Contribute to Carbon-Free Society

The Group is focusing on five initiatives, “Contribute to spread of wind turbine and hydrogen society,” “Save energy for EVs and electrification (core products),” “Save energy for EVs and electrification (new areas),” “Increase efficiency of manufacturing equipment” and “Bearing refurbish business” toward a carbon-free society.

■Five initiatives that NTN Group focuses on toward a carbon-free society

Contribute to spread of wind turbine and hydrogen society

To achieve carbon neutrality towards the realization of a sustainable society, renewable energy sources that generate power by using wind and solar power, as well as hydrogen, which does not emit CO₂ during combustion, are attracting much attention as next-generation clean energy sources.
In the field of wind power generation, the increasing size and scale of power generator, particularly for offshore wind power, is making them difficult to maintain. As such, there is demand for even greater durability and reliability of component parts, as well as sophisticated condition monitoring systems to improve operation rates.
In the hydrogen-related field, there are calls to further extend the lifespan of the plastic piston rings used in high-pressure hydrogen compressors. By making full use of the tribology technology for plastic products that we have developed and built up to date, NTN aims to contribute to the realization of a hydrogen society by providing products that are suited to market needs.

Wind power

With a view to achieving carbon neutrality, the wind power market is expanding rapidly and the number of onshore wind power generator being installed is increasing.
NTN provides a service that uses “Wind Doctor,” a condition monitoring system (CMS) for wind power generator, to transmit the operating status of the equipment to wind power operators in order to improve the operating rate of wind power generator. Since the year before last, NTN has concluded a business partnership with Hokutaku Co., LTD, a company that specializes in the maintenance of wind power generator, as a part of our efforts to expand the business. By utilizing NTN’s CMS, when any changes arise in the operating condition of wind power generator, it is possible to provide information on vibration abnormalities or other data to wind power operators, as well as offer them timely proposals on the need for maintenance. If the power generation operators put forward requests for maintenance support based on the proposals, NTN works jointly with Hokutaku Co., LTD to provide a one-stop service that includes inspecting the wind power generator, identifying the areas of abnormality, and arranging for bearing repairs. This service has been well-received by power generation operators as it allows them to take advantage of a series of systemized services. Furthermore, in recent years, progress has been made in the installation of offshore wind power generator that is capable of generating power in a stable and highly efficient method. Offshore wind power generator is larger than onshore wind power generator, making it difficult to maintain. In addition to the need for highly durable and reliable component parts, it is also desirable to have high-precision condition monitoring systems. While expanding our range of services for onshore and offshore wind power generator, we aim to contribute to expanding the market for wind power generator as a manufacturer that offers both products and services.

■Wind Doctor

Hydrogen

Hydrogen is attracting attention as a next-generation energy source, and active technological development is ongoing in all the aspects of production, transportation, storage, and utilization in order to enable its actual application. NTN, along with Kyushu University and others, is participating in the “Development of Technologies for Low-cost and Sophisticated Hydrogen Refueling Station,” a project under NEDO’s open call program, “Development of Technologies for Building a Competitive Hydrogen Supply Chain.” In this project, NTN promotes the development of highly durable and reliable plastic piston rings for use in high-pressure hydrogen gas compressors. In developing piston rings, NTN utilizes the tribology technology related to plastic materials that we have cultivated over many years of work in the development, production, and sale of engineering plastic sliding parts.
By leveraging the knowhow of tribology and its evaluation techniques that NTN has developed to date, and developing the relevant products that can work in a hydrogen environment, we aim to contribute to progress in the development of hydrogen infrastructure as well as the widespread adoption of next-generation energy.

