Press Release

Press Release

June 7, 2017

NSK Ltd.
CSR Division Headquarters
Public Relations Department

NSK develops fidget spinner using leading-edge bearing technology

Spins for 12 minutes or more

NSK Ltd. (NSK; Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan; President and CEO: Toshihiro Uchiyama) today announced that group company NSK Micro Precision Co., Ltd. (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, hereafter ISC) has developed a fidget spinner that spins for 12 minutes or more using the smoothly rotating precision bearings developed for PC hard disk drives. This product was exhibited at the International Tokyo Toy Show 2017, held at Tokyo Big Sight from June 1 to 4, 2017.

Fidget spinner developed by ISC / Bearings located in the center
Fidget spinner developed by ISC / Bearings located in the center

A fidget spinner is a simple toy that you spin while holding the central part between two fingers. Feeling it spinning in your hands and gazing at it has a calming effect that is said to relieve stress. Fidget spinners have enjoyed a boom in Europe and America, and they are also becoming popular in Japan.

Bearings are used to reduce mechanical friction in the rotating parts of all sorts of machines including cars, trains, and home appliances. Although ubiquitous, few people are aware of them. With that in mind, ISC developed a fidget spinner so that more people would come to know about bearings. This product was exhibited at the Soloham Co., Ltd. booth at the International Tokyo Toy Show 2017, held at Tokyo Big Sight.

Product characteristics

The bearing that makes this fidget spinner spin uses the small, extremely high-precision balls used for the spinning element in hard disk drives, in which smooth spinning is essential.

Centrifugal force is enhanced by placing a brass ring on the outside of the fidget spinner, achieving spin durations of twelve minutes or more. Bearings attached to the outside of the brass ring add another entirely new dimension of play by spinning the outer bearings. This is a feature worthy of a bearing manufacturer and expresses our playful spirit.

Takahiko Hasegawa
Former yo-yo world champion and owner of the Spin Gear yo-yo shop

As far as I know, the spinning time of commercial fidget spinners is eight minutes at best, but this spinner keeps going for an unprecedented twelve minutes. Enjoy the ultimate spin with this product that leverages the spinning performance of bearings to the maximum.

Takahiko Hasegawa / Former yo-yo world champion and owner of the Spin Gear yo-yo shop

 

Product overview

On sale Planned for early July 2017
Sold out
Price TBA
Vendor Spin Gear yo-yo shop
Website http://spingear.jp/index.php?dispatch=pages.view&page_id=2 New Window

 

Corporate Profile

NSK Micro Precision Co., Ltd.

An NSK group company specializing mainly in the development, production and sale of NSK's range of miniature ball bearings (deep groove and angular contact ball bearings). Many of our products contribute to improving the performance of PCs, medical devices such as dental equipment, boats, fishing gear and so on.

As part of our support for Cool Japan, we also make bearings for yo-yos and spinning tops, and we sponsor the World Yo-yo Contest and JOYC (Japan Open Yo-yo Championship).