NSK's Groundbreaking New Product
Combining Existing Materials to Create an Unprecedented Product in a New Field "Difficulty and Fun Are Two Sides of the Same Coin"
NSK Vision 2026 paints a picture of NSK's aspiration to "set the future in motion." At NSK, that means creating totally revolutionary products. The product featured here isn't what you might expect. It's not a bearing poised to win the top share of the Japanese market. In fact, it isn't even for the automotive industry. We asked the key members of the development team to tell us how they created this entirely surprising product.
Profile
Kenichi Iso
Manager
New Materials Research Group
Organic Functional Materials Sub-Group
Core Technology R&D Center
Joined NSK in 1992. After working on development of lubricants and automotive bearings, was seconded to Group company NSK-Warner K.K., where he was involved in development of friction materials. Assumed current post in 2014. In charge of the development of new materials.
Kanako Tsumura
Assistant Manager
New Materials Research Group
Organic Functional Materials Sub-Group
Core Technology R&D Center
Joined NSK in 2007. After working on development of lubricants and surface treatment technology, has been creating new materials in the New Materials Research Group since 2014. Involved in the development of new industrial materials after taking maternity and childcare leave.
Yuya Watanabe
New Materials Research Group
Organic Functional Materials Sub-Group
Core Technology R&D Center
Joined NSK in 2012. Was involved in the development of resins in the material technology development division. Joined the New Materials Research Group in 2017 and has been involved in developing the filter that prevents food oil degradation under Kenichi Iso.
Combining Existing Materials to Create an Innovative Product
NSK is proud to introduce its newly developed filter for preventing food oil degradation. The company is preparing to mass produce the new product, which is for use in deep fryers. Cooking oil filters remove burned bits and other impurities after deep frying food. NSK's filter also slows the degradation of the oil. This keeps oil fresh longer and makes fryer cleaning less frequent, saving money. At the beginning, however, NSK and the members of the development team had limited contacts in the food industry making this effort an endeavor into the unknown.
Kenichi Before, I used to develop paper-based friction materials at an NSK Group company. At NSK, we normally use additives to prevent the oxidative degradation of lubricating oils. We thought we could create something completely new by combining the paper materials with those additives-that was the spark that led to this new product. It was Kanako here who put together the specific proposal.
Kenichi Iso
Kanako Tsumura
Yuya Watanabe
Kanako Right. NSK typically develops industrial machine components, but we were thinking outside the box-a filter for the fryers used in food processing! We dreamed up a cooking oil filter that would use our additives to slow the degradation of cooking oil. With our filters, fryers would not need to be cleaned as often, which would improve their productivity. I can't believe it's already been four years since we started this project!
Yuya Time flies! As you know, I joined you along the way. When I heard about the idea, it occurred to me that a resin I had been working on might be just the trick to make the additives adhere to the paper.
Kenichi A paper material, additives for preventing oxidation, and a resin for adhering them to the paper-among the three of us, we had all the ingredients for a groundbreaking new product.
Yuya Yes, but do you remember how hard it was to mold the material into the right shape? After all, this was for food processing, so we had to follow stricter rules about raw materials than for general industrial machinery. We had to make sure that all the raw materials were plant-based, and it took us a while to get that done.
"Why This from a Bearing Company?"
With Every Conversation, More Enthusiasm
Why did you think you had a chance of delivering a product unlike anything NSK had ever made, and in a completely unfamiliar industry? How did you keep yourselves motivated through the ups and downs of development?
Kenichi I went to an exhibition to look at some conventional products, and found that there were no high-quality filters like the one we were envisioning. I knew right then there was a need. So I started trying to talk to food processing companies, but every time they would ask me, "Why this from a company that makes bearings?" [laughs] But I persisted, explaining how the product would leverage NSK's Four Core Technologies. When I saw their eyes start to light up, it really fed my motivation.
Yuya As for me, I used to work in materials development, and I had no face time with customers. Thanks to this project, though, now I get to hear customers' ideas directly. I really enjoy applying their opinions to development. In 2017, I served on the NSK booth staff at an exhibition, and the visitors' enthusiasm made me really happy.
Kanako In my case, it was really just the thought of getting to propose a new product that got me interested. One of the perks of working at NSK is the wonderful opportunity to integrate past research results to create brand new products for the market.
Additives are adhered to the fiber surface of the white filter to create the brown NSK oil filter that slows oil degradation.
NSK's History and Trustworthiness Make Innovation Possible
NSK is now searching for a manufacturing partner to work with to mass produce the new filter that prevents degradation of food oil. Bringing something new to the world is a lot of hard work, but it also seems to bring a lot of joy.
Actually, the Kit 1s distributed to the children were a little bit rigged.
The Kit 1 that the staff member had made beforehand had an NSK bearing set into it as a part supporting the rotating shaft. But the kits handed out to the children used a part made from polystyrene board instead of a bearing. The reason the shaft would not spin as fast was the strong friction between the shaft and the part supporting it.
When asked what was different between the first Kit 1 and the Kit 1s they assembled, the children shouted out, "The weights!" "The shaft!" Although they were looking in the right place, they didn't quite get to the correct answer.
The filter is used in fryers like these used to make deep-fried foods.
Kenichi At the New Materials Research Group where I work now, we are involved in everything from idea generation, to selection of materials, consideration of the production process, and customer development. It's a lot of work, but it's also really fun. Difficulty and fun are two sides of the same coin.
Yuya I agree with you. I've spoken with people from companies NSK had zero connection with, and they all welcomed me warmly. We actually take it for granted that people are willing to talk to us like that. When they think "NSK," they think "trustworthy." I believe this will really help get NSK products into entirely new fields. And that, in turn, will raise NSK's profile even more.
Kanako As you know I've moved on to a different development team, but I am always curious about the progress of the filter. I look forward to seeing what happens next!
Kenichi When this product comes to market, it will not only change NSK but also change the operations and work of food manufacturing plants. The slowing of oil degradation will also deliver environmental benefit. This only goes to show that developing a single product can have an impact on many people, companies, and the whole society. That is another thing that makes development so fun and rewarding. I know there are potential customers out there waiting for this product, and I hope we can get it to them ASAP.
