NSK bearing nomenclature, NSK bearing part number system

NSK bearing nomenclature are alphanumeric combinations that indicate the NSK bearing type, boundary dimensions, dimensional and running accuracies, internal clearance, and other related specificaitons. They consist of basic numbers sna supplementary symbols. The boundary dimensions of commonly used bearings mostly conform to the organizational concept of ISO, and the NSK bearing numbers of these standard bearings are specified by JIS B 1513 (Bearing Numbers for Rolling Bearings). Due to a need for more detailed classification, NSK uses auxiliary symbols other than those specified by JIS.

NSK bearing numbers consist of a basic number and supplementary symbols. The basic number indicates the NSK bearing series(type) and the width and diameter series as shown in table below.

NSK bearing series symbols
Bearing type Bearing series symbols Type symbols Dimension symbols
Width symbols Diameter symbols
single-row deep groove ball bearings 68
69
60
62
63		 6

(1)
(1)
(1)
(0)
(0)

 8
9
0
2
3
Single-row angular contact ball bearings 79
70
72
73		 7 (1)
(1)
(0)
(0)		 9
0
2
3
Self-aligning ball bearings 12
13
22
23		 1
1
(1)
(1)		 (0)
(0)
2
2		 2
3
2
3
Single-row cylindrical roller bearings NU10
NU2
NU22
NU3
NU23
NU4		 NU 1
(0)
2
(0)
2
(0)		 0
2
2
3
3
4
NJ2
NJ22
NJ3
NJ23
NJ4		 NJ (0)
2
(0)
2
(0)		 2
2
3
3
4
NUP2
NUP22
NUP3
NUP23
NUP4		 NUP (0)
2
(0)
2
(0)		 2
2
3
3
4
N10
N2
N3
N4		 N

1
(0)
(0)
(0)

 0
2
3
4
NF2
NF3
NF4		 NF (0) 2
3
4
Double-row cylindrical roller bearings NNU29
NN30		 NNU
NN		 4
3		 9
0
Needle roller bearings NA48
NA49
NA59
NA69		 NA 4
4
5
6		 8
9
9
9
Tapered roller bearings 329
320
330
331
302
322
332
303
323		 3 2
2
3
3
0
2
3
0
2		 9
0
0
1
2
2
2
3
3
Spherical roller bearings 230
231
222
232
213
223		 2 3
3
2
3
0
2		 0
1
2
2
3
3
Thrust ball bearings with flat seats 511
512
513
514
522
523
524		 5 1
1
1
1
2
2
2

1
2
3
4
2
3
4
Spherical thrust roller bearings 292
293
294		 2 9 2
3
4

NSK bearing designation

NSK basic number, supplementary symbols, and the meanings of common numbers and symbols are listed in table below. The contact angle symbols and other supplementary designation are shown in successive columns from the left to right in table below.

NSK bearing designation
NSK bearing Basic Number Suffix
Bearing Series Bore Number Contact Angle Internal Design Material Cage External features Arrangement Internal clearance & Preload Tolerance class Special specificaiton Spacer or Sleeve Grease
Seals, Shields Design of rings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

1, NSK bearing series

Please refer to NSK bearing series.

2, Bore Number

The designation for the NSK bearing bore indicates the bearing's bore size. A two-digit number is used for bore sizes from 20mm to 480mm. This number is multiplied by five to give the bore size.

Diameters of 10, 12, 15 and 17 are an exception. In these cases, 00 indicates a diameter of 10 mm, 01 stands for 12 mm, 02 means 15 mm and the code 03 corresponds to a diameter of 17 mm.

The diameter is stated in mm for bore sizes up to 9 mm and over 480 mm. However, a miniature ball bearings with the code 608DDWMC3E has a bore size of 8 mm and a spherical roller bearing designated as 230/560 CAM E4 has a bore size of 560 mm.

