NSK helps to get optimum bearing performance in gearboxes

Bearings for modern industrial drive systems must deliver efficient and reliable performance even in the most demanding of environments. NSK, one of the world's leading manufacturers of rolling bearings, reveals a focus on continuously improving solutions.

NSK products are known across the globe for their class leading reliability, long life as well as their economic and environmental credentials. The design of drive systems can be a complicated process as can diagnosing the cause of a power transmission failure.

Bearings used in modern industrial drive systems must meet the most demanding requirements. The range from domestic washing machines to wind turbines to mining machines is vast and each application requires a different combination of values to be met.

The NSK product range varies from miniature bearings with a bore of 1mm up to rolling bearings with a diameter of 5 metres. The development of heat and seizure resistance, improved material and lubrication technology have been at the forefront of the NSK ethos.

Designers of industrial drive systems continue to develop new gear types and configurations so the bearing selection process must be considered as crucial in maintaining the desired performance of the drive system.

The arrangement of the shafts is a vital issue to be considered, since the requirements of a vertical configuration are very different to those for a horizontal or inclined arrangement. This, along with any considerations for axial movement will affect the design of the lubrication and sealing systems.

One crucial factor is bearing life, which is mainly driven by the application itself. NSK has developed the ABLE-Forecaster (Advanced Bearing Life Equation) which uses data from actual applications and tests, which has been accumulated over decades of work in this field, and combines it with data for lubrication systems, environmental conditions, contamination factors and material analysis.

The choice of materials for the construction of the bearing is also a crucial consideration in the selection process. Both the material of the bearing itself as well as any sealing materials must be carefully considered to ensure the drive system performs to the desired level.