Super-Clean Package Eliminates the Need for Cleaning and Degreasing, Providing Improved Productivity

NSK Ltd.(NSK; Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan; President and CEO: Norio Otsuka) announced that it has developed a super-clean package. It eliminates the need for cleaning and degreasing after opening the packaging of high-precision angular contact ball bearings* designed for such applications as machine tools, and it will contribute to improved quality and productivity. NSK will apply this package to its high-precision angular contact ball bearings starting in April 2013 and is targeting one billion yen in annual sales for 2013.

NSK display the product at the 26th Japan International Machine Tool Fair (JIMTOF 2012), to be held from Thursday, November 1 to Tuesday, November 6 at Tokyo Big Sight (Koto ward, Tokyo).

*: Ball guided polyamide resin cage specification

Development background
In recent years, as the need for higher energy conservation and a smaller environmental footprint has grown, the need for grease lubrication has increased, since it is less expensive and easier on the environment than that of oil lubrication. However, compared to oil lubrication, grease lubrication is more susceptible to the accumulation of foreign particles and therefore requires highly clean storage. Traditionally, bearings are packed in anti-rust oil to prevent rust during storage and shipping. However, this means that the machine tool makers must wash the bearing and degrease the anti-rust oil prior to applying lubrication grease to the bearing.

However, having such additional processes is counterproductive in terms of assembly time, in addition to the fact that it involves the use of cleaning and degreasing solvents, which are detrimental in terms of their environmental footprint.

In order to answer the need for improved productivity and a reduction of environmental footprint, NSK developed, a super-clean package that eliminates the need for cleaning and degreasing prior to assembly.

Product features
(1) Super-clean package
Specially sealed package keeps the bearing very clean to prevent quality degradation.
(2) Optimized amount of anti-rust oil
The grease can be applied without cleaning or degreasing the anti-rust oil. The result is the same level of grease retention and lubrication performance as the conventional product.

Product benefits
(1) Improved productivity
Since cleaning and degreasing are no longer required prior to assembling the bearing, machine assembly time is reduced by one-fourth.
(2) Low environmental footprint
No need for solvents to clean and degrease the bearing.

Development Background of super-clean package
•Need for energy conservation and smaller environmental footprint has resulted in increase in demand for grease lubrication.
•Grease lubrication requires cleaning and degreasing prior to assembly to avoid the risk of foreign matter intrusion and grease outflow.
•Machine tool makers need to reduce assembly time to improve productivity.

Concept of super-clean packageSuper-clean package eliminates the need for cleaning/degreasing prior to assembly:
•Special control process to achieve highest level of cleanliness in the industry.
•Amount of anti-rust oil kept to a minimum but still achieves anti-rust, lubrication and grease retention performance that is equivalent to the conventional product.

Elimination of the need to clean/degrease after opening bearing package


Improved productivity
Elimination of cleaning/degreasing process prior to bearing assembly results in a huge reduction in machine assembly time.
Smaller environmental footprint
Reduction in amount of cleaning and degreasing solvents.

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