AUTOMOTIVE
MOTION & CONTROL
NSK
NEW NSK BEARINGS FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE
TRANSMISSIONS AID EFFICIENCY AND RELIABILITY
NSK has unveiled its new LCube II series of
tapered roller bearings for use in electric
vehicle (EV) transmission systems. LCube II
bearings are specifically designed to improve
efficiency by contributing to better fuel
economy (lower power consumption), and
enhance reliability through higher levels of
durability and seizure resistance.
To improve efficiency and fuel economy in
EVs, the industry has seen a shift to using less
lubricant and/or lower viscosity lubricant in
transmission systems. As a result, tapered
roller bearings in EV transmissions are being
subjected to increasingly severe lubrication
conditions, heightening the risk of depleting
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the lubrication oil film, which in turn promotes
surface damage and potential bearing seizure.
Higher efficiency transmission systems are
seen as key to improving EV fuel economy,
so NSK set out to develop a highly reliable
tapered roller bearing capable of overcoming
these hurdles. The result is the new LCube II.
Of particular note, LCube II bearings feature
pore-like micro-indents in the rolling contact
surface and roller head. This microstructure
helps retain an oil film, which significantly
inhibits surface damage. The upshot is that
LCube II tapered roller bearings achieve more
than eight times higher durability and equal
or greater seizure resistance compared with
conventional alternatives, even under severely
low (thin) oil film conditions.
An additional benefit is that improved
lubricant oil accumulation and retention on
the roller surface contributes to 10% less
friction at low speeds in comparison with
conventional bearings. Reduced friction is a
further factor that imparts a positive effect on
overall efficiency in EV transmissions.
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