Collaboration, Technology and Robust Engineering Team are the pillars that make CCTY Bearing Company a leading manufacturer turning new product ideas into reality. Our processes and products help our customers improve their products says, Mitul Dave, Managing Director, CCTY Bearing India Pvt. Ltd.
Can you share more details about how CCTY Bearing Company collaborates with OEMs to turn new product ideas into reality, emphasizing the speed and efficiency of this process?
CCTY works with customers to provide the optimal solution for motion control regardless of when we get involved in a project. However, we find that when customers pull us in during the design phase, they benefit from our engineering team’s perspective to find ways to reduce costs and improve performance. We identifyoptions to make the motion smoother, lighter, and more efficientby encompassing the motion element within the application – not forcing the design to accommodate a bearing.
The mention of delivering torque converter bushings within six weeks is impressive. Could you elaborate on the collaborative efforts between OEMs and CCTY Bearing Company engineers that made this rapid delivery possible?
Open communication and a robust engineering team with deep material knowledge is the key to turning around products on a tight timeline. In this case, the design called for a solid ring bushing to fit ID and OD tolerances of less than .0005ths of an inch.
CCTY’s engineers and production teams presented several material options. The OEM moved quickly to approve preliminary designs and samples were sent within four weeks. Expedited production and delivery were necessary to maintain testing, evaluation and PPAP schedules.
CCTY works with custom designs for the OEM for a majority of products. We are comfortable and used to developing new sizes for our product line. This experience gives CCTY the ability to quickly turn around new designs.
How does CCTY Bearing Company ensure the same high level of quality for both standard bearings and the mating parts of an entire bearing assembly?
CCTY hosts all critical processes on-site, which is unusual for a motion control manufacturer. This means that we do not subcontract which allows full control over quality. These processes include forging, heat treatment, surface coating, injection moulding, turning, grinding, forging and welding. Tracking is also very important. Every product can be traced back to the raw material lot that was used to manufacture it – and steel is certified based on lot numbers.
The motion control components are generally the most technical parts that are encompassed in the assembly. The mating components affect the operation of the bearing and we find more success when we can strictly control these relationships between the bearing and the housing.
How the global network of engineering, sales, and warehouses are contributing to providing comprehensive services and just-in-time delivery to customers around the world?
The global network gives support to regional and global customers based on when and where they need products. Local sales and engineering teams understand market dynamics and can design a solution that is tailored to specific industries. Local engineers have access to more than 100 engineers throughout CCTY that provide resources for developing unique applications under tight timelines.
Our strategically located warehouses store products near major markets, facilitating JIT delivery and inventory management.
As a trusted Tier 1 supplier to major manufacturers, can you share insights into what sets CCTY Bearing Company apart in terms of the quality and reliability of your products?
Utmost attention to detail and an engineering team that works to find the right solution. We manufacture unique components for specific applications that are designed for:
Minimalizing NVH by eliminating/minimizing clearances and ensuring proper lubrication and sealingto reduce vibration and noise.
Strength from high-quality steel and proper heat treatment to increase tensile, yield and toughness.
Weight reduction from performing topological analysis and using aluminium and polymer when appropriate.
Extended durability with self-lubricating/low maintenance design to maximize durability.
Robustness increases the safety factor, impact load resistance and weathering resistance.
Could you provide more details on how the latest robotic technology and durability testing contribute to the production of award-winning products?
For durability, CCTY’s onsite lab has nearly 50 individual test types that measure everything from raw material physical property to life and performance tests.
Robotic processes provide increased efficiency while achieving zero defects by integrating multiple processes into one pass. For example, ball joint automation includes polymer injection, cap swagging, grease filling and assembling boots onto housing.
Layer in CCTY’s tracking capabilities and onsite processes, along with our unique design expertise and it is easy to see why CCTY wins multiple supplier awards.
How does CCTY Bearing Company adapt its manufacturing processes to meet the specific needs and standards of different industries?
Adapting manufacturing processes involves a strategic and flexible approach. We work with customers to determine specific application preferences and a pathway for meeting those needs.
CCTY’s manufacturing processes and engineering team can easily accommodate variations in design and materials. Onsite critical processes and the investment we have made in advanced manufacturing automation give us an edge when it comes to precision and efficiency. Rigorous quality standards and ISO certifications give customers confidence in knowing that our approach provides high-precision results.
We also listen to customers. For example, we now offer a-arms and eyelets for shock absorbers because our customers asked that we manufacture bearings and the housing as an assembly – streamlining internal production from customers.
Please talk about critical processes within your manufacturing facility, such as forging, heat treatment, and turning, and how these contribute to the overall quality of CCTY Bearing Company’s products.
With nearly 110,000 m2 of production area, we maintain onsite critical processes. The value for customers is two-fold. First, we control the quality of the products from start to finish. Second, we save time by not having to ship and receive the parts over weeks.
Bearing production requires an ultra-clean work environment. Since forging is not a clean process, it requires a separate plant. CCTY owns a forging facility about 90 miles from the Zhenjiang, China plant. All other critical processes take place at a single location.
Heat treatment is imperative for motion control items such as tie rods. CCTY offers induction and carbonizing case hardening, salt bath and oil bath through hardening, normalizing, annealing, quenching and tempering. We pay close attention to the microstructure in steel with a nearly 24-hour normalization and spheroidize annealing after forging. This extra step provides a uniform carbide distribution for stronger steel.
Automated controls on turning, grinding and welding ensure that the products are manufactured the same way every time. Surface coating options include nickel, zinc, moly coating, trivalent chrome, tin, copper, phosphate E-coating, powder plating and anodizing.
In the field of bearing manufacturing, how does CCTY Bearing Company stay at the forefront of innovation, and what role does continuous R&D play in your company’s success?
Being at the forefront of innovation is crucial for CCTY to meet the evolving needs of our customers. Onsite R&D plays a pivotal role in researching new materials, coatings and processes. We must thoroughly understand the customer’s application to design a bearing. Understanding the application and the failure modes associated with it allows us to be innovative. It is also critical to have a deep understanding of the manufacturing processes associated with the parts. It can be much less challenging to design something that is unique and works well but it must also be reliable, affordable, and possible to produce in large quantities.
We are constantly testing materials for improved strength, durability and resistance to corrosion and wear. And since many of our customers’ applications are in rigorous work environments, we continually engineer solutions for low friction, high-temperature and high-load capacity usage. We can maintain specific load ratings and safety factor percentages, as well as preserve torques for specific sizes. And, we have application-specific test stands for everything from mud slurry tests to impact load tests. A natural outgrowth of R&D is innovative solutions that lead to patents and intellectual property. We utilize the processes and products that we develop to improve our customers’ product performance.