R&D
Promote Worldwide R&D Activities that Anticipate Market Trends by
Utilizing Tribology of Our Core Competence
R&D Strategies
Strengthen Core Technologies and Products, and Develop New Businesses
NTN contributes to the development of industry by conducting R&D activities continually anticipating market trends by utilizing our strengths in tribology (science and technology that includes the study and application of mechanisms of friction, wear and lubrication) and other technological fields.
Under the Medium-term Management Plan “DRIVE NTN100”, NTN has been accelerating R&D activities globally, focusing on the two axes of “Strengthen core technologies and products that support our management foundation” and “Strengthen new business development.”
Strengths in Technology Fields
Technologies Cultivated from Development and Manufacturing of Bearings for More Than 100 Years
For more than 100 years from its foundation in 1918, NTN has been developing bearings and other products. Bearings are used in various types of machinery and are “eco-products” that reduce friction and energy consumption. NTN's strengths are tribology developed through the development of bearings, as well as heat treatment, precision processing, and precision measurement that are essential to manufacture bearings.
In recent years, NTN has been improving design and technological examination through applying CAE technology (technology that can design products, analyze structures and conduct tests more efficiently by utilizing computer systems) cultivated from development of products for automobiles in a wide range of fields.
Leveraging the strengths in these technological fields, NTN has been developing even more high performance, energy-saving, lightweight, and compact products. Through providing such products that are clean and contribute to reducing environmental impact, NTN aims to increase customer satisfaction while achieving NTN's sustainable growth.
R&D System
Build Global R&D System
NTN has R&D bases in Japan, Americas, Europe and China to develop R&D systems in order to respond to global market needs.
In addition to vigorous personnel and technological exchange between each base, they share information on design, prototyping, experiment, production engineering, and customer project in each region through data bases to accelerate the creation of new technologies and products from a global perspective.
Additionally, NTN has been accelerating R&D activities by incorporating cutting-edge technologies through industry-academia collaboration. “NTN Next Generation Research Alliance Laboratory” which was established in the Graduate School of Engineering at the National University Corporation, Osaka University is conducting research that enables to predict the residual life of bearings by using artificial intelligence (AI) and to prevent bearing damage in advance.
Roles of R&D bases worldwide
| Japan | Iwata Engineering Center | We develop and design automotive products, while also planning, developing, and commercializing new businesses to achieve our sustainable growth. Additionally, we research and develop CAE technologies to enhance and streamline design, development, prototyping, and testing within the NTN Group's R&D divisions. |
| Kuwana Engineering Center | We develop and design products for industrial machinery and aftermarket including solutions and software regarding condition monitoring, while also providing technical support to expand global aftermarket sales. | |
| CVJ & Axle Bearing Engineering Center | We are engaged in the development and performance evaluation of drive shafts and axle units for automotive applications. | |
| Advanced Technology R&D Center | In order to achieve the latest (world's best and first), the staff works on advancing tribology, materials, surface modification, and powder technologies to improve bearing functions and create innovative Monozukuri technologies that lead to global environment conservation. It also conducts R&D including the development of components and systems, aiming for growth markets such as in new energy resources. | |
| Production Engineering HQ. | The staff conducts R&D in production systems, production technologies, and production facilities with unprecedented unique technologies and core technologies that shall be inherited within the NTN Group. In addition, it provides solutions to the issues related to production technology when developing new products as well as the guidance and assistance on production technology issues for the entire NTN Group. | |
| NTN Next Generation Research Alliance Laboratory | The staff conducts R&D by adopting the latest technologies through industry-academia collaboration, aiming to strengthen core technologies and create business in new areas. | |
| Americas | NTN Automotive Center (industrial machinery) | The staff provides technical proposals as well as technical support based on customer requirements such as evaluation tests and application development. |
| NTN Automotive Center (automotive) | The staff conducts evaluation tests, research and analysis for products after use, technical support based on customer requirement, technical proposals, and development for local procurement. | |
| Europe | NTN Europe R&D Center |
By utilizing sensing technology of NTN Europe, which joined the NTN Group in 2008, the staff works on the development of module products adapting to market trends and system product through collaboration with Japan. |
| China | NTN China Technical Center | The staff provides sales engineering which contributes to solving customer problems, and conducts various evaluation tests, research and analysis of products after use. It also conducts evaluation and analysis of local materials in China, aiming to increase the rate of local procurement. |
Internal System and Initiatives for Accelerating R&D
NTN continues to encourage employees in their creative efforts at developing new inventions. The “Patent Management Rule” as well as the “Patent Reward Rule” are established to reward our employees for their inventions. Foreign patents and know-how are also covered as inventions to be rewarded, and there is no upper limit on the reward payments. We are also working to discover and apply advanced technologies in collaboration with external research institutions, and foster talent development.
Latest R&D Themes
For the latest R&D themes, please refer to the Integrated Report “NTN Report.”