NSK Plans to Expand Wheel Hub III Bearing Production by 50%(pic)

NSK Ltd. (Japan) said it will be aggressively expanding production of its Hub III automotive wheel bearing hub assembly units at several facilities worldwide. Specifically, NSK is targeting at least a 50% volume increase in Hub III production by 2008 to 23 million hubs, corresponding to a 33% OEM market share. To that end, NSK said it has budgeted at least $40 million, primarily to add Hub III production lines in existing facilities. Hub III production will be initiated in Thailand. In NSK nomenclature: Hub I describes a double-row bearing and separate spindle. The bearing is pressed into the knuckle and the spindle is pressed into the bearing. Hub II describes an integral double-row bearing built into a flanged outer ring. The flanged outer is bolted to the knuckle, and a separate spindle is pressed into the bearing. Hub III describes a fully integrated, preassembled unit, the double-row bearing built into and as an integral part of the spindle and flanged outer ring. The flanged outer bolts the entire assembled unit to the knuckle. Several Hub III variations are available, from plain double-row ball bearing units to those with tapered roller bearings, add-on electronic ABS sensors, to integrated ABS sensors and multi-pole magnetic encoders. All of these electronics provide wheel speed data to the vehicle's computer system. Sensors can be add-on passive sensors all the way to active sensors used to help drive the next generation of electronic vehicle stability control systems. NSK's HUB III production and market share have increased dramatically since the company began specifically targeting that product line. From only a minimal market presence in 1997, NSK said its worldwide market share for Hub III unit has now grown to 25%, or 11.5 million units. year est. total OEM marketfor Hub III est. NSK marketshare of Hub III est. NSK salesof Hub III 1997 20.0 million minimal minimal 2000 31.0 million 13% 4.0 million 2004 46.0 million 25% 11.5 million 2008 67.0 million 33% 23.0 million NSK produces hub units and components in Ishibe, Japan; Franklin, Indiana and Liberty, Indiana, USA; Peterlee, UK (since 2000); Shanghai, China; Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Bangkok, Thailand. Monthly Hub III production by 2008 is forecast to be: Japan 630,000 USA 550,000 UK 330,000 China 280,000 Thailand 50,000 In 2001, NSK published an article describing how Hub III units now use swaged inner rings to lock the bearings in place, as opposed to the more-common but trouble-prone clamp nut system. • NSK publication: Development of Hub Unit Bearing With Swaging [requires PDF viewer] NSK also produces tapered roller bearing hub units in an arrangement with Timken. No announcements were made regarding production of the next-generation hub unit, dubbed Hub 3.5, which integrates a CV joint. With that type of unit, not only is final assembly on the vehicle easier, but the packaging size is much smaller, and the vehicle's turning radius can be smaller because the CV's centerline shifts more favorably in line with the bearings and knuckle.