From milling, drilling and turning, to grinding, EDM and bending, machine tool
processes are only as good as their component parts. For many decades the
inherent quality and performance of NSK ball screws have met machine tool
requirements for speed and precision, while generating low noise and minimising
energy consumption. EMO Hannover 2023 (18-23 September) will provide NSK with a
platform to showcase its latest advances in this important technology area. Notably,
the company’s 120 m2 booth (Booth C42, Hall 7) will shine the spotlight on several
ball screws making their exhibition debut in Europe.
technology.
Among the new ball screws will be NSK’s next-generation offer for high-accuracy machine
tools. With reduced motion errors and the absence of ‘second glitch’ phenomenon, NSK
next-generation ball screws improve productivity through higher quality surface finish,
namely by reducing or eliminating the need for secondary polishing/burnishing operations in
mould and die machining and other high-accuracy applications. In addition, a reduction in
drive torque delivers important energy savings.
NSK next-generation ball screws offer near-elimination of the second quadrant glitch peak,
in turn eradicating the need for compensation through parameter adjustment. In fact,
reducing friction fluctuation by up 20% also contributes to reducing the height of the first
peak.
A further new offer on the booth will be NSK’s low-temperature ball screws. Features of this
innovative product include friction loss/heat generation that is some 45% lower than
conventional systems at the same rigidity, helping users to maintain positioning accuracy.
The new low-temperature ball screws also contribute to reduced energy consumption by
lowering or eliminating the need for cooling. As a further benefit, the product offers
approximately 65% less dynamic preload torque than conventional products at the same
stiffness.
capacity by up to 15%
Yet another new ball screw at the show will be the company’s HFT super-long life series for
high-load drive applications. This innovative product series offers up to double the life of
conventional ball screws, thanks largely to the optimisation of load distribution in different
areas of the ball circuit. Delivering resource conservation through long life and machinery
downsizing, this super-long life series is perfect for machine tools shifting to all-electric
designs, such as injection moulding machines and servo presses.
At EMO, NSK will complement its HTF super-long life series with the S-HTF range, which
leverages the company’s proprietary Tough Steel to benefit applications subject to high
loads and contamination. Offering approximately 2.2 times more fatigue life and up to 1.8
times higher load-carrying capacity than conventional solutions, the series is the world’s first ball screw application involving Tough Steel technology.
conventional NH/NS linear guides
Elsewhere on the booth, NSK is set to promote its high-durability ball screws, which feature
a specific surface treatment on the raceway that supresses wear to realise longer
maintenance intervals, even in short-stroke applications. The company will also display its
high-speed, low-noise compact ball screws conforming to DIN-standard size requirements,
ensuring dimensional and tolerance class suitability in European machine tool applications.
Another focus area at EMO will be linear guides, notably the new DH/DS long-life series,
which delivers over twice the running distance of the company’s conventional NH/NS
solution. NSK will also present its established RA series roller guides with highly dust
resistant seals to prevent contaminant ingress.
European machine tool applications
NSK bearings on display at EMO will include the company’s ROBUSTDYNA ultra-high
speed, high-load capacity angular contact ball bearings. Appearing for the first time in
Europe, the use of larger bearing balls boosts maximum load capacity by up to 15% against
the previous-generation solution.
Yet another introduction at the show will be NSK’s ROBUSTGRD grease, which enhances
seizure-resistance to support use in high-speed spindle bearings.
supresses wear
Visitors will also discover the SURSAVE (TSR) bearing cage for angular contact ball
bearings that reduces energy consumption, running temperature, vibration and noise during
use on machine tool spindles. A range of NSK super precision bearings and high-speed
motor bearings will complete the line-up for machine tools, alongside thin angular contact
ball bearings for robots.
