Bearing innovative & smart design training program completed at Dalian Ocean University, China

In order to further increase the training of professional and technical personnel in the bearing manufacturing field, and promote the transformation and upgrading of the bearing industry and technological innovation, a Professional and Technical Personnel Advanced Seminar Program "Bearing Innovative Design and Intelligent Manufacturing Technology Advanced Seminar" was successfully held Dalian Ocean University from April 14 to April 17, 2021. A total of 46 engineers and technicians from more than 20 companies completed the training.

In the first session, Mr. Zhou Feng from Dalian Jiaotong University systematically explained the smart manufacturing technology and the appearance of smart factories. Using a few typical cases, the trainees understood the concept of smart manufacturing.

On the morning of April 15th, researcher Fu Paixian from the Institute of Metal Materials of the Chinese Academy of Sciences lectured the trainees the knowledge of bearing steel and heat treatment. Knowledge in this field has always been a drawback of local bearing industry personnel, Prof. Fu Paixian has been engaged in bearing steel research for a long time, and is very familiar with bearing production. He also brought to everyone the latest research results and discoveries of the Institute of Metal Materials, which made the students very rewarding. In particular, the rare earth bearing steel developed by the Institute of Metallic Materials of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has a good control over carbides and segregation. The forging construction technology has solved the quality problems of large ferrules and heat treatment optimization technology. They are all international cutting-edge technologies, making the students exposed to the most advanced technology in the bearing field.

On April 16, the head teacher led the students to the Dalian Inspection and Testing Research Institute (Development Zone). They visited the headquarters and Wafangdian branch of the development zone. At the headquarters of the development zone, the trainees saw an X-ray coordinate measuring machine, which can measure complex work-pieces without contact, generate three-dimensional entities in the computer, and measure multiple dimensions and geometric tolerances at the same time, with an accuracy of 4.5μ+L/75. Participants also saw an electron microscope, which can magnify the bearing material slices to tens of thousands of times, so that the material defects of the bearing have nowhere to hide and are clearly distinguishable.

On April 17th, in the morning, Mr. Yao Zhouwei explained the development of intelligent bearing manufacturing technology. In this lecture, Mr. Yao shared a lot of valuable work experience in the bearing industry, and explained the connection between intelligent manufacturing and local bearing companies in detail to the students, so that everyone has a clearer understanding of intelligent bearing manufacturing and technological development. Mr. Yao unreservedly shared with everyone the details of the bearing MES system he had successfully launched, and gave everyone valuable experience to avoid mistakes and save time in the future. He also shared the information he had learned from internationally renowned bearing companies, which made the students full of expectations for the intelligent management and transformation.

In the afternoon, Mr. Sun from Jilin University delivered a speech and showed 3D printing technology, everyone began to get a full picture of incremental processing technology, especially the laser burning metal incremental processing technology. The mechanical properties of its materials have reached the level of casting, and bearing parts have been added. The possibility of using 3D printing technology for technical research. Especially for the processing of special-shaped bearing retainers, some students on site have expressed their willingness to try.

Finally, Chief Engineer Xu Shuping of one bear group explained the basic knowledge of bearing design to everyone. Bearing product design is a complex, high-tech, and high-experience work. Chief Engineer Xu introduced the basic principles and important design parameters of bearing design., which broadened the students' bearing knowledge.

This advanced seminar training lasted for four days. The specially-appointed teachers focused on the current situation of the bearing industry at home and abroad, the development route of high-end bearing technology, the technical difficulties and solution strategies of high-performance bearing, the intelligent manufacturing case of bearing enterprises, the international market development and risk avoidance of bearing enterprises, and the bearing enterprise leadership strategies and decision-making art, etc. Through special lectures, discussions and exchanges, visits and training, etc., it enabled students to understand the frontier dynamics of the international and domestic development of the bearing industry, and they learned something about new knowledge and new technologies in design and manufacturing of high-end bearings. It’s hoped that all students participating in this seminar would apply the new knowledge they gained to actual work and practice, adding luster to the bearing and intelligent manufacturing industry!