Save energy for EVs and electrification

The electrification of automotives and shift toward EVs are advancing as society moves toward achieving carbon neutrality. One of the challenges faced by EVs is extending their driving range, and there is a need to reduce the size and weight of parts installed in the vehicle as well as achieve high efficiency, including for key components used in the electric drive unit known as “e-Axles.” To improve the energy consumption of vehicles, NTN has developed “Needle Roller Bearing Units for e-Axle Planetary Reduction Gear” that can support the increasingly harsh environments that e-Axles are used in due to the lower viscosity of lubricants, the world's smallest and lightest rear driveshafts, and the “Low Friction Hub Bearing V,” which reduces friction by up to 64% compared to conventional products. Through these products, we contribute to saving energy in EVs.

Providing high-performance bearings (core products)

To reduce the fuel and electricity consumption of EVs and HEVs and to extend their driving range, there is increasing demand for greater efficiency and reduced size and weight of the electric drive unit (e-Axle) installed in these vehicles. Moreover, the environments in which bearings used in e-Axles operate is becoming increasingly harsh due to factors such as lower viscosity lubricants and higher rotational speeds. By optimizing the materials and heat treatment conditions for the shaft and retainer, as well as the crowning shape of the rollers, we have developed “Needle Roller Bearing Unit for e-Axle Planetary Reduction Gear (a set of shaft and needle rollers with retainer).” This needle roller bearing unit improves peeling life by approximately 30% and limiting speed by approximately 10% compared to conventional products, thereby improving reliability under conditions of thin or poor lubrication.

With regard to driveshafts, demand for more compact and lightweight products is increasing further. Conventionally, front CVJs have been diverted for use in rear driveshafts. However, by optimizing the design to limit the operating angle and functions to those required for rear CVJs, alongside adopting a thin-walled hollow shaft and compact boot, we have developed the compact and lightweight rear driveshaft, “R Series,” which is 30% lighter than conventional products and has a 3% to 5% smaller CVJ outer diameter. This is expected to improve fuel efficiency by 0.05% and reduce CO₂ emissions by 0.075g/km. The product has been adopted globally, mainly in rear-wheel drive SUVs and EVs.

Going forward, the demand for bearings in the automotive market is expected to grow further as EVs and HEVs become increasingly efficient and functional. NTN will continue to utilize our core competencies and incorporate next-generation technologies to enhance our product lineup and develop products that anticipate market needs and contribute to carbon neutrality.

■Needle Roller Bearing Unit for e-Axle Planetary Reduction Gear

Providing high-performance modular products (new area)

NTN pursues weight reduction, longer lifespan, and higher efficiency for our hub bearings, which are core products for automotives that support tire rotations. To date, we have made progress in developing modules of bearings and peripheral parts, contributing to reducing size and weight while improving the ease of installation in vehicles. In addition, we have also leveraged our tribology technology, which is our core competency, to achieve improvements in material, heat processing, grease, and seals, and rolled out products with longer lifespans and lower torque to the market.
Toward the realization of a carbon-free society, there is a need to further reduce friction in hub bearings in order to address the problem of increasing the driving range of EVs. NTN has developed the “Low Friction Hub Bearing V,” using a newly developed seal application grease and bearing internal grease that have even lower viscosity while maintaining durability by refining the viscosity of the thickening agent. This reduces friction by up to approximately 64% compared to conventional products and is expected to improve energy consumption by approximately 0.75%.
We will continue to deepen our tribology technology and contribute to the realization of carbon neutrality through the development of modular products that further enhance the efficiency and functionality of EVs as well as improve customer convenience.

