Timken Expands Offering of Ball Screw Support Bearings(pic)

Line helps improve machine tool accuracy CANTON, Ohio, July 6, 2005 ¨CTimken has expanded its offering for machine tool applications to provide a complete line of Timken® Fafnir® ball screw support bearings with advanced features to meet industry demands for smooth and accurate positioning. The addition of new single-row metric bearing sizes and a full series of sealed double-row bearings offers new capabilities for consistent performance and extended service life. (Download high-res image) All Fafnir ball screw support bearings are manufactured with a precision-ground width tolerance, which is five times tighter than ABEC 9/ISO P2 standards. This advancement, combined with a new marking of the individual set width, virtually eliminates the need to regrind endcaps for a proper fit, improving productivity and helping to reduce assembly costs. ¡°Machine tool users are looking for smooth, precise and reliable ball screw operation to achieve the consistently accurate work output their customers demand,¡± said Anthony G. Romero, senior application engineer. ¡°We focused on meeting that requirement by developing a complete double-row bearing design package with integrated features that provide maximum service life and flexible mounting for the latest rotating nut machines.¡± Available in several designs and mounting configurations, Fafnir ball screw support bearings maintain ABEC9/ISO P2 axial running tolerances to reduce runout and deliver superior accuracy for precise tool positioning and repeatability. This helps machine tools obtain truer and smoother cuts, while maximizing productivity. In addition, tightly controlled width tolerances and smooth running torque help improve system consistency and performance. Timken manufactures its ball screw bearings from steel that is among the cleanest in the world. The lack of impurities and inclusions enhances service life and durability. This is critical in today¡¯s harsh metal-cutting environments where external contamination from cutting fluids and debris is common. To maximize axial rigidity, the bearings incorporate 60-degree contact angles and a maximum complement of balls. This design helps to produce superior spindle stiffness with lower tool deflections and chatter-free cutting. Ceramic balls and special greases are options available to increase stiffness, speed and acceleration levels. The MMN/MMF double-row design supports axial loads in both directions, as well as combination radial loads and overturning moments. It features a pair of low-torque integral contact seals that protect against contamination to extend bearing service life in harsh operating environments. These bearings are pre-packed with high-performance grease and allow for in-service relubrication. The broad line of Timken Fafnir ball screw support bearings includes single and double-row designs with a variety of mounting configurations. There are flanged and non-flanged series for both standard and rotating nut mountings. Housed cartridge and pillow block units facilitate bolting to machine tool surfaces. Single-row bearings are available in a size range from 12 millimeter bore to 100 millimeter bore. Double-row bearings are available in a size range from 12 millimeter bore to 60 millimeter bore. Timken supplies a wide variety of bearings and related components to the global machine tool industry, both original equipment manufacturers and end-user production plants. The Timken Corporation, a subsidiary of The Timken Company, (NYSE: TKR) (http://www.timken.com) keeps the world turning, with innovative ways to make customers¡¯ products run smoother, faster and more efficiently. Timken¡¯s highly engineered bearings, alloy steels and related products and services turn up everywhere ¨C on land, at sea and in space. With operations in 27 countries, sales of $4.5 billion in 2004 and 26,000 employees, Timken is Where You Turn™ for better performance.