A Vesconite and Vesconite Hilube wheel and bushing combination has been deployed at a prominent hydroelectric company in New Zealand, expanding a growing set of hydroelectric reference cases for these bearing materials.

NTN, the parent company of BCA Bearings, is pleased to announce the receipt of a 2024 Content Excellence Award from the Automotive Content Professionals Network (ACPN). BCA Bearings received the Gold Award for ACES and PIES Data in the Large Category (250,000+ applications) at the 2024 Auto Care Connect/ACPN Annual Conference, held recently in Chicago, Illinois.

The PRT-02-30-WPC slewing ring bearing is another step forward by Igus toward integrating renewable raw materials into industrial production. Made of 50 percent wood and 50 percent high-performance plastics, the cost effective and lubrication-free slewing ring bearing balances strength and durability with a proven low CO2 footprint of just 0.0577 kilograms. By comparison, the PRT-02-30-ECO — already made from 97 percent regranulate — has a CO2 equivalent of 0.819868 kg.

At a Gulf Coast seawater cooling pump station, the resilience of Vesconite Hilube bearings in hypochlorite came to the forefront, showcasing their superiority in challenging environments.

Caterpillar Inc. announces the awarding of Supplier Excellence Recognition Process (SER) Certification to the NTN Hamilton plant. This prestigious acknowledgment underscores NTN's consistent demonstration of excellence in product quality, service delivery, and overall performance in its partnership with Caterpillar.

Back in 1913, in Ann Arbor, MI., Leander J. Hoover founded the Hoover Steel Ball Company. In 1990, Tsubaki Nakashima company of Japan acquired the US ball manufacturing company and is currently the biggest manufacturer and supplier of precision balls in the world. Its first markets were the growing automotive and precision bearing industries. More than a century later, the electric vehicles (EV) market is becoming more and more relevant, though the combustible auto industry continues to grow. Its market for high-quality precision products has extended to medical, aerospace, military defense, and critical applications. After the great age of steel, a new era opened wide spaces for more extreme materials which paved the way for ceramics. 

NSK Ltd. has released a new gas turbine generator bearing for eVTOLs including large drones, which is expected to extend drone flight range. The new product was used for the gas turbine generator of a large drone (high payload emergency supply delivery drone equipped with a gas turbine generator) equipped with an 80-kw hybrid drive system for a regional reconstruction and practical development promotion project in fiscal 2023 and delivered to Fukushima Prefecture on February 21, 2024. 

Elgeti online engineering seminars start next week. Registration is available for "Bearing Supplier Development" and "Failure Analysis." Additionally, Elgeti offers customized and private sessions if needed.  

The Timken Company board of directors has reached an agreement with Tarak Mehta to become Timken's next president and chief executive officer Sept. 5, 2024. Mehta is currently president of the Motion business and member of the Group Executive Committee at ABB Ltd., a $32 billion leader in electrification and automation. Mehta will be appointed Timken president and CEO after he completes a transition period with ABB.

The inaugural North American version of the Lubricant Expo and The Bearing Show took place last week at Huntington Place in Detroit. A vibrant conference/education schedule balanced an informative group of exhibitors discussing component challenges, system upgrades and future trends. Innovation in the automotive, transportation and energy industries is keeping R&D departments busier than ever. Here’s why: