NTN : Develops Sensor Integrated Bearing “Talking Bearing™”〈Product〉

Incorporate sensors, power generation units and wireless devices into bearing for advanced condition monitoring

NTN Corporation (hereafter, NTN) has developed Sensor Integrated Bearing "Talking Bearing™" that incorporates sensors, power generation units, and wireless devices into bearing and wirelessly transmits information on temperature, vibration, and rotational speed. As the sensors are built into the bearing, the newly developed product realizes more advanced condition monitoring and early abnormality detection than sensors attached to outside of equipment.

At manufacturing sites, there is a strong demand to minimize downtime of facilities by monitoring operating status of equipment, and conducting appropriate and systematic maintenance and parts replacement based on data in order to improve production efficiency. In addition, with advancement of DX and IoT technologies in recent years, there has also been growing needs to stabilize and improve manufacturing quality through remote or automatic monitoring of equipment that is not subject to location or time constraints and use of obtained condition monitoring information.

NTN has responded to needs for condition monitoring through sensing bearings. In particular, we participated in project by NEDO regarding monitoring and analyzing bearing condition for large wind turbines in 2014. Currently, many customers have adopted our condition monitoring system (CMS) for wind turbines*¹. In addition, we have developed "Sensor Integrated Bearing Unit" for Machine Tool Spindles*², "Bearing Diagnosis Application for Industrial IoT Platforms," and "NTN Portable Vibroscope*³" to respond to condition monitoring for bearings. Through the development of these products and services, we have been improving our technology of selecting sensors required to monitor bearing condition and developing analysis software in advance to other companies.

"Talking Bearing™" incorporate sensors, generation units, and wireless devices into standard bearing*⁴ without changing dimensions and load capacity. Sensors and wireless devices are operated by electricity generated with rotation of bearing, and sensor information is transmitted wirelessly and automatically. Since the sensor is built into the bearing, it is possible to detect condition of bearing more sensitively than sensor externally attached to equipment. It can also diagnose abnormality at an early stage. In addition, since its dimension and load capacity are the same as those of standard bearings, the developed product can be replaced from bearings used in existing equipment without cables for power supply and data transmission, enabling easy condition monitoring for bearings.

NTN will begin test marketing of the product to seek out specific needs and make proposals to market. We plan to commercialize deep groove ball bearings as "Talking Bearing™," which are often used in production equipment, and then gradually expand types and part numbers of the developed product.

Under the Medium-term Management Plan "DRIVE NTN100" Phase 2, NTN has been strengthening service and solution business in order to transform its business from "products" to "services." With the developed product, NTN will contribute to realization of sophisticated condition monitoring, and develop our service and solution business through the provision of condition monitoring services including notifications of proper replacement timing. We will also expand sales of bearings for repair in conjunction with the service and solution business.

1. Press release on January 24, 2019:
   Advancing the Implementation of NTN-developed Condition Monitoring Systems (CMS) for Wind Turbines in Japan
   https://www.ntnglobal.com/en/news/press/news201800123.html
2. Press release on November 13, 2020:
   Improvement of "Sensor Integrated Bearing Unit" for Machine Tool Spindles
   https://www.ntnglobal.com/en/news/new_products/news202000073.html
3. Press release on May 26, 2020:
   Expand Bearing Failure Detection Service
   https://www.ntnglobal.com/en/news/new_products/news202000026.html
4. Rolling bearings with internationally standardized main dimension and type

Features

1. Compatibility	Have compatibility with standard bearings by incorporating sensors, power generation units, and wireless devices into standard bearing*4 without changing dimension and load capacity
2. Advanced condition monitoring and abnormality diagnosis	Detect bearing condition such as vibration and temperature with sensors built in bearing with high sensitivity compared sensors attached to outside of equipment
3. High convenience	Cables are not required for power supply and data transmission, and it is easy to mount the product in equipment

Applications

Industrial machinery (motors, blowers, etc.)

Example of use

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