Contribute to improve fuel efficiency of automobiles by development of the bearing with long operating life

NTN Corporation (hereafter, NTN) received “Technology Award of Japanese Society of Tribologists*12020” in “Development of tapered roller bearing with ultra long operating life for automobile.” Among the practical technologies related to tribology, this award recognizes achievements related to the development of new products and new technologies, improvement of existing products and existing technologies, as well as technologies that has originality and novelty and can be expected to contribute to society in the future.

Society that promotes the academy and scientific technologies related to tribology, and contributes to theoretical advances and technological improvements related to tribology.

Japanese Society of Tribologists HP: https://www.tribology.jp/indexe.htm

Name of award

Technology Award of Japanese Society of Tribologists 2020

Name of winner

Hiroki Fujiwara, General Manager, CAE R&D Center,

Chikara Ooki, Chief Manager, Advanced Technology R&D Center,

Takashi Kawai, Chief Manager, Automotive Bearing Engineering Dept.

Awarded theme

“Development of tapered roller bearing with ultra long operating life for automobile.”

Automobiles' power transmission systems, such as transmission and differential unit, are becoming increasingly compact and lightweight due to fuel efficiency saving. As a result, the operating condition for bearing is becoming increasingly severe. NTN has developed “ULTAGE Tapered Roller Bearing for Automotive Application*2” to achieves the world's highest level in high-speed rotational and high-load capacity that exceed that of conventional product under the severe condition.

NTN's proprietary roller (rolling element) design minimizes contact surface pressure of the raceway surface and improves rolling operating life. By this improvement, bearing operating life achieves 1.8 times longer and the basic dynamic load rating representing high-load capacity achieves 1.2 times or more compared to conventional products.

Pressed Release, May 18, 2017: Development of “ULTAGE Tapered Roller Bearing for Automotive Application”
https://www.ntnglobal.com/en/news/new_products/news201700039.html

Reasons for award

The product contributes greatly to saving fuel efficiency of automobiles by contributing to the downsizing and weight saving of automobiles. In addition, the technology cultivate in the development could be applied to the development of bearings for industrial machinery and other applications and contribute further to realize the low carbon society.

Reference

Pressed Release, October 26, 2017: NTN Receives the 2017 “CHO” MONODZUKURI Innovative Parts and Components Award, Automotive Components Award
https://www.ntnglobal.com/en/news/press/news201700104.html

Pressed Release, October 16, 2020: NTN Starts Mass-Production and Delivery of “ULTAGE Tapered Roller Bearing for Automotive Application"
https://www.ntnglobal.com/en/news/new_products/news202000059.html