Special Issue; Products for Industrial Machinery - NTN

NTN TECHNICAL REVIEW No.742006
Preface
Introduction to this Special Feature Issue –
NTN Products
for Industrial Machinery
Kenji OKADA
Managing Director
The current trend in the Japanese economy can be characterized as a steady recovery led by domestic
demand and supported by the active investments of Japanese manufacturers in manufacturing plants and
facilities. These are fueled by the recovering business performance of Japanese enterprises and the strong
personal consumption of consumers. However, at the same time, we face anxieties that threaten our everyday
lifestyles, including unprecedented high petroleum prices and environmental pollution problems that are difficult
to resolve. In short, we are experiencing an era that is increasing in complication.
In this age of dramatic change, NTN is now celebrating its 88th anniversary thanks to support from the users of
NTN products. I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to them.
NTN took part in the 23rd Japan International Machine Tool Fair (JIMTOF2006), which ran from November 1 to
8, 2006. To mark this occasion, we issued the Japanese edition of this publication, the NTN Technical Review
No. 74 (2006). This year’s edition features topics about bearing products for industrial machinery, detailing how
these products boast longer lifespans, lower running torques and compact sizes, which are merits that contribute
to the realization of a society that promotes energy conservation and environmental protection. This publication
describes NTN’s achievements in developing our latest technologies and novel products. The review begins with
a contribution titled “Trends in Recent Machine Tool Technologies” by Kobe University Professor Toshimichi
Moriwaki who is an international authority in the fields of production engineering and precision machining. Nine
topics about NTN products for industrial machinery follow, including five topics about products for machine tools,
three theses related to material and heat treatments, and two reports about NTN products that won awards in
2005— the Mono-Zukuri Component Grand Prize given for creation and manufacture of a novel product and the
Engineering Award of the Japanese Society of Tribologists.
In recent years, the environmental consciousness of the public has been growing steadily, and, as a result, the
responsibilities of manufacturers to achieve a harmonious balance with the global environment have also
become greater. Given this reality, we must remain deeply committed to efforts for reducing CO2 emissions to
help control global warming and to efforts for realizing a recycling-oriented society.
In consideration of these issues, many NTN products directly and indirectly support energy conservation and
environmental protection. These include our rolling bearings and constant velocity joints, as well as our
hydrostatic bearings, repair devices and other products for precision machinery. Rolling bearings are essentially
products that help reduce rolling friction, so they can be considered to be products that conserve energy. Our
other energy-saving products include NTN constant velocity joints and rolling guideways, which boast much
improved transmission efficiency and NVH characteristics (noise, vibration and riding comfort) through
incorporation of rolling elements into their sliding sections, as well as products for precision equipment that
feature non-contact bearings as supporting mechanisms.
Our commitments are not limited to energy-saving features for these fundamental products. We are fully
committed to the development of new products in the fields of energy conservation and eco-friendly equipment
that help reduce environmental impacts.
For 88 years since our foundation, in the belief that “quality is the source of NTN brand power,” we have always
conducted strict self-evaluations as we have developed novel products with the goal of “realizing quality that
fulfills customer satisfaction.” With the motto, “For New Technology Networks ,” our philosophy is to contribute to
international society by using NTN engineering abilities to provide novel, high-quality products that are relevant to
fulfilling ever-diversifying market needs. In keeping with this, we promise to continue our commitment to realizing
the confidence and satisfaction of our customers.
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