3, Contact Angle

Angular contact ball bearings

  • A: Standard contact angle of 30°
  • A5: Standard contact angle of 25°
  • B: Standard contact angle of 40°
  • C: Standard contact angle of 15°

Tapered roller bearings

  • Ommitted: contact angle less than 17°
  • C: contact angle about 20°
  • D: contact angle about 28°

4, Internal Design

  • A: Internal design differs from standard one.
  • J: Smaller diameter of outer ring raceway, contact angle, and outer ring width of tapered roller bearings conform to ISO 355

For high capacity NSK bearings

  • C, CA, CD, EA: spherical roller bearings
  • E: cylindrical roller bearings
  • E: spherical thrust roller bearings

5, Material

  • g: Case-hardened steel used in rings, rolling elements
  • h: stainless steel used in rings, rolling elements

6, Cage

  • M: machined brass cage
  • W: pressed steel cage
  • T: synthetic resin cage
  • V: without cage

7, Seals, Shields symbol

  • Z, ZS: shield on one side only
  • ZZ, ZZS: shields on both sides
  • DU: contact rubber seal on one side only
  • DDU: contact rubber seals on both sides
  • V: Non-contact rubber seal on one side only
  • VV: Non-contact rubber seals on both sides

8, Symbol for Design of rings

  • K: tapered bore of inner ring (Taper 1:12)
  • K30: tapered bore of inner ring (Taper 1:30)
  • E: Notch or lubricating groove in ring
  • E4: Lubrication groove in outside surface and holes in outer ring
  • N: snap ring groove in outer ring
  • NR: snap ring groove with snap ring in outer ring

9, Arrangement

  • DB: back-to-back arrangement
  • DF: face-to-face arrangement
  • DT: tandem arrangement

10, Internal clearance symbol & Preload symbol

for all radial bearings

  • C1: clearance less than C2
  • C2: clearance less than CN
  • Omitted: CN clearance
  • C3: clearance GREATER than CN
  • C4: clearance GREATER than C3
  • C5: clearance GREATER than C4

for Non-interchangeable cylindrical roller bearings

  • CC1: clearance less than CC2
  • CC2: clearance less than CC
  • CC: Normal clearance
  • CC3: clearance GREATER than CC
  • CC4: clearance GREATER than CC3
  • CC5: clearance GREATER than CC4

for Extra-small and NSK Miniature ball bearings

  • MC1: clearance less than MC2
  • MC2: clearance less than MC3
  • MC3: Normal clearance
  • MC4: clearance GREATER than MC3
  • MC5: clearance GREATER than MC4
  • MC6: clearance GREATER than MC5

CM: Clearance in NSK Deep groove ball bearings and Cylindrical roller bearings(CM or CT) for electric Motors.

Preload of angular contact ball bearings

  • EL: extra light preload
  • L: light preload
  • M: medium preload
  • H: heavy preload

11, Tolerance class symbol

  • Omitted: ISO Normal
  • P6: ISO class6
  • P6X: ISO class6X
  • P5: ISO class5
  • P4: ISO class4
  • P2: ISO class2

for ABMA tapered roller bearing

  • Omitted: class 4
  • PN2: class 2
  • PN3: class 3
  • PN0: class 0
  • PN00: class 00

12, Special specification symbol

Bearings treated for dimensional stabilication

  • X26: working temperature lower than 150°C
  • X28: working temperature lower than 200°C
  • X29: working temperature lower than 250°C

spherical roller bearings

  • s11: dimensional stabiliging treatment working temperature lower than 200°C

13, Spacer or sleeve symbol

  • +K: Bearings with outer ring spacers
  • +L: Bearings with inner ring spacers
  • +KL: Bearings with both inner and outer ring spacers
  • H: adapter designation
  • AH: withdrawal sleeve designation
  • HJ: thrust collar designation

14, Grease symbol

  • AS2: shell alvania grease S2
  • ENS: ENS grease
  • NS7: ns hI-LUBE
  • PS2: Multemp PS No. 2