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6.9.2023

19:45

Page 38

rail transport

NSK puts the future of rail

in motion ... innovation,

performance and quality

NSK has introduced a complete set of bearing assemblies for use

in locomotive axles, traction motors and gearboxes.

NSK RCT tapered roller bearings with sealed swivel plug, used for locomotive axle bearings, have high reliability,

durability and safety

NSK is accelerating its active cooperation

with European rail manufacturers, especially in the high-speed passenger train segment, bringing its innovations, performance and product quality to the market. One

of the products in the spotlight is a bearing assembly for locomotive axles. NSK

has already supplied them successfully to

high-speed passenger trains operating in

France and the UK. In these trains, bearing assemblies with tapered roller bearings with a sealed RCT swivel plug prove

their reliability, long service life and safety.

RCT bearings

d

They are highly integrated with surrounding

components and incorporate advanced

sealing mechanisms to ensure durability

and superior performance. It must be

mentioned that these innovative bearings

are suited to complex loading conditions,

including shock, high static and dynamic

radial loads and axial loads.

Bearings for traction motors

d

A key element of traction motor bearings

is insulation. If a high voltage current flows

through the bearing, it can cause electrolytic corrosion on the bearing raceway

and rolling element surfaces, leading to

premature bearing failure.

To overcome this problem, NSK offers

a range of insulated bearings, including

cylindrical roller and ball bearings, whose

outer ring is coated with an optimised

plasma-sprayed ceramic corundum-based

NSK's insulated bearings include bearings with optimised ceramic corundum-based coatings suitable for use in

locomotive traction motors

coating. This insulating coating, which exhibits high mechanical strength and can

handle heavy loads, increases reliability by

preventing any possibility of electrolytic

corrosion. The ceramic coatings applied

using a special process developed by NSK

have proven useful on a new generation

of high-speed passenger trains in Japan.

The latest innovation in traction motors

is NSK's hybrid ball bearings, which use

ceramic balls as rolling elements and are

suitable for applications where high electrical isolation is required or high speeds

prevail. These hybrid bearings have the same load carrying capacity as standard steel bearings, but exhibit less friction and

generate less centrifugal force, which

helps to increase their durability.

Another offering from NSK in this area is

PPS insulated bearings. The glass fibre reinforced polyphenylene sulphide (PPS) resin functions as a coating on the outer diameter and face surface of the bearing

outer ring and protects it against electrolytic corrosion. Although the physical properties of PPS are slightly inferior to those

of ceramics, the resin is less expensive,

making it ideal for the traction motors of

new-generation conventional passenger

trains.

Bearings for gearboxes

d

Being suitable for a wide range of gearbox

designs, NSK bearings have high resistance to seizure, high resistance to shock and

vibration, low heat development and a

low-wear design that reduces lubricant

contamination and ensures longer bearing life. The company has been supplying

tapered roller bearings for spiral gears

used in Japanese high-speed passenger

trains for decades.

Passenger trains of the latest generations are becoming ever faster, placing

high demands on bearings. NSK continues to work with its rail industry partners,

both manufacturers and aftermarket companies, to create products that can improve safety, performance and comfort while

reducing weight and cost.

p

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