The replacement of ball bearings is part of typical maintenance schedules when it comes to electric motors. However, when a German MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) provider was tasked recently with performing regular overhauls of electric drives for a prominent customer, a frequently recurring problem was noted: newly installed standard bearings would fail after three or four months. Uncertain of the root cause, the MRO provider commissioned NSK to investigate the issue. As part of NSK´s AIP – Added Value Programme, a ball bearing expert scrutinized the bearing failures along with the conditions in which the electric motors were operating.
The AIP investigation revealed that premature failures were occurring due to the penetration of dirt, which in turn was contaminating the lubricant inside the standard ball bearings. As a result, NSK recommended switching to its sealed super precision ball bearings, a solution that proved so satisfactory that these bearings are now used for all electric drive overhauls.
NSK´s sealed super precision ball bearings excel in challenging environments thanks largely to non-contact seals that offer class-leading protection against contamination ingress, an effect that is achieved without any friction increase or motor speed reduction, and with no compromise to the specified energy efficiency of the drives.
For the customer of the MRO provider, the benefits have been extensive. In trials with 65 motors, the service life or maintenance interval of the electric drives climbed from four to more than 12 months, simply due to the change of bearing. As a consequence, the annual service cost within a one-year period has fallen to zero, compared with €11,500 spent in the 12 months prior to fitting NSK´s super precision sealed bearings.
As well as service life that has more than tripled, sealed super precision bearings are offering the end user several additional benefits. For instance, they have not only reduced noise and vibration throughout the drivetrain, but stopped grease leakage in vertical-type installations. They can also be fitted far quicker than standard unsealed bearings. For these reasons, NSK´s sealed super precision bearings are rapidly becoming the first choice in industry-wide electric motor applications – for both original parts and as replacement components fitted during routine maintenance regimes.
About NSK
Established 100 years ago, NSK (Nippon Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha) is a Japanese-listed company that has evolved from a regional ball bearing supplier to a roller bearing specialist and automotive supplier with a global market presence. Today, NSK employs more than 31,000 employees in 30 countries. As per March 2015 NSK achieved a turnover of 975 billion Yen. This result has been driven by ever-increasing investment in research & development, enabling the company to continuously improve the quality of its products and services. This investment supports NSK´s objective of »No. 1 in Total Quality». In addition to a complete rolling bearing portfolio, NSK develops and manufactures precision components and mechatronic products, as well as systems and components for the automotive industry, including wheel bearing units and electric power-steering systems.
In 1963, NSK´s first European subsidiary, Düsseldorf, Germany, was opened and in 1976, the first European production facility in Peterlee, England. Today, NSK Europe supports pan-European sales with production locations in England, Poland and Germany, logistics centers in the Netherlands, Germany and England and technology centers in Germany, England and Poland. In 1990, NSK purchased the UPI Group including the renowned European bearing manufacturer RHP, with its factory in Newark (UK). Additionally, NSK has developed a comprehensive network of authorized sales distributors. NSK Europe is divided into application-based business divisions: Industry rolling bearing technologies & linear and precision technology (EIBU) as well as bearing modules and steering systems for the automotive industry (EABU & ESBU). In this organization, NSK Europe’s 3,500 employees achieved a turnover of over 1,000 million Euros as per March 2015.
For more information, visit www.nskeurope.com
NSK UK Ltd.
Northern Road, Newark
Nottinghamshire
NG24 2JF
Helena MEASHAM
Phone: +44 1636 605123
Fax: +44 1636 602775
[email protected]
NSK Deutschland GmbH
Harkortstrasse 15
40880 Ratingen
Nathalie SIMON
Phone: +49 2102 481 2152
Fax: +49 2102 481 2151
[email protected]
