NSK, a major bearing manufacturer, has developed the NSK LCube II bearing range for use in electric vehicle transmissions.

Each roller of the new bearing undergoes a special treatment process, which will increase the durability and strength of the roller when working with a small amount of lubricant. Using fewer lubricants and low viscosity lubricants results in higher energy savings, which will make cars even more energy efficient. At the beginning it seems that the loss of energy per bearing is extremely small, but it is worth counting how much energy is lost in each moving element and it is immediately clear that a huge loss of energy is growing from trivial matters.

New NSK bearings are developed on the basis of the most stringent requirements and new energy requirements dictate the use of a small amount of lubricant. As a result, tapered roller bearings in transmissions are subjected to increasingly stringent operating conditions in operating conditions with almost no lubricant, which can cause damage to bearing surfaces and bearing seizure.

Rollers in new NSK bearings are machined to create porous micro-indentations on the surface of the steel (rolling contact surface and roller head). This microstructure helps to preserve an oil film that is well suited for tapered roller bearings. Improved oil film retention significantly prevents surface damage, providing more than eightfold durability and equal or greater resistance to setting as compared to conventional products.

Improved accumulation and retention of lubricating oil on the surface of the roller contributes to reducing friction by 10% at low speeds compared with conventional bearings.