Tokyo, Japan, April 19, 2012 - NSK Ltd. (NSK; Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan; President and CEO: Norio Otsuka) announced that its high-performance railway axle bearings have been selected for the new Series E5 Shinkansen bullet train reaching speeds up to 300 km/h. NSK bearings were also selected for the traction motors and for the gear units.
Railway bearings are important safety-critical components. They have a direct influence on the safe operation of railways and must comply with the highest safety requirements. While maintaining their reliability, it is important to further reduce their size and make them even more light-weight to save energy and to contribute to the environmentally friendly operation of railways. Shinkansen bullet trains in Japan carry many passengers safely over long distances. The bearings selected for the Shinkansen bullet trains must be highly efficient and durable and must pass strict quality controls.
NSK bearings have supported the progress of the Japanese railway industry from the beginning. Continuous improvements in the areas of safety, high speed, high reliability and energy conservation have placed Japanese railways including the Shinkansen bullet train in a world-leading position. NSK's railway bearings support the further advancement of compactness, light-weight and high speed and can be easily maintained. Today, NSK railway bearings take the top market share in the Japanese market.
