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Machine Tools

Drilling, milling and grinding require solutions with impressive performance and exceptional quality. This is why major machine tool manufacturers place their trust in NSK’s expertise and technical experience.

We have the right technical solution for your machine tool application. Our engineering know-how and technological expertise are based on NSK’s four core technologies: tribology, material engineering, analysis technology and mechatronics. This provides us with an integrated technology platform that serves as the base for developing forward-looking solutions. With more than six production plants around the world, we are right where you need us.

In addition to our products, we offer a practical, relevant services – such as Application Analysis taking into account your particular parameters such as speeds, spindle size and external loads, allowing NSK to calculate the output parameters such as lubricant life, spindle stiffness and more to help you achieve optimum productivity, precision and machine efficiency.

Cutting - enhanced energy efficiency for your machine tools

Turning, milling and grinding are basic cutting technologies in the machine tool industry. A wide range of concepts and machine tool types are needed to manufacture mechanical components. These specific requirements also apply to the components used in the machine tools.

As a system supplier, NSK offers solutions for these applications which have been specifically designed with your requirements in mind. Our product portfolio consists of linear guides, ball screws and bearings which are suitable for machining various materials such as steel, aluminium, titanium and alloys – in both single-shift and multi-shift operations.

Although we cater for very different requirements, our main goal is to help you significantly enhance the energy efficiency of your machine tools which will boost productivity.

Our experienced engineers are happy to work with you during your design stage to help you select the best components.

RA Series Linear Roller Guides
Nut Cooling Ball Screws
X1 Seal Concept for Ball Screws
Linear Roller Guides with V1 seal
BSS Series Ball Screws

Cutting machine tools

 

Milling machines - optimum machining quiality even at higher speeds

Operating conditions: high level of abrasive contamination, traverse speed, spindle speed, multi-shift or stop/start operations, use of coolants and lubricants.

Applications such as high-speed machining centres and milling machines often subject bearings to extreme operating conditions including abrasive contamination combined with high feed rates and spindle speeds. In addition, multi-shift or intermittent operations can take their toll on the bearings, linear guides and ball screws.

NSK’s high-precision products excel by delivering unsurpassed finishing accuracy, even in these conditions. They enable ultra-high speeds, reliably and quiet running producing the optimum machining quality and cost-efficient solutions.

Total Quality Solution 
Nut cooling in ball screws for a lower operating temperature
There are several sound arguments for maintaining a stable temperature below 40°C in ball screws to guarantee the utmost precision. Temperature rises due to the fast motion of the nut  prompting changes in running behavior. It is a factor which should not be underestimated. A temperature increase of just 10°C causes a 1-meter-long spindle to stretch by 120 µm, which means that the machine tool can no longer deliver the necessary precision. NSK's specially developed nut cooling system drastically reduces heat generation and maintains operating temperature to enhance performance. 

Milling machine

 

Grinding machines - zero tolerance for contamination

Operating conditions: multi-shift operations, high level of contamination, lubricants and coolants, severe abrasive wear

Modern grinding machines such as cylindrical, surface, tool and jig grinding machines are used to process a wide range of work pieces. They have to maintain very specific tolerances and roughness values. Over time, the lubricants and coolants used become contaminated causing severe abrasive wear to the machine’s components.

Compact, robust ball screws from the BSS series together with NSK’s innovative X1 seal concept ensure low-friction movements and ensure that grinding machines run reliably. As a result, servicing intervals can be extended, reducing maintenance costs.

Total Quality Solution
Excellent seal properties: the X1 concept
The X1 concept provides an ideal external and internal seal for ball screws. Inside seal prevents lubricant from escaping, while the outside prevents contamination from penetrating the body of the nut. This increases the load rating and rigidity of the ball guides. In addition, the ball screw’s liquid-cooled nut enhances power density.

Grinding machines

 

Lathes - for greater productivity

Operating conditions: multi-shift operations, high level of contamination, lubricants and coolants, severe abrasive wear due to shavings.

Reliable, high-precision mechanical components are required for lathes turning machines in order to achieve the highest possible material throughput without downtime. These include angular-contact ball bearings for the motor spindle, linear guides and ball screws for the feed mechanism.

NSK offers product solutions for this scenario that are reliable in multi-shift operations and prevent severe abrasive wear from shavings. With our innovative X1 seal concept, contamination caused by lubricants and coolants is eliminated.

The high rigidity and load rating of NSK’s ball guides and linear roller guides offer increases in service life, leading to enhanced productivity for your turning machines.

Total Quality Solution
The BSS series of ball screws – compact and quiet
BSS ball screws are designed specially for machine tool applications. Even at high speeds they run quietly. Their compact design envelope makes for an increased power density.

