FOREWORD

Trend of Technological Developmentat JTEKT
Seiho KAWAKAMI
Executive Vice President

In 2014, we JTEKT formulated a mid-term
management plan that anticipates the next five years. It
was decided that this plan would be reviewed and revised
each year, and consequently we have been implementing
such activities as the plan unfurls. Needless to say,the development and advancement of fundamental
technology is a prerequisite of fulfilling our mid-term
plan, as is the development of new products based on thisfundamental technology, and the systemic organizationand enhancement of the aspects of hardware andsoftware, which enable the realization of new products.
In the following paragraphs, I would like to illustrate theupcoming trends in technological enhancement which
stem from the recent technical trends in each of ourbusiness units.

[Steering Business]
The JTEKT steering business holds the topmost global
share in steering systems, and is given patronage byautomotive and auto-related companies throughout theworld. As the top shareholding supplier, our required
mission is to promote, on a continuous basis, thedevelopment of technologies and products which predict
the expectations of customers. In recent years, automotive
technology has advanced dramatically enough that it is
now characterized by ADAS (Advanced driving assistsystem), and as such, swift correspondence to trends in
ADAS are expected within our steering business unit
as well. Utilizing the technical expertise that we havecultivated over many years, we JTEKT are currently
developing new steering systems that respond to theexpectations of our customers, and are also working
to further improve steering feeling to a level suitablefor commodification, and raise the level of completionregarding Functional Safety.
In addition, we are promoting continuous technologicaldevelopment within conventional steering systems,
for which weight reduction, improvement of systemefficiency, and cost reduction are absolute necessities.

[Driveline Business]
Our driveline business offers a variety of products
such as oil pumps, CVJs, and propeller shafts, but also
includes ITCC® and TORSEN®, which hold the topmost
global share within the torque control device category.
Engineering requirements for lower energy consumption
are increasing within these product lines as well, and assuch it is necessary that we respond to these requirements
in a speedy manner. We JTEKT are accelerating ourdevelopment of ITCC® to suit customer requirements forthe adaptation of a disconnect system as well as demands
for modularization of parts, including the differential

JTEKT ENGINEERING JOURNAL English Edition No. 1013E (2016)

gear. Furthermore, we are currently developing compact
and high-performance next-generation products for
our TORSEN ® series, and have begun reviewing thecreation of a next-generation driveline together with ourcustomers.

[Bearing Business]
The bearing business of JTEKT markets a wide
assortment of product lines for every industry, ranging
from bearings used in the large-scale industrial fieldsof wind power generation, aircraft, railways and steel
production, to bearings for hub units and transmissions
installed in automobiles. Bearings, which are utilized for
all rotating parts, contribute greatly to energy conservation
by enabling high accuracy, quietness, and reduced torque.
At JTEKT, we have completed the commodification of asuper-low friction tapered roller bearing, typified by theLFT®-IV, which responds to the needs of our customers.
We shall continue by further enhancing fundamental
technologies related to tribology, a field in which JTEKT
has acquired a great deal of experience over the years. We
will also work to strengthen the development frameworkfor new products which hold the topmost global rank.
On the other hand, we are promoting the development of
a new production process that will allow us to phase out
conventional large-lot production, which is expected tocontribute to improved quality, shorter delivery times,and lower costs.

[Machine Tool Business]
The JTEKT group offers nearly every type of machinetool within its machine tool business. JTEKT has recentlypioneered the development of the world’s first gear
skiving center, which has drawn the attention of manyof our customers. Additionally, the production process
has rapidly evolved from individual machines to an
integrated manufacturing system, epitomized by IOT and
Industry-4.0. JTEKT is also engaged in strengthening
support for this system.
Research and Development is the foundation for theadvancement of each business unit. At JTEKT, we are
currently enhancing preparations, including the equipment
and human resource aspects, for a Research andDevelopment system in which activities can be performed
more quickly and efficiently. These preparations arebeing promoted within many different fields through thecollaboration of industry, academia, and government.
We JTEKT will work to reinforce our ties with each of
our customers and affiliates and strive ceaselessly withintechnological development to solidify next-generation
JTEKT business.

1