNSK RHP Self-Lube® HLT inserts help to reduce maintenance, downtime and replacement costs when operating at temperatures up to 180°C

The units are available with various locking methods for close-fit shaft mounting. This feature, combined with a complete range of sealing solutions for all environments, makes NSK RHP Self-Lube® a very versatile product. As the name suggests, re-lubrication capability is standard.

For the rotary valve bearings at the steel plant, the expert team of NSK engineers also recommended changes to the lubrication quantities and frequencies. To ensure correct application, NSK oversaw the fitting of the new bearings as part of a trial.

After more than 12 months the bearings still had not failed, delivering a total annual cost saving for the customer of €292,136. This calculation includes cost savings associated with: the elimination of downtime due to bearing failures; fewer bearing purchase orders; reduced bearing replacement time; and the removal of compressed air cooling to help control the overheating of previous bearings.

For further information about NSK RHP Self-Lube® bearing units: www.nskeurope.com/en/products/nsk-innovative-products/self-lube-units

About NSK Europe
NSK Europe Ltd. is the European organisation of the Tokyo-based bearing manufacturer NSK, which was founded in Japan in 1916 and today employs nearly 30,400 people in its worldwide operations. The products and solutions provided by the industrial and automotive supplier can be found wherever things move. In addition to nearly all types of rolling bearings, the company’s portfolio includes housed bearings, linear technology, wheel bearing units, transmission and engine bearings and steering systems. The company is oriented to perfection in all of its business activities. Its aim is quality leadership in its industry, which it strives for through a continuous process of improvement, excellent product development, optimised production processes and customer-oriented service processes. In fiscal year 2020, the more than 4,350 employees of NSK Europe Ltd. generated sales of over € 792 million.
www.nskeurope.com 

Published in Metals
Tagged under

A short training session and the use of professional tools from NSK: with these two simple measures, a company in the glass recycling industry was able to reduce the manpower costs required for bearing replacement by a factor of four and increase the service life of mounted bearings.

Nowadays, the circular economy is the objective for many types of material, but in the case of glass it has been standard practice for decades. The established glass recycling chain makes a considerable contribution to conserving resources.

Bearings have to endure challenging conditions in glass recycling plants. Photo: iStock.com/pixinooBearings have to endure challenging conditions in glass recycling plants. Photo: iStock.com/pixinoo

Specialist companies play a major role in this conservation effort by collecting and processing used glass, and supplying it to glassworks as a valuable (secondary) raw material. One of these companies, which operates several sites in Germany, employs its own maintenance teams at each plant. The maintenance technicians are constantly busy because the abrasive glass dust affects the bearings in the processing and conveyor systems. This extremely fine dust is able to penetrate the bearings and significantly shorten their service life.

As a consequence, the maintenance operatives were having to replace the bearings again and again, prompting a number of pertinent questions: was the team proceeding with sufficient professionalism, and was it using the optimum tools? Furthermore, were improvement options available that could extend bearing life, regardless of the environmental conditions?

With these questions, the glass recycling company requested support from NSK’s bearing experts, who could see the potential for improvement. In the first instance, an NSK training course for maintenance personnel helped to unlock this potential. Specialist trainers from NSK provided operators with information on how to proceed when mounting and dismounting bearings, supported by the adoption of professional, dedicated tools.

The bearing extractor from NSK's tool range applies the forces exerted during bearing dismounting evenly to the surrounding structure, thus avoiding damage. Photo: NSKThe bearing extractor from NSK's tool range applies the forces exerted during bearing dismounting evenly to the surrounding structure, thus avoiding damage. Photo: NSK

Maintenance operators are now very careful to uphold extreme cleanliness when replacing bearings, using two dedicated tool sets from NSK for mounting and dismounting. The mounting tool set ensures, through the optimal combination of impact ring and impact sleeve, that the mounting forces never transmit across the rolling elements of the bearing. As a result, no mechanical damage occurs to the rolling bearing during cold assembly.

Ultimately, the user saves time and gains from the fact that correct mounting extends bearing service life. The extractor tool applies the forces exerted during bearing dismounting evenly to the surrounding structure, allowing removal without incurring damage or taking off the shaft.
As a result of these initiatives, the labour costs amounting from the time required for dismounting and mounting failed bearings has reduced by a factor of four. Furthermore, the service life of the newly installed bearings has seen a significant increase.

The company recouped the cost of the two NSK tool sets, which was manageable in itself, in less than three months thanks to the savings accrued, not counting the increase in bearing service life.

About NSK Europe
NSK Europe Ltd. is the European organisation of the Tokyo-based bearing manufacturer NSK, which was founded in Japan in 1916 and today employs nearly 31,000 people in its worldwide operations. The products and solutions provided by the industrial and automotive supplier can be found wherever things move. In addition to nearly all types of rolling bearings, the company’s portfolio includes housed bearings, linear technology, wheel bearing units, transmission and engine bearings and steering systems. The company is oriented to perfection in all of its business activities. Its aim is quality leadership in its industry, which it strives for through a continuous process of improvement, excellent product development, optimised production processes and customer-oriented service processes. In fiscal year 2019, the more than 4,400 employees of NSK Europe Ltd. generated sales of over € 920 million.
www.nskeurope.com 

Published in Green Industry
Tagged under

The popular NSK academy online platform now features a new training module: continuous casting. Added to the steels & metals section of the portal, the latest module will appeal to anyone involved in specifying bearings to withstand the harsh working environments found in continuous casting applications. As with all training modules available at NSK academy, registered users completing the course will require an 80% pass mark to receive a certificate.

The new training module provides essential understanding of the fundamental principles behind bearing selection for continuous casting applicationsThe new training module provides essential understanding of the fundamental principles behind bearing selection for continuous casting applications

The extreme operating conditions of continuous casting machines mean that it is easy to compromise the reliability and service life of bearings without undue care and attention in the selection process. Challenges include heat, heavy loads, ultra-low speeds and roll deflection, not to mention the application’s most common bearing failure mode: differential sliding/sliding friction.

At the start of the new training module, participants learn more about the continuous casting process and the machinery involved, with a particular focus on twin-strand technology. An in-depth look at the bearings follows, especially spherical roller bearings and their ability to accommodate heavy loads, misalignment and thermal expansion of the shaft - and how these bearing types deal with the fundamental issue of sliding.

NSK’s new training module also covers cylindrical roller bearings. The cylindrical roller contact pattern provides the advantage of pure rolling, again preventing any wear induced by sliding friction to ensure reliability and long service life.

Ultimately, the latest training module provides essential understanding of the fundamental principles behind bearing selection for continuous casting applications. Anyone working in the continuous casting arena, from sales, technical support and R&D, through to maintenance and engineering, is set to benefit.

At a time when online/remote learning is more relevant than ever due to the ongoing pandemic, the NSK academy can help platform users expand on the knowledge they apply on a daily basis, and utilise the latest NSK bearing solutions to maximise machine life.
The module can be found at www.nskacademy.com (a quick and easy registration process is required for new users).

Published in Metals
Tagged under

Effective 1 March 2021, Brüel & Kjær Vibro (B&K Vibro) became a company of NSK Ltd. On that day, the Darmstadt, Germany, headquarters of B&K Vibro staged an online welcome event to explain the purpose of the acquisition, especially to employees.

In his online address, Saimon Nogami, Senior Executive Vice President of NSK Ltd., explained the goals that NSK is pursuing with the integration: "With the acquisition of B&K Vibro we expand our expertise and gain the opportunity to grow the company’s industrial business with advanced condition monitoring services. This is in line with our strategy of offering not only very high-quality motion components, but complete system solutions and services." The ultimate aim is for customers to see an improvement in the productivity of machines and the quality of products, thus coming closer to the concept of the "smart shop floor".

In a virtual welcome event, Dr Ulrich Nass, Vice President of NSK Ltd. and CEO of NSK Europe (left), and Marcel Van Helten, CEO and President of Brüel & Kjær Vibro (right), explained the joint growth strategy to employees In a virtual welcome event, Dr Ulrich Nass, Vice President of NSK Ltd. and CEO of NSK Europe (left), and Marcel Van Helten, CEO and President of Brüel & Kjær Vibro (right), explained the joint growth strategy to employees

B&K Vibro, in turn, will gain significantly improved market access to various industrial sectors as a result of the takeover. After all, NSK is one of the three largest bearing manufacturers in the world, and the condition monitoring of rotational machinery and systems is one of B&K Vibro's core competencies. Marcel Van Helten, CEO and President of B&K Vibro, said: "This is a very exciting day for our company; we are delighted to become part of NSK.”

From the perspective of Dr Ulrich Nass, Vice President of NSK Ltd. and CEO of NSK Europe, the acquisition will enable NSK to become a leading provider of CMS solutions: "We will use B&K Vibro’s expertise and reputation to help implement successful projects for our customers worldwide and provide them with CMS solutions of high added value."

In the coming weeks, management teams from NSK and B&K Vibro will develop a concrete roadmap for implementing this strategy.

nsk logoAbout NSK Europe
NSK Europe Ltd. is the European organisation of the Tokyo-based bearing manufacturer NSK, which was founded in Japan in 1916 and today employs nearly 31,000 people in its worldwide operations. The products and solutions provided by the industrial and automotive supplier can be found wherever things move. In addition to nearly all types of rolling bearings, the company’s portfolio includes housed bearings, linear technology, wheel bearing units, transmission and engine bearings and steering systems. The company is oriented to perfection in all of its business activities. Its aim is quality leadership in its industry, which it strives for through a continuous process of improvement, excellent product development, optimised production processes and customer-oriented service processes. In fiscal year 2019, the more than 4,400 employees of NSK Europe Ltd. generated sales of over € 920 million.
www.nskeurope.com

Published in Metals
Tagged under