Lathes

 

Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM/EWM) - improved precision and safety

Electrical discharge machines for high-precision applications require highly accurate mechanical components. NSK’s ball screws and linear roller guides help to make the spark erosion process safe and are also ideal for high traverse rates. With their compact design, they are perfect for delivering precision in confined spaces.


Total Quality Solution
Ultra-high load ratings, unique rigidity – the RA series of linear roller guides
As the latest generation of roller guides, NSK’s RA series delivers outstanding motion accuracy. This is achieved by means of large rolling elements, ultra-high load ratings and rigidity. The patented K1 Lubrication Unit enables long term maintenance-free operation on this series. Roller guides from the RA series also feature very low levels of vibration due to their specifically constructed retaining and diverting components which prevent the rollers from skewing.

Electrical discharge machines

Spindles - enhanced energy efficiency for your machine tools

Spindles are at the heart of every machine tool. The machining technology and application in question have a huge impact on the design of the spindles – and the same goes for the speed range, which depends on factors such as the tool size and the material to be processed. However, all applications require high power density with a compact design and easy to service.

We understand your business. Whether you need motor spindles or belt-drive spindles, NSK has a solution. Our research and development engineers regularly provide new impetus for industry. The results include spindle that work precisely even at very high speeds and cooled, low-noise motor spindles for more than 20,000 hours of maintenance-free operation with outstanding temperature stability.

NSK engineers are happy to help identify the optimum bearing solution and lubrication requirment you need to meet your application needs.  

ROBUST Series single row Cylindrical Roller bearings
ROBUST Series BER and BNR Angular Contact ball bearings
SHX Steel
Oil-Air lubrication

Spindles

 

Milling machines - for high speeds and a long service life

 

Operating conditions: high level of abrasive contamination, speed, spindle speed, multi-shift or stop/start operations, coolants and lubricants.

High spindle speeds, severe contamination caused by the use of coolants, multi-shift or stop/start operations, and a wide range of materials – NSK’s cylindrical roller bearings and angular-contact ball bearings are ideally suited for these conditions.

Our enhanced designs include our ROBUST Series, which set standards with their precision, high speeds and service life. High-performance oil-air lubrication and NSK’s patented, extremely wear-resistant SHX steel further improve the performance of your spindles for various applications.

Total Quality Solution 
Angular-contact ball bearings from the ROBUST Series for ultra-high speeds
The ROBUST range is primarily used for ultra-high speeds in the main spindles of machine tools. These bearings feature high stiffness, improved thermal behavior, a low seizure rate and low heat generation. A patented SHX steel version is also available, which is capable of speeds more than 90% higher than standard spindles.

ROBUST series angular contact ball bearings

 

Grinding machines - zero tolerance for contamination

Operating conditions: multi-shift operations, high level of contamination, lubricants and coolants, severe abrasive wear.

Modern grinding machines are used to process different work pieces which must maintain very specific tolerances and roughness values. Components can be contaminated by lubricants and coolants during both high-speed grinding. In addition, most applications are associated with severe abrasive wear caused by microscopic grinding dust.

NSK’s ROBUST Series set standards with precision, high speeds and longer service life. High-performance oil-air lubrication and NSK’s patented, extremely wear-resistant SHX steel further improve the performance of your spindles.

Total Quality Solution
Cylindrical roller bearings with outstanding concentric running from the ROBUST Series
Machine tools have become increasingly sophisticated and fast, they require the right bearings to achieve their full performance potential. NSK’s ROBUST series are capable of speeds  up to 30% higher than those of conventional high-precision ball bearings. This is made possible by combining NSK's SHX material with an optimixed raceway geometry. Mooth running is ensured by the exact roundness of the rings and the use of state-of-the-art polymers for the cages.

ROBUST series cylindrical roller bearings

 

Lathes - efficient and safe

Operating conditions: multi-shift operations, high level of contamination, lubricants and coolants, severe abrasive wear due to shavings.

Lathe machine spindles are subject to a wide range of stresses. These include multi-shift operations, contamination caused by coolants and severe abrasive wear from shavings with speeds ranging from 6,000 to 12,000 rpm depending on the material to be machined.


Total Quality Solution
Oil-air lubrication for significantly improved performance
Powerful, yet safe and eco-friendly a lubricant supply system (groove in the outer ring) safely injects lubricant into the high speed running bearing. This systems oil hole reduces the number of parts, making for a more compact spindle construction. Oil-air lubrication improves the bearings’ service life by resisting the entry of contamination due to positive air pressure.

Oil-air lubrication

Driven tools found in modern lathes (conventional, CNC lathes, turret lathes and others) or milling centers help boosts your machines’ performance and reduces the total cost of ownership.
NSK has our own research and development facilities. Along with our engineers’ knowledge of specific applications, these R&D centers form the basis for ongoing improvements to our products’ energy efficiency and maximum power density. NSK bearings are supplied with lifelong lubrication ensuring no maintenance is needed.

Driven Tools

Driven tool holders

Complex tasks, high loads

There is a growing trend towards completing several processes using a single mount to maximixe productivity in machining. In some cases, operations such as turning, milling and drilling are combined.
These tasks are completed by driven tool holders. The specifications for the bearings used in these applications are extremely demanding. As well as being able to absorb radial and axial forces, they must work with absolute precision at different speeds and with various materials. The range of applications is very wide and some clients have developed their own tools with integrated drives. However, its alwasya  given that  high loads are required in a limited installation space.
NSK has established itself as a supplier of bearings for driven tools and works with numerous market-leading companies.Sealed angular-contact ball bearings, tapered roller bearings and deep-groove ball bearings – are hallmarked by reliability and durability, even when they are used for highly dynamic applications. They generate a very low level of noise, which is an important consideration given that quiet drives are increasingly becoming a priority for tool manufacturers.

Total Quality Solution

Sealed angular-contact ball bearings
With sealed angular-contact ball bearings from NSK, dirt particles cannot penetrate the bearing. The non-contact seals can be mounted up to four times faster reducing wear on the raceway and the balls’ surface, resulting in optimum service life. Sealed bearings also prevent grease migration in vertical spindles, enabling more precise machining.

Driven Tool Holders

 

Tool turrets

Disc-type, crown-type, head and drum turrets are all associated with high accelerations and considerable speeds. The bearings must withstand these loads as well as coping with contamination, high temperatures, the use of coolants and lubricants, multi-shift operation or start-stop operation. NSK’s angular-contact ball bearings are the ideal solution for machine tool turrets. Their compact dimensions render them an ultra space-saving option which makes optimum use of the machine compartment.


NSK bearings are suitable for a range of drive functions:

  • Central drive, highly dynamic, extremely fast switching
  • Tool drive with spindle positioning 
  • Individually driven tools

Total Quality Solution:
Standard spindle bearings
NSKHPS Angular-contact ball bearings
Tapered roller bearings
Cylindrical roller bearings. 

Tool turrets

Demands for increasingly energy efficient conversion are leading to electromechanical drive concepts in various branches of industry. The process of metal manipulation – i.e. stamping, forming and bending – has a major impact on how mechanical components are designed.
Linear guides, ball screws and bearings are replacing hydraulic drive solutions because they mobilize power reserves and help to significantly reduce driving axles. NSK’s cooled ball screws also increase the amount of heat which is transferred.

NSK engineers work closely with customers to develop solutions that are tailored precisely to their needs.

Forming

Nut Cooling Ball Screw

Simplifying Ball Screw cooling to make precision machines faster and more precise. Can be implemented (for HMD nuts) without changing the machine design. >>

NSKTAC-SHR Series

Developed for support ball screws operating under high loads, the new NSKTAC-SHR series allows users to maintain high capacity performance with a smaller screw shaft end diameter. >>

RA/RB Series

Offers high accuarcy, rigidity and load capacity with standard low profile designs. >>

X1 Seal

Provides a highly effective interior and exterior seal for ball screws. >>

BSS Series

Offering High-Speed and Low-Noise, BSS is quiet and compact, with unparalleled high-speed performance. Suitable for an extensive range of uses, from transportation equipment to machine tools. >>

BSBD Series

Offers a compact design ready for easy & accurate installation, greased for life, with sealing offering low friction and low heat generation. >>

V1 Seal Concept

V1 Series multi-lip structured seal offers high dust resistant for roller guides & ball screws >>

ROBUSTSHOT SERIES

Powerful, yet eco-friendly and safe. High precision angular contact ball bearings with oil-air lubrication.

ROBUST Series - Cylindrical Roller Bearings

Super smooth running at high speeds >>

ROBUST Series - Angular Contact Ball Bearings

The best option for main spindles in machine tools that require ultra-high speeds >>

MACHINE TOOLS, SPINDLES AND NSK

  • AIP - Asset Improvement Program

    AIP is a comprehensive program to help customers reduce cost and increase uptime. >>

  • Contact Us

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  • NSK Success Stories

    Successes are best when shared. To see NSK solutions by industry click here. >>

  • Technical Tools

    To support you, NSK has developed the following technical tools >>

  • Troubleshooting

    Bearing and linear components troubleshooting tools >>

Downloads

Precision Machine Components

NSK Linear Guide, Ball Screws and Monocarriers

PDF

66.4 MB

RA Series Roller Guides
NSK Super Precision Bearings for Machine Tool

PDF

2.2 MB

Robust Shot High Precision ACBB

Robust Shot High Precision ACBB

BSBD Ball Screw Support Bearings
Compact FA Series Ball Screw