NTN is accelerating the commercialization of its “Talking Bearing,” a bearing with built-in sensing functions, and has demonstrated that it can be installed without major modifications to existing equipment.
NTN announced that it is accelerating validation toward commercialization of its “Talking Bearing,” a bearing equipped with sensing functions. Vibration, temperature and rotational-speed sensors, a generator and a wireless communications device are integrated into the bearing, eliminating the need for power and communications wiring while retaining the standard size.
The bearing is designed to be the same size as a standard bearing, and is said to be installable without design changes or major modifications to existing equipment.
Against a backdrop of labor shortages at manufacturing sites and a decline in skilled technicians, demand is increasing for stable equipment operation and more efficient maintenance. Since announcing development of the product in 2022, NTN has continued improving it based on customer evaluations and feedback.
The product is intended to support predictive maintenance and labor savings at industrial sites, and validation toward commercialization is progressing.