The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) awarded the Science and Technology Prize in the development category to NSK on April 20, 2005. The award, titled “Development of Material for Machine Tool Spindle Bearings,” was

presented in a formal awards ceremony at the luxurious Toranomon Pastoral hotel in central Tokyo. The prize, a plaque and certificate of commendation, were presented to four NSK staff, Yukio Ooura, Shinya Nakamura, Nobuaki Mitamura, and Sumio Sugita. NSK’s prize was one of 19 prizes awarded this year.

Significance:

The MEXT Science and Technology Prize is awarded annually with the aim of further motivating scientists and engineers by honoring their achievements that contribute to raising the bar of science and technology in Japan. The Science and Technology Prize is divided into five categories, with NSK’s four engineers being honored in the development category. The prize is especially noteworthy not only for its commendation of breakthrough research and development or innovations that contribute to the progress and improvement of the economy or social life in Japan, but the development must also be in actual use.


Accomplishment:

The award-wining development is a high-performance bearing material that ensures longer service life, enhanced seizure resistance, improved strength, extreme toughness, high workability, and all these at a lower cost. By crude processing of low-alloy steel, which is then processed with silicon, manganese, and molybdenum, NSK successfully developed this new material. The right level of hardness was obtained after extensive heat treatment tests. Carbonitriding characteristics were implemented with a base carbon steel of high workability, and surface hardness was improved by a carbonitriding treatment under high temperature conditions. Si-Mn-N micro-nitride was deposited on the surface to give the material greater hardness against residual compression stress.

This high performance bearing material provides users with a low-cost solution that shortens turning process time, promotes longer life, provides an upgrade to processing equipment, and promotes the progress and improves the technical capability of numerous industries.


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