■Low Friction Hub Bearing V

Increase efficiency of manufacturing equipment

In order to strike a balance between carbon neutrality and economic growth, it is desirable for the manufacturing industry to improve the efficiency of energy usage, such as electricity, while also improving productivity. In particular, there is a strong need to minimize the downtime of manufacturing equipment. In recent years, with the advancement of digital transformation and IoT technology, there has been growing demand for remote and automatic monitoring of equipment without location or time constraints, as well as stabilization of product quality through the utilization of the condition monitoring information acquired. In response to these needs for the enhanced efficiency of manufacturing equipment and condition monitoring, NTN is working on the development in both the aspects of hardware and software.
On the hardware side, we have developed the “IMT Bearing,” a ball screw support rolling bearing for injection molding machines that uses the industry's first separator retainer to strike a balance between achieving the longest lifespan and high-speed rotation in the industry. This contributes to reducing the maintenance costs and cycle time of electric injection molding machines, while also being environmentally friendly.
On the software side, we have launched the sale of “Bearing Inspector for Edgecross,” a bearing diagnostic Edge application compatible with the industrial IoT platform “Edgecross” provided by Edgecross Consortium. In addition to its ability to diagnose bearing abnormalities easily and quickly, it can also carry out equipment maintenance. This is because it can collect and analyze, in real time, information on equipment operating conditions, such as operation, stoppage, and rotation speeds, at the production site.
Furthermore, as a modular product that combines both hardware and software, we have developed a rolling bearing called a sensor-equipped “Talking Bearing,” which incorporates a generator, sensor and wireless device into a standard rolling bearing. This product has been awarded the Machinery & Robot Component Award in the “CHO” MONODZUKURI Innovative Parts and Components Award 2023. The bearing generates electricity on its own by rotating, which enables the operation of the sensor and wireless communication device to automatically transmit sensing information. In addition, since the sensor is embedded in the bearing, it can detect the condition of the bearing with higher sensitivity and detect abnormalities earlier than when the sensor is attached externally to the equipment housing.
Going forward, NTN will continue to contribute to the realization of a carbon-neutral society by developing and providing products and services that improve the operation rate and productivity of manufacturing equipment.

■Talking Bearing

Bearing refurbish business

NTN is currently working on the business of refurbishing bearings used in various types of machinery and equipment, such as extra-large bearings for paper mill, large bearings for steel mill, and bearings for railway application. We provide the optimal refurbishing services based on our knowhow of bearing technologies, in response to requests from customers in these fields across the world. Alongside offering training on the appropriate ways of handling bearings, services to monitor the condition of machinery and equipment, and services to analyze bearings and lubricants after use, we are expanding comprehensive efforts to address the NTN Group’s materiality, such as “Provide safety and comfort,” “Reduce energy loss,” and “Resource recycling and pollution prevention.”

We conduct our business under the corporate philosophy of “We shall contribute to international society through creating new technologies and developing new products,” the first item of our Environmental Policy is “Developing technology that contributes to prevention of global warming.” Our main products, such as bearings and drive shafts, all contribute to reducing energy loss in the finished products. They can, therefore, all be considered environment-contributing products. Some of them are already widely used in society as the achievements of our predecessors, while others have made further contributions to the environment through our technological and developmental capabilities. Moreover, green energy products are environmentally friendly and contribute to reducing CO₂ emissions by generating renewable energy.
We continue unwavering efforts to realize its corporate philosophy by developing and providing higher-grade products that contribute to the environment while quantifying the degree of environmental contribution based on our standards.

Definition of environment-contributing product

Classification and grades of NTN products and their definition

Using products with a performance level around the level in 1997 as our benchmark, NTN classifies environment-contributing products in five grades from S- to D-eco, based on environmental factor standards that are prescribed for each product.

Calculation methods for environmental factors and eco-efficiency

To quantify the degree of environment contribution from products, NTN has adopted eco-efficiency and environmental factors defined through formulae ① and ② as follows.

Trends in outcomes from initiatives

Driveshafts and hub bearings, which are NTN’s flagship products that account for approximately 50% of our net sales, as well as green energy products, contributed to CO₂ reduction of 1,613 thousand tons in FY2023. Sales of environment-contributing products ranked from S- to B-eco grades, which are the results of our development efforts in recent years, accounted for 55.7% of total net sales in FY2023.

■Trend in net sales^＊

■Trend in composition of environment-contributing products by grade
　(driveshafts and hub bearings)

■Contribution to CO₂ reduction^＊