As part of this ethos , the company is increasing its use of bioplastics , which are more effective in reducing carbon emissions than conventional fossil fuelbased plastics .
To emphasise the growing need for sustainable solutions , the European Commission released its Net Zero Industry Act in March 2023 . A key part of the European Green Deal Industrial Plan , the Act proposes a framework of regulatory measures for strengthening
Deployed in NSK ’ s world -class ball screws
Europe ’ s net-zero product manufacturing ecosystem . Many countries are now looking to up their game on carbonneutral initiatives , meaning that lowcarbon and environmental measures are increasingly required in a wide variety of industrial machinery .
NSK is committed to realising a carbonneutral society . As part of this ethos , the company is increasing its use of bioplastics , which are more effective in reducing carbon emissions than conventional fossil fuel-based plastics . Ball screws are a key focus area due to their popularity in all kinds of industrial machines and systems .
Ball screws are highly efficient at transmitting force and converting motion ( from rotational to linear ), delivering significant energy savings . In recent years , injection moulding machines and servo presses are among many machine types switching from hydraulic to electric drive systems using servomotors and ball screws as a means of reducing power consumption . Considering such industry trends , the demand for ball screws is set for ongoing growth , particularly if sustainable solutions are available .
NSK ’ s development of its S1 bioplastic retaining piece for ball screws ( 50 to 200mm diameter ) makes a further contribution to achieving carbon neutrality . Drawing on its expertise in materials technology , NSK selected and validated DSM ’ s EcoPaXX ® bioplastic ( a plant-derived high-performance polyamide ) as the retention piece material . As a point of note , retaining
pieces sit between the balls to prevent them from colliding with each other and causing damage .
To optimise and expedite the development process , NSK deployed its digital twin technology . This advanced process enabled the creation of a bioplastic retaining piece with the same performance as a conventional product in a short period of time through the simulation of key parameters such as dimensions , shape , deformation and strength . In short , customers can now leverage the benefit of far lower CO2 emissions while enjoying the same excellent performance levels associated with NSK ball screws .
www . nskeurope . com
NSK used its digital twin technology during development to ensure the bioplastic product could offer the same performance as a conventional retaining piece
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