Press Release

Press Release

April 1, 2013

NSK Ltd.
Public Relations Department

NSK Develops a High-Performance Ball Bearing for Cooling Fan Motors

Better Lubrication Performance for Improved Reliability in Electronic Components

High-Performance Ball Bearing for Cooling Fan Motors

Tokyo, Japan, March 18, 2013 - NSK Ltd. (NSK; Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan; President and CEO: Norio Otsuka) announced today that it has developed a high-performance ball bearing for cooling fan motors used in such applications as personal computers, data servers and communication base stations. NSK has reduced the friction loss of the bearing for long-term reliability in harsh conditions such as operating at high speeds and high temperatures.
NSK is targeting 1 billion yen a year in global sales in fiscal 2017.

Development Background

Cooling fan motors are widely used in a variety of applications such as personal computers, home appliances, office automation equipment, audio-video equipment, power supply units and data servers. In particular, cooling fan motors for data servers are used continuously for long periods of time in harsh conditions such as operating at high speeds and high temperatures. This situation is driving the demand for a bearing that can last a long time under high temperatures and keep friction at a minimum during high-speed operation. In response to this demand, NSK has developed a cooling fan motor bearing that covers a wide range of applications and operating conditions, including general-purpose operations and the more severe operating conditions just mentioned, while also contributing to energy savings.

Development Background

Product Features

(1) Up to 60% less friction loss compared to the current bearing
When a bearing rotates, the grease inside the bearing flows. The result of such movement is an increase of stirring resistance, which results in greater friction loss. NSK designed this product with a new cage and optimized the grease sealing to reduce the friction loss of the bearing.
(2) Seizure prevention that extends bearing life 1.4 times that of the current bearing
This new bearing employs an optimized grease that does not easily break down, thereby maintaining a sufficient oil film even under high temperatures, thus preventing bearing seizure over a longer period of time.
(3) Approximately 40% improvement in axial rigidity over the current bearing
As the speed of cooling fan motors has increased, bearings have had to endure greater loads due to the amount of air volume generated. In response to higher speeds, NSK optimized the inner specifications of the bearing to improve its rigidity, thereby providing for stable support of the fan even under high-speed operation.

Product Benefits

  1. Contributes to energy savings
  2. Maintains low vibration and low noise for a long period of time.
  3. Covers a wide range of applications and operating conditions, from general-purpose operations to severe conditions that include high speeds and high temperatures.
Increased Rigidity
Lower Torque