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Philosophy & Achievements

NSK was the first company in Japan to manufacture bearings. With technical expertise so much a part of our DNA, we have always poured major efforts into research and development. Each of the technologies in which NSK leads the world, such as noise & vibration control technology - found in the bearings for household electrical appliances - and high speed, high-precision technology - found in machine tool bearings is supported by a strong foundation in tribology, materials engineering, analysis technology, and mechatronics. These are our core technologies, subject to our most advanced research and development.

Changes in the business environment and globalization are advancing swiftly. In order for research and development to rapidly and flexibly respond to such change where it occurs, NSK has expanded regional technology centers while positioning the Corporate Research & Development Center in Japan as the center of our R&D activities. (There are 14 technology centers in total; six bases in Japan, three in Europe, two in the Americas, and three in Asia.)

NSK Technological History

Introductory period
1916	Company is founded and ball bearing production starts.
1931	Japan's first ball bearings for aircraft engines are produced.
1932	The Japanese domestic automobile industry is established; demand for domestic bearings increases.
Deployment period
1948 to 1954	Bearing demand expands rapidly during postwar reconstruction.
Late 1950s	Export contracts and technical tie-ups with overseas makers; quality and cost on equal footing with overseas makers.
1957	A method for measuring bearing sound is established; contribution towards quiet-running performance of bearings.
1959	Enters the ball-screw-type steering market. Also, enters the linear products market with ball screws and linear guides.
1961	Engineering research laboratory established.
1963	Production of needle roller bearings is launched. A railway axle bearing for Shinkansen bullet trains is developed.
1964	Production of automatic transmission components is launched.
1968	Enters the steering column market.
Growth period
1973	Manufactures bearings for continuous casting machines (outside diameter of 5m). NSK's first original bearing grease (NS7) is developed.
1975	Enters the market for highly accurate video cassette recorder/player (VCR) bearings.
1979	Use of theoretical analysis of fatigue patterns for bearing life; enters sealed clean bearing market.
1980	Enters the mechatronics market.
1985	Heat treatment (TF) technology established. Enters the V2500 jet engine bearing market for use in civil aircraft in collaboration with four other countries (U.S.A., U.K., Germany, Italy).
1987	The third-generation hub unit bearing (HUB3) is introduced to the automobile wheel market.
1989	Enters the electric power steering (EPS) market.
1990	Highly purified (EP) steel developed.
1996	A bearing analytical program called BRAIN is developed.
1997	A new bearing for the Shinkansen bullet trains (300 km/h capability) is introduced. The ROBUST series of ultra high-speed angular contact ball bearings for machine tools is introduced.
1999	Half-toroidal continuously variable transmission (CVT) is introduced to the market.
2000	Enters the hard disk drive (HDD) market with non-repeatable run-out (NRRO) 40 nm ball bearings.
2002	The Fujisawa Research and Development Center is completed. The HMC-B02 series of high-speed quiet-running ball screws (current BSS series) is commercialized.
2004	The NSKHPS series of industrial machinery bearings is introduced to the market. The world's smallest bearing is developed: bore diameter of 0.6 mm; outside diameter of 2 mm.
2005	A full complement of cylindrical roller bearings for wind turbine gearboxes is developed.
2006	Mass-production starts for the V1 series of ball screws for use in contaminated environments. A lightweight cold-formed hub unit bearing is developed.
2007	Highly functional double-row angular contact ball bearing for industrial pumps is commercialized. Ball screw shift actuator for powerful outboard motor of boat is developed.
2008	SPACEA series of highly corrosion-resistant, long-life bearing with aligning ring is developed. Manipulation system that enables fine processing is developed.

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