New Products

QAT (Quick Adjustable Tapered)

Roller Bearing
1. Outline

introducing the NSK-developed QAT tapered roller

bearings which permit quick yet secure adjustments of the
preload.

After setting the preload for a tapered roller bearing,

the preload sometimes disappears during initial operation
due to inadequate running-in. Especially for automotive
transmissions and differential gears, it is difficult to
perform sufficient running-in, resulting in preload loss.
When the preload is decreased, an adverse influence is
exerted on bearing durability and gear noise is generated
due to the decreased support rigidity.
This paper considers the running-in procedure and how
it can be utilized in preventing preload loss, while

Clearance

2. Design
When combining the outer ring (cup) of the tapered
roller bearing with the inner ring assembly (cone
assembly), a clearance is formed between the rollers largeend surface and inner-ring rib surface due to the rollers
own weight (Fig. 1).

Clearance

Clearance

Clearance

Clearance
(between roller-large-end surface and inner ring rib surface)

Fig. 1 Cause of generation of clearance

Load 49 N

Large clearance
(General bearing)

Displacement, m

150

100

50
Small clearance
(QAT bearing)
0
Number of rotations

Fig. 2 Axial displacement vs. running-in

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Motion & Control No.21997

It is necessary to eliminate this clearance in order to

assure a proper preload. Between the inner ring raceway
and rollers, however, since friction resistance (static
friction) occurs, it is not possible to eliminate the clearance
by means of adding a force equivalent to the preload on the
bearing. It is necessary to minimize the frictional
resistance by performing bearing rotation (a procedure
known as running-in) in order to apply a proper preload
and remove the clearance.
As shown in Fig. 2, for bearings with large clearances, it

is necessary to conduct running-in for twenty rotations or

so while achieving axial displacement of up to 100 and
several dozen m to eliminate the clearance. This
phenomenon is governed by the magnitude of the
clearance. Also, bearing specifications are effective at
controlling and minimizing the clearance for applications
where it is difficult to apply running-in, such as in
automotive transmissions and differential gears.
QAT tapered roller bearings are optimally designed to
control variation and minimize the clearance that is
150
Displacement until stabilized, m

No. of rotations until stabilized

15

General bearing
10

5
QAT bearing

100

200
Axial load, N

General bearing
100

50

300

QAT bearing

100

200
Axial load, N

300

Fig. 3 Comparison of running-in procedure

Torque

Rotational torque, N m

Clearance
0.5
QAT bearing
General bearing

10

15

No. of rotations

Displacement, m

Fig. 4 Comparison of rotational torque

200

200

100

100

0
General bearing

QAT bearing

Fig. 5 Comparison of bearing displacement

Motion & Control No.2 1997

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generated from assembly of the inner and outer rings. This

bearing may be mass produced thanks to improvements
made in processing methods.

3. Features
QAT bearings carefully control and minimize clearance
and have a small displacement in the axial direction to
decrease such clearance, requiring only a short running-in
rotation.
QAT bearings provide the following advantages and
benefits.
(1) Reduced time necessary for the running-in
procedure (Figs. 2 and 3).
(2) A stabilized bearing torque is achieved more quickly
(Fig. 4).
(3) Variation in bearing displacement is reduced (Fig. 5).
(4) Since preload variation is reduced and controlled with
the preload set at a lower value, a reduced bearing
torque and prolonged fatigue life are obtained.

4. Conclusion
QAT bearings perform better than general bearings
thanks to their ability to adjust preload. QAT bearings are
effective in preventing preload loss, prolonging the rolling
contact fatigue life, reducing the torque by reduction of the
preload adjustment range, stabilizing the preload setting,
and reducing assembly time.

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Motion & Control No.21997