NTN Corporation Receives 2021 “CHO” MONODZUKURI Innovative Parts and Components Award

Mt. Prospect, IL – NTN Bearing Corporation of America, the parent company of BCA Bearings, is proud to announce NTN’s award of a 2021 “CHO” MONODZUKURI Innovative Parts and Components Award. NTN won this award for the development of High-Speed Deep Groove Ball Bearings for electric vehicle (EV) and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) applications.

NTN’s award winning High-Speed Deep Groove Ball Bearings are designed for ultra-high-speed applications in motors and gearboxes used in EVs and HEVs. To achieve the high speed rotational capabilities required by these applications, NTN revised the materials used in the ball retainer for increased strength, and designed an improved pocket profile where the retainer and rolling elements have direct contact to minimize distortion caused by centrifugal forces. The developed products have identical package dimensions to conventional bearings, which enables them to be interchangeable. They are engineered to use grease or oil lubrication, depending on the application. In recent years, there has been an increased demand for oil lubrication, which has the advantage of cooling to compensate for heat generation, which improves efficiency.

“We are very proud of this award”, remarked Rob Barrett, Sr. Manager – Bearing Applications Engineering and Development, NTN Bearing Corporation of America, “NTN is guided by our corporate philosophy of contributing to international society by developing new technologies and products, and these High-Speed Deep Groove Ball Bearings for EVs and HEVs, embody that philosophy by advancing the future of mobility.”

To develop these products, NTN relied on years of research and technology to minimize frictional energy loss and optimize internal bearing specifications. The development of these products contributes to the continued growth of EV and HEV technologies by supporting high-speed rotation with a dmn value* of 1.8 million (depending on conditions). The development of these technologies contributes to the realization of a decarbonized society, which is an important component of NTN’s corporate “Nameraka” philosophy, which promotes being eco-friendly for the good of all.

The “CHO” MONODZUKURI Innovative Parts and Components Award is awarded by the MONODZUKURI Nippon Conference and Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, Ltd, for parts and materials that make significant contributions to the development of industry and society. The awardee is selected from manufacturers of parts and materials related to machinery, electronics and automobiles in fields related to the environment, health, biotechnology, medical equipment and everyday life.

* dmn value: An indicator that expresses the rotational performance of bearings and is calculated by multiplying the bearing pitch circle diameter (mm) by the rotational speed (min-1).