• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
  • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy
    • Terms of use
  • Advertise
    • Advertising
    • Case studies
    • Design
    • Email marketing
    • Features list
    • Lead generation
    • Magazine
    • Press releases
    • Publishing
    • Sponsor an article
    • Webcasting
    • Webinars
    • White papers
    • Writing
  • Subscribe to Newsletter

Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

  • Home
  • News
  • Features
  • Editorial Sections A-Z
    • Agriculture
    • Aircraft
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Automation
    • Autonomous Vehicles
    • Business
    • Computing
    • Construction
    • Culture
    • Design
    • Drones
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Engineering
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Humanoids
    • Industrial robots
    • Industry
    • Infrastructure
    • Investments
    • Logistics
    • Manufacturing
    • Marine
    • Material handling
    • Materials
    • Mining
    • Promoted
    • Research
    • Robotics
    • Science
    • Sensors
    • Service robots
    • Software
    • Space
    • Technology
    • Transportation
    • Warehouse robots
    • Wearables
  • Press releases
  • Events
nsk ball bearings

NSK launches low-friction ball bearings which ‘increase energy efficiency’

July 5, 2017 by Sam Francis

nsk ball bearings

NSK has launched low-friction ball bearings which it says increase energy efficiency and reduce operational noise in drive systems. 

Bearings of this type will also reduce heat generation, which in turn helps to extend service life, according to the company.

Based on concepts such as optimised raceway geometry and special sealing concepts, NSK has developed several series of ball bearings that offer significantly lower friction characteristics. 

When looking to design energy-efficient drive systems, engineers should always ensure that they take the rolling bearings into account.

The inherent friction which occurs from the motion of the rolling elements on raceways, as well as the contact of conventional seals, can compromise drive efficiency.

As a result, NSK low-friction rolling bearings feature, among other attributes, proprietary geometry that reduces the contact surface between the balls and raceways.

In addition, fibreglass-reinforced polyamide cages and high-performance lubricants can provide a significant contribution to lowering frictional torque.

Production processes are another important factor in the creation of low-friction ball bearings. Here, any roughness in the bearing raceway is likely to impair lubrication, increase running noise and generate greater friction.

This is why the raceways of NSK ball bearings undergo a bespoke honing process that is designed to deliver an extremely smooth running surface.

With regard to seal technology, the non-contact labyrinth design developed and patented by NSK ensures efficient sealing properties without increasing frictional torque or operating temperature.

This is vitally important in applications where any loss of performance is deemed to be particularly detrimental.

NSK ball bearings featuring non-contact labyrinth seals offer high-speed capability comparable with shielded bearings, while at the same time providing important protection in harsh operating environments.

A variety of other sealing options are available depending on application requirements.

Market demand for low-friction ball bearings comes from sectors such domestic appliance, especially washing machines, where manufacturers declaring a favourable efficiency class enjoy a distinct competitive edge.

The automotive industry is also making marked strides towards increasing the energy efficiency of its on-vehicle drive mechanisms.

By way of example, the recent adoption of low-friction deep groove ball bearings at an NSK customer made it possible to reduce frictional torque by 47 per cent in comparison with commonly-used standard ball bearings of the same type.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Share this:

  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket

Related stories you might also like…

Filed Under: News Tagged With: ball, bearings, drive, efficiency, frictional, low-friction, nsk, torque

Primary Sidebar

Search this website

Latest articles

  • How Smart Bending and Cutting Systems Are Powering the Next Wave of Industrial Robotics
  • Custom chips are taking over: Why AI, autonomy, and communications can’t rely on general-purpose silicon anymore
  • Mujin establishes global executive team to accelerate expansion of MujinOS
  • Choosing the best truckload logistics provider for your business: What to look for
  • Zimmer Biomet acquires robotic surgery company Monogram Technologies for $177 million
  • China achieves ‘97 percent mechanization rate in cotton farming’ through robotics
  • Sprint Robotics announces 2025 World Conference in Amsterdam to mark 10th anniversary
  • Toyota Research Institute unveils breakthrough in Large Behavior Models that requires ‘80 percent less data’
  • CynLr brings object intelligence and vision of universal factories to UN summit on AI
  • Nordic Dino robot helps airlines deal with insect season

Secondary Sidebar

Copyright © 2025 · News Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT