On June 26, at the Schaeffler Taicang Manufacturing Base, the management team of the Schaeffler Group and the China Automotive Bearing Division, the division and factory colleagues gathered together to celebrate the commissioning of the new wheel hub bearing production line and the 40 millionth wheel hub bearing G3 off the production line.
The new production line is used to expand the production capacity of wheel hub bearings with end splines. After the production is put into operation, it will further meet the growing needs of new energy vehicle customers and the market, and lay the foundation for promoting the sustainable development of the wheel hub bearing business.
Dr. Dieter Eireiner, head of the Schaeffler Group's Automotive Bearing Division, Thomas Maurischat, head of the global wheel hub business unit, Wang Yong, head of the Schaeffler China Automotive Bearing Division, the division and factory management team and relevant colleagues celebrated together
End spline wheel hub bearing
Production capacity is further improved
Wheel hub bearings with end splines are the core products in Schaeffler's wheel hub bearing product series. Thanks to the patented end spline technology and low resistance design, the bearing has excellent performance in friction, torque transmission, lightweight, energy consumption and other aspects. Compared with ordinary designs, the wheel hub bearing with end spline transmits 50% more torque, reduces weight by 10%, reduces friction by 34%, and can reduce the energy consumption of the whole vehicle by 0.6%.
Schaeffler wheel hub bearing with end spline
In new energy vehicles, the advantages of end spline wheel hub bearings are more obvious. Not only can they provide greater torque load, but they also help to lighten the chassis system, and with the support of low friction design, they effectively increase the cruising range. At present, Schaeffler wheel hub bearings with end splines have been used in many new energy models of OEMs at home and abroad, and have been widely recognized by customers.
In 2015, Schaeffler began to produce end spline wheel hub bearings in Taicang, and has accumulated rich experience in mass production applications in the past decade. Advanced manufacturing technology and production processes ensure stable and reliable product quality. The production line put into operation this time is an efficient and automated production line designed and manufactured by Schaeffler's intelligent equipment company, which integrates dozens of processes from incoming material processing to finished product assembly. The production line can produce a wheel hub bearing product every 10 seconds, and the key dimensions are 100% automatically detected to ensure stable and reliable product quality. After the new production line is put into operation, it will further increase the production capacity of Schaeffler's wheel hub bearings with end splines in Taicang, and better meet the needs of the rapid development of the new energy vehicle market.
Excellent manufacturing capabilities
The 40 millionth piece of G3 rolled off the production line
In 2012, Schaeffler's wheel hub bearing G3 was put into production in Taicang. After that, with the rapid growth of new energy vehicles in China, Schaeffler's wheel hub bearing G3 products, especially wheel hub bearings with end splines, have become increasingly popular with customers due to their significant advantages in new energy vehicles. The output has continued to set new records, and this year it has reached an important milestone of 40 million pieces. The continued growth in output and the continuous expansion of production capacity fully reflect Schaeffler's excellent localized manufacturing capabilities and leading product competitiveness.
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Wheel hub bearings are an important part of Schaeffler's automotive bearing product portfolio. Over the years, we have continued to deepen our efforts in this field. By leveraging the company's decades of technological accumulation in the bearing field, we have continued to innovate products to meet the growing needs of customers, especially in the field of new energy vehicles. The launch of the new production line is an important milestone for Schaeffler's wheel hub bearings and a new starting point for future business development.
-- Dr. Dieter Eireiner, Head of Schaeffler Group's Automotive Bearing Division
We are very pleased that Schaeffler's wheel hub bearings have achieved breakthrough growth in production since its production began with the support of our customers. The commissioning of the new production line is our positive response to the growing needs of new energy vehicle customers and the market. This not only reflects our emphasis on the development of new energy vehicle business, but also reflects our commitment to continuously strengthening local production and actively serving customers.
-- Wang Yong, Head of Schaeffler China's Automotive Bearing Division
