NTN Corp. (Japan; TSE:6472) has released its most recent development in light weight wheel bearing hub assembly units. In this case, light weight refers not only to the measured weight of the bearing itself, but also to the overall environmental impact.

NTN Light Weight Hub Unit (courtesy NTN)

Designed to weigh at least 10% less than competing wheel bearing hub units, NTN's bearings also boast a 20% reduction in forging material usage.

Dubbed the "Energy Saving Light Weight Hub Bearing" project, it begins by targeting the manufacturing process and improving the overall material yield ratio.

NTN said the in-plant environmental weight/impact of the hub during manufacturing is reduced by, "minimizing the burs and chips generated."

This starts at the very beginning of the manufacturing process, where advanced near-net forging technology is used to dramatically reduce the finish machining needed later.

Mechanically, the hub and spindle design process relies on advanced Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to identify those portions of the unit which can be safely eliminated without impacting the unit's strength or durability.

The end result is a wheel bearing, aimed at the global small car market, which bears more than a passing resemblance to units used in racing cars.