The International Conference on Frontiers in Bearings and Tribology 2025 was grandly held in China Xi'an

In the golden autumn of August, with its cool and pleasant breeze, the "2025 International Academic Conference on Frontiers in Bearings and Tribology" was successfully held in Xi’an from August 27 to 29. Organized by the Key Laboratory of Modern Design and Rotor-Bearing System of the Ministry of Education at Xi’an Jiaotong University, the conference attracted widespread attention from experts and scholars in the field of bearings both in China and abroad. Esteemed international scholars, including Professor Noritsugu Umehara from Nagoya University, who also serves as President of the Japanese Society of Tribologists, and Professor Daniel Nélias, Director of the Research Center at INSA Lyon, France, along with more than 50 experts from universities and research institutions in the fields of bearings and tribology, gathered in Xi’an. They engaged in in-depth exchanges and discussions on key issues such as fundamental theories, cutting-edge technologies, and interdisciplinary innovation in the bearing industry. Participants shared innovative ideas to jointly promote the continued integration, deepening, and expansion of global advanced technologies in bearings and tribology. The conference chair was Professor Hong Jun, Director of the Laboratory.

At the opening ceremony, Mr. Zhou Yu, Chairman of the China Bearing Industry Association, delivered a speech. He pointed out that my country's bearing industry is currently at a critical stage of transformation toward high-end and intelligent manufacturing, urgently needing to overcome bottlenecks in core mechanisms and technologies in materials, design, and manufacturing through cutting-edge technological exploration and deep cross-disciplinary integration. He expressed his hope that this seminar would establish an international, open exchange platform, provide new ideas and concepts for basic bearing research, promote cross-disciplinary exchange and technological application, and jointly advance the overall progress of both the global and Chinese bearing industries. Subsequently, Professor Hong Jun, Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee, Vice President, and Director of the Key Laboratory of Xi'an Jiaotong University, extended a warm welcome to the participating experts. Professor Hong emphasized that the laboratory will leverage its strengths in basic research and collaborate with renowned research institutions both domestically and internationally to jointly address hot issues in fundamental theory and cutting-edge technologies in the bearing field, providing strong support for the high-quality development of my country's bearing industry.

The conference featured one main forum and two sub-forums, with approximately 50 academic presentations, including keynote speeches and invited presentations, sharing the current status of bearing technology and tribology development in various countries. In the main forum, Professor Noritsugu Umehara of Nagoya University in Japan presented a lecture titled "The Importance of Tribology for Future Sustainable Development." He explored the key role of tribology in promoting sustainable technologies and innovation, emphasizing its potential to improve resource efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and support the development of new materials. Professor Daniel Nélias of the National Institute of Applied Sciences of Lyon, France, shared the latest findings on "Fretting Wear in Oscillating Pitch Bearings." He explored the impact of fretting wear on the performance of oscillating pitch bearings and analyzed the wear mechanisms under different operating conditions and their potential impact on bearing life.

Professor Zhang Ke, President of Shenyang University of Technology, presented the latest findings on "All-Ceramic Bearing Research," comprehensively analyzing the performance advantages of all-ceramic bearings and their potential for application in extreme environments, demonstrating their significant prospects in future technologies. Professor Zhang Chenhui of Tsinghua University and recipient of the National Outstanding Young Scientist Award presented a lecture on "Research on Stern Bearing Materials Based on Hydration Lubrication Principles." He discussed the application of hydration lubrication in stern bearing materials and its impact on performance improvement, proposing innovative material design strategies. Professor Zhang Zhinan of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Professor Chen Chuanhai of Jilin University, Professor Feng Kai of Hunan University, Professor Wang Wenzhong of Beijing Institute of Technology, Professor Liu Jing of Northwestern Polytechnical University, Professor Ren Chengzu of Tianjin University, Professor Meng Fanming of Chongqing University, Professor Cai Meirong of the Lanzhou Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Professor Sun Qingchao of Dalian University of Technology presented academic presentations on topics such as tribological information fusion, high-end machine tool spindle reliability, air bearings, electro-corrosion in new energy vehicle bearings, precision roller machining, wind turbine sliding bearings, and self-lubrication in mechanical equipment. These presentations stimulated in-depth discussion and reflection on future research directions, such as the deep integration and cutting-edge intersections of bearings and tribology.

In the sub-forum, young scholars from over 30 universities in China shared detailed insights on cutting-edge bearing technology research supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and other institutions. This showcased the vibrant academic thinking and continuously improving research capabilities of young scholars in the bearing field in my country, injecting new vitality into promoting innovation and breakthroughs in the field.