IKO needle roller bearings are precision-engineered components designed to deliver high load capacity in compact spaces. As a core product line of IKO Nippon Thompson, these bearings utilize cylindrical rollers with a diameter ≤6mm and a length-to-diameter ratio ≥3:1, achieving superior radial load performance while minimizing axial footprint. IKO needle roller bearings are a type of bearing that uses slender needle shaped rollers. Compared to traditional ball bearings, they have lower cross-sectional height and greater load-bearing capacity. IKO needle roller beads are particularly suitable for situations that require space saving and heavy load bearing, and are widely used in fields such as automobiles, motorcycles, printing machines, industrial robots, and construction machinery
- IKO needle roller bearingsDesign Architecture
IKO’s needle roller series features unique structural innovations:
Ultra-Thin Cross Sections: Ranging from 1.5mm (HFL series) to 12mm (RNA series) wall thickness
High Roller Count: 15-40 rollers per bearing, increasing dynamic load capacity by 35% vs. standard designs
Proprietary Cage Designs:
TV Cage: Glass fiber-reinforced polyamide (PA66-GF25) for ≤120°C operation
ST Cage: Cold-rolled steel (SPCC) with 0.1mm precision stamping
MA Cage: Machined brass (CAC306) for high-speed applications (≤60,000 rpm)
Surface Engineering:
Raceway roughness: Ra ≤0.2μm (super-finished models)
Phosphate coating (3-7μm) for run-in protection
- IKO needle roller bearingsMaterial Technology
IKO employs advanced metallurgical solutions:
Rollers:
SUJ2 bearing steel (1.0% C, 1.5% Cr) through-hardened to 60-64 HRC
Alternative materials:
CERAMIC: Silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) for electric insulation (10¹⁴ Ω·cm)
CORROSION-RESISTANT: SUS440C (16% Cr) with ≥550 HV hardness
Rings/Raceways:
Case-carburized steel (SCM420) with 0.8-1.2mm effective hardening depth
Surface treatments:
Black oxide (Fe₃O₄ layer, 1-3μm)
Diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating (2μm, μ=0.05)
- 3. IKO needle roller bearingsPrecision Classes
| Class | Radial Runout (μm) | ISO Standard | Typical Applications |
| P6 | ≤8 | ISO 492 | General machinery |
| P5 | ≤5 | ISO 199 | Machine tool spindles |
| P4 | ≤3 | JIS B 1514 | Semiconductor equipment |
| UP | ≤1.5 | IKO Internal | Optical alignment systems |
- 4. Specialized Product Variants
Sealed Types (DDU Series):
Triple-lip contact seals (NBR/FKM)
IP67 protection against dust/water ingress
Split Cage Designs (HK-S Series):
180° separable cages for blind assembly
Maintenance-free operation up to 10,000h
Flanged Units (FWM Series):
Integrated mounting flange (DIN 5419)
4-bolt pattern with M5-M16 threads
- 5. Application-Specific Engineering
Automotive Transmissions:
Reduced weight: 40% lighter than tapered rollers
690 MPa Hertz stress endurance (JASO C618 compliance)
NVH optimization: ≤20 dB(A) at 6,000 rpm
Industrial Robotics:
Zero-clearance models (≤1μm radial play)
Cross-roller configurations for multi-directional loads
Medical Devices:
Cleanroom-assembled (ISO Class 4)
Biocompatible lubricants (USP Class VI certification)
Aerospace Actuators:
AMS 6491 qualified materials
Vacuum-rated versions (≤10⁻⁶ Pa)
