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Wind energy


Wind turbines generate electricity in adverse, constantly changing conditions both onshore and offshore. The turbines are not readily accessible and are designed for a 20-year service life. This places extreme demands on all of the turbine’s components – especially the bearings. They must be able to withstand the continuous dynamic loading over a long term, at high wind speeds.


NSK bearings have gained a global reputation for outstanding quality built on their long service life, reliability, resistance and innovative design.

In 2008, NSK played a pioneering role as the first manufacturer to create an in-house standard for bearings used in wind turbines: the Wind Standard U303. This standard requires 100% traceability of components for each bearing - back to the material batch as well as all major process variables. It also defines NDT methods (non-destructive testing) to prevent grinding burns, surface cracks and structural faults in the material.

Main Gearboxes

Operating conditions: variable loads

Wind turbines are enormous machines. Many 2 megawatt class turbines are being built with blades of 130+ foot in length, and a rotor hub height of 195 to 328 feet with total weight over 200 tons. Due to their size, the bearings used in wind turbines are extremely large, with bore diameters between 100 mm and 700 mm.

Very few manufacturers worldwide can offer the market a stable supply of such large bearings. Suppliers must have both production capability and the ability to provide sales and technical service in key locations around the world.

Currently, NSK bearings are used by nine of the world's top ten wind turbine manufacturers, and in turn the company is making a substantial contribution to environmental protection.


Bearing design by experienced engineers using sophisticated calculation and simulation tools: In addition to extreme and maximum conditions, load cycles, lubrication, deformation and thermal response are also taken into consideration. This allows a safe design to be created in order to achieve the desired service life using cost-optimized components.

HR tapered roller bearingsEM Series & EW Series of Cylindrical Roller Bearings with high load ratings


HR taper roller bearings and cylindrical roller bearings from NSK are ideal for main gearboxes as they have high loads and remain reliable despite changing loads. They can be arranged in various constellations – as locating/non-locating bearings, adjusted bearing arrangements or floating bearings.

BOC (black oxide coating) offers longer service life: Black oxide coating is a method used to reduce the risk of white etching cracks (WEC) in bearings. An even more special material AWS-TF (Anti White Structure-Tough) is available to prevent damage caused by white etching cracks. To increase the load rating and service life, our STF material (Super-Tough) has proven to be successful, especially in applications with contaminated lubricants.


Our Innovations:
EW Series of cylindrical roller bearings with high load ratings
EM Series of cylindrical roller bearings with high load ratings
NSKHPS Spherical Roller Bearings
TF Series Bearings

AWS-TF Bearings

TF Series Bearings

Designed for outstanding toughness under harsh conditions, combining longer service life & superior resistance against wear, seizure & heat.  >>

Spherical Roller Bearings with CAM cage

Designed with a precision-machined tough solid brass cage.  >>

NSKHPS Series Roller Bearings

Advanced material technology offering higher speeds and higher load ratings.  >>

EW Series Roller Bearings

Features high load carrying capability and high performance pressed steel cage.  >>

EM Series Roller Bearings

Featuring high load ratings and quiet running with enhanced precision machined one-piece cage.  >>

Ceramic-Coated Ball Bearings

Optimal for applications that are susceptible to bearing damage and failures due to electrical corrosion  >>

Extend Bearing Life with Tough Steel

NSK Solutions for the Wind Industry

  • NSK Success Stories

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

  • Contact Us

    Send Us a Message >>

  • AIP - Asset Improvement Program

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

  • Four Core Technologies

    Tribology, Material Engineering, Analysis Technologie, Mechatronics >>

  • Software Program STIFF

    STIFF reliably calculates a bearing’s lifespan >>

Downloads

Bearings for Industrial Gearbox
Long Life Super-TF Spherical Roller Bearings

For Wind Turbine Main Shaft

HDY2 Ceramic Insulating Bearings

Product Sheet

PDF

1.4 MB

AWS-TF Anti-White Structure Bearings

Specialized Bearing Materials to combat arduous environments found in wind turbines

PDF

930.6 kB