China TianMa Bearing challenge overseas technical barriers and move towards domestically produced core wind power components

Recently, the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Science and Technology announced a list of local science and technology development projects supported by the central government in 2024. Zhejiang Tianma Bearing Group Co., Ltd.'s "Key Technology Breakthroughs and Innovation Leadership Cultivation of High-Power Wind Power Spindles and Gearbox Bearings" project was on the list. Received 4 million yuan in financial support.

This shortlisting is another milestone after Tianma Bearing successfully completed the national key research and development plan "High-end Bearing Condition Monitoring and Health Management System Based on Big Data" project, promoting the transformation of wind power, rail transit and other industries towards predictive maintenance.

"High-power wind power spindles and gearbox bearings are the last hurdles that we urgently need to break through in the field of wind power bearings. They are crucial to enhancing the independence of domestic wind power core components and the safety of the industrial chain." Luo Xiaoming, director of the project department of Zhejiang Tianma Bearing Group Co., Ltd., pointed out .

The wind power bearing industry started late in China. Since its establishment in 1987, Tianma Bearing took the lead in realizing the localized production of wind power pitch and yaw bearings in 2007. Now, as a leader in the domestic wind power bearing field, its products not only meet the needs of In order to meet the needs of domestic wind power enterprises, it gradually replaces imports, and at the same time maintains stable cooperation with the world's top wind power complete machine manufacturers. However, main shaft bearings and gearbox bearings, two core components known as the "heart" of wind turbines, have long relied on imports, and the road to localization is full of challenges.

Tianma Bearing, like a tenacious explorer, has gradually climbed to the two peaks of independent research and development of high-end bearing special materials and independent innovation of ultra-large high-precision composite processing equipment, forming a complete industrial chain of "materials, bearings, and equipment".

In terms of special materials for high-end bearings, Tianma Bearing has spent 20 years and combined with a number of scientific research institutions to successfully solve a series of technical problems in high-end bearing steel and develop a variety of products including rare earth steel, medium carbon steel, high temperature steel, high nitrogen stainless steel, etc. Steel types lay a solid material foundation for high-end bearing manufacturing.

In the field of processing equipment, Tianma Bearing has independently developed more than 20 large-scale precision vertical compound processing machine tools since 2021. The performance and technical indicators of these equipment have reached the internationally advanced level. Among them, the GL6300 large-scale precision vertical turning and grinding compound CNC machine tool and The L8000G type was recognized as the first set of equipment in China and the province respectively, providing strong support for the manufacturing of high-end bearings.

In order to ensure bearing quality, Tianma Bearing is building China's first high-power wind spindle bearing test bench, which will provide a key test platform for the research and development of high-power wind power spindle and gearbox bearings.

Luo Xiaoming said: "Offshore wind turbines have a service life of up to 20 years. Complex and changing wind conditions and seawater corrosion have placed extremely high requirements on the durability of bearings. We are committed to finding deficiencies in each batch of finished products and making continuous improvements. To ensure the quality and reliability of domestic alternatives, Tianma Bearing will increase investment in research and development, accelerate the localization process of bearings, the core components of wind turbines, and contribute to the development of China’s high-end bearing industry.”