(NSK; Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan; President and CEO: Akitoshi Ichii) has developed a third-generation ultra-high-speed ball bearing for electric vehicle (EV) engines capable of operating at over 1.8 million dmN * 1 . The new bearing is the world's fastest grease-lubricated deep groove ball bearing for automotive applications, enabling greater vehicle range and greater energy (fuel) savings. The bearing also facilitates the reduction of the engine and components to increase the vehicle's interior space.
Environmental protection is vital to the continued prosperity of societies around the world. To improve sustainability, the automotive industry is moving quickly to help achieve a zero-emissions society by expanding the development and production of electric, hybrid and other new energy vehicles. However, maximum range on a single charge remains a concern for consumers.
In light of environmental and consumer needs, car manufacturers are looking for smaller, lighter car components and developing faster, higher-powered engines that run more efficiently. As a result, bearings used in transmissions, particularly in electric motors, are subject to increasingly higher speeds and performance.
NSK is engaged in development continuously and completed the development of the second-generation ultra-high-speed ball bearing (1.4 million dmN) in March 2020. The second-generation design featured significant advances in cage and anti-seize technology . Today, NSK announced the third generation model in line with the demand for bearings capable of reaching even higher speeds in electric motors for electric vehicles.
Product characteristics
- 1. The world's first cage designed with topology optimization
- Topology optimization helped reduce weight as much as possible by removing parts that do not contribute to the cage's strength and rigidity and achieving the ideal cage shape for high-speed rotation. The cage was developed in a very short time, using cutting-edge simulation technology to verify performance and manufacturing considerations.
- 2. NSK patented grease for superior seizing resistance
- The bearing is filled with a special NSK grease that reduces splash resistance and the heat generated by it, extending the life of the grease and the bearing, as well as reducing the risk of seizure.
- 3. New high rigidity cage material
- The cage is made of a new high-rigidity resin material that is more effective in suppressing deformation during high-speed rotation than conventional materials. NSK's patented grease and newly designed cage allow the bearings to operate at over 1.8 million dmN.
Benefits for the customer
The newly developed bearing by NSK offers the highest speeds permitted in the world *2 for automotive engines. This allows customers to develop and implement electric motors that operate at significantly higher speeds. Increasing engine power helps improve fuel economy (reducing energy consumption per unit distance), increasing the vehicle's maximum range and helping to improve user comfort.
Higher speeds also allow the use of smaller engines, reducing vehicle weight and increasing space for other components, more battery cells or larger vehicle interiors.
