When a steel mill was experiencing regular failures of the bearings on its pilger mill,
the plant turned to the expertise and experience of NSK for a robust and economic
solution. By recommending bearings with 200% more life than the units they
replaced, NSK provided the mill with annual savings of €159,933.
To identify the root cause of the issue, NSK’s engineering team performed a technical
application analysis, discovering that the main problems were severe operating conditions
exacerbated by high loads and inadequate lubrication. Armed with this information, NSK
was able to propose a special spherical roller bearing with optimised internal design that
took advantage of the company’s proprietary Super Tough (STF) steel.
Durability, even in extreme operating environments is a critical criterion for steel mill
bearings. The reliable, uninterrupted performance of rolling components that endure heavy
loads and high heat amid water and scale is vital to realising and accelerating production
capacities. NSK bearings made from STF or TF steel offer outstanding toughness in harsh
operating conditions, providing long service life and superior resistance against wear,
seizure, and heat.
A trial at the steel mill showed that the new bearings offered double the operating life.
Reductions in production downtime, maintenance labour, replacement bearings and other
material replacements led to annual costs savings of €159,933 for the steel mill.
NSK offers a complete product line for steel mill processes, with long-life and highly reliable
bearings supporting improved productivity and lower maintenance costs. Bearings are
available to cope with heavy/shock loads and vibration, as well as operating speeds that
range from extremely slow to very high, coupled with rapid acceleration and deceleration.
NSK TF series bearings offer outstanding toughness and longevity in harsh operating
conditions thanks to superior resistance against wear, seizure and heat.
About NSK Europe:
NSK Europe Ltd. is the European organisation of the Tokyo-based bearing manufacturer NSK, which was founded in Japan in 1916 and today employs nearly 30,580 people in its worldwide operations. The products and solutions provided by the industrial and automotive supplier can be found wherever things move. In addition to nearly all types of rolling bearings, the company’s portfolio includes housed bearings, linear technology,wheel bearing units, transmission and engine bearings and steering systems. The company is oriented to perfection in all of its business activities. Its aim is quality leadership in its industry, which it strives for through a continuous process of improvement, excellent product development, optimised production processes and customer-oriented service processes. In fiscal year 2021, the more than 4,250 employees of NSK Europe Ltd.
generated sales of over € 818 million.
