Following development of the world’s first 100% bioplastic*1 heat-resistant cage, NSK Ltd. has completed development of a lineup of bearings adopting the environmentally friendly cage.

Moving forward NSK will continue to expand use of bioplastics in products with a view to reduce carbon emissions and contribute to creating a carbon neutral society. Compared to conventional plastics made from fossil fuels, use of bioplastics contributes to reducing CO2 emissions. NSK aims to achieve 800 million yen in sales for this product in 2024.

Bearing with bioplastic cage configured for use in fan motors in air conditioners. Sales of air conditioners are expected to increase due to the growing number of middle-income earners in emerging economies and rising demand for replacement air conditioners with advanced features such as ventilation due to the global pandemic.

Bearings are a key component in the fan motors of air conditioners that pump air into the room. By utilizing environmentally friendly bioplastic cages in these bearings, NSK aims to contribute to the realization of a carbon neutral society.

This represents the world’s first 100% bioplastic cage brought to mass market for air conditioner fan motors. Developed using NSK’s digital twin technology to swiftly bring the product to market with an advanced development cycle.

Using digital twin analysis, we were able to evaluate dimensions, shape and deformation, molding defect and errors, and strength to produce a prototype cage of equivalent quality to a conventional cage in a short period of time.

In addition to high reliability, bearings for air conditioner fan motors are required to be quiet and have low friction. Functional evaluation tests of noise level and friction confirmed that bearings with the bioplastic cage have equivalent performance to conventional plastic cages (see figures below). This determined that it is possible to replace conventional cages with bioplastic cages for bearings in fan motors in air conditioners.

Compared to steel cages, plastic cages are lighter, achieve lower friction, and can be designed and manufactured in more advanced, complex shapes. These benefits have led to widespread adoption of plastic cages in small size bearings. NSK’s bioplastic cage bearings enable these benefits while additionally contributing to realizing a carbon neutral society.

https://www.nsk.com/

Earth Day Investment is Important, Says Plastics Industry Association

The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) today issued its support of Earth Day 2022, saying it is important to continually recognize the need to properly care for the planet.

“This year’s Earth Day theme of investing in our planet could not be more appropriate,” said Patrick Krieger, VP for Sustainability at PLASTICS. “The plastics industry has invested and continues to invest billions in new recycling technologies and programs at home and abroad, innovating to increase the recyclability of the products we make and including more recycled content at a record pace.”

Krieger went on to say that technology exists to recycle most types of plastic and that technology continues improving by the day. “Improving our national infrastructure to make sure all plastics can be recovered and recycled is the most important answer to reducing waste and building a more circular economy,” he said.

PLASTICS has a number of its own sustainability goals that include promoting the use of recycled plastics in new products, educating companies on how to recycle more and make products easier for consumers to recycle, and demonstrating viable business models for collecting and recycling plastic materials from locations such as hospitals, offices, auto repair shops, and others.

“Even with plastic being only 13 percent of municipal solid waste in the U.S.”, Krieger said, “the plastics and recycling industries want to ensure these materials are kept at their highest and best use. We are investing to ensure plastics are used as circularly as possible.”

The association supports legislation such as the Realizing the Economic Opportunities and Values of Expanding Recycling (RECOVER) Act, which would allocate funds to recycling infrastructure improvement, and the Recycling Enhancements to Collection and Yield through Consumer Learning and Education (RECYCLE) Act, to create a new federal grant program through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help educate households and consumers about their residential and community recycling programs.

Krieger recommended, “On Earth Day, and every day, we encourage people to contact their government officials, asking them to push forward legislation and programs that prioritize recycling. That would be a great investment in our planet.”

Earth Day Investment is Important, Says Plastics Industry Association

The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) today issued its support of Earth Day 2022, saying it is important to continually recognize the need to properly care for the planet.

“This year’s Earth Day theme of investing in our planet could not be more appropriate,” said Patrick Krieger, VP for Sustainability at PLASTICS. “The plastics industry has invested and continues to invest billions in new recycling technologies and programs at home and abroad, innovating to increase the recyclability of the products we make and including more recycled content at a record pace.”

Krieger went on to say that technology exists to recycle most types of plastic and that technology continues improving by the day. “Improving our national infrastructure to make sure all plastics can be recovered and recycled is the most important answer to reducing waste and building a more circular economy,” he said.

PLASTICS has a number of its own sustainability goals that include promoting the use of recycled plastics in new products, educating companies on how to recycle more and make products easier for consumers to recycle, and demonstrating viable business models for collecting and recycling plastic materials from locations such as hospitals, offices, auto repair shops, and others.

“Even with plastic being only 13 percent of municipal solid waste in the U.S.”, Krieger said, “the plastics and recycling industries want to ensure these materials are kept at their highest and best use. We are investing to ensure plastics are used as circularly as possible.”

The association supports legislation such as the Realizing the Economic Opportunities and Values of Expanding Recycling (RECOVER) Act, which would allocate funds to recycling infrastructure improvement, and the Recycling Enhancements to Collection and Yield through Consumer Learning and Education (RECYCLE) Act, to create a new federal grant program through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help educate households and consumers about their residential and community recycling programs.

Krieger recommended, “On Earth Day, and every day, we encourage people to contact their government officials, asking them to push forward legislation and programs that prioritize recycling. That would be a great investment in our planet.”