Product Journal
THK's Product Journal includes articles covering topics such as mechanical component parts, unit solutions, robot solutions, and IoT services. Our technical experts introduce a behind-the-scenes look at development, case studies of implementation, and the latest technologies.
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Products
The Ball Screws Driving More Compact, High-Performance Machines
Many of the products we encounter on a daily basis are constantly evolving thanks to technological advances in making things more compact. This increasing compactness is such a timeless theme for engineers involved in manufacturing that it is considered unrivaled by other forms of improvement. But what exactly are the benefits of making things more compact? And what methods are used to make equipment more compact in the first place? In this article, we’ll take a look at the indispensable ball screw as an example of the kinds of solutions making more compact equipment possible.
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Products
Slide Rails Supporting Logistics Warehouse Automation and the Adoption of Robot Technology
Not a day goes by that we don’t hear news about work-life balance, the 2024 problem in the logistics and construction industries, and various industries bemoaning labor shortages. Businesses have lately taken to instituting overtime, creating part-time positions, and utilizing temporary workers to shore up their labor forces. At the same time, however, drastic increases in labor costs and energy prices create strong headwinds against profitability. As a result, it has become imperative for each industry to increase productivity, rendering the push for work automation essential. In this article, we’ll look at the utility slide, a slide rail that is used to solve these challenges in a variety of applications, such as automation equipment for logistics.
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Products
The Importance of Quality Control for Automotive Components: THK's Zero-Defect Guarantee
It goes without saying that quality control is imperative for a company that produces and sells the diverse range of products that THK does. For THK's automotive and transportation business in particular, which develops, produces, and sells automotive components, quality control is one of the most important processes connected to the customer's peace of mind and safety. In this article, we’ll talk about THK’s philosophy and projects related to quality control as well as the “zero-defect guarantee” in the automotive and transportation business slogan.
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Products
From Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment to Machine Tools: The Unexplored Potential of the Slide Rail!
The slide rail is a linear motion guide used for the drawers of furniture and office automation devices. But did you know that the range of its applications has been growing? Its use in combination with the LM Guide has been attracting attention in recent years in industries that require environmental considerations as well as performance. Additionally, slide rails adapted to the clean environments of semiconductor manufacturing and the low temperatures of logistics warehouses have met with customer praise. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at some new example applications of the slide rail and talk about slide rails intended for special environments.
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Products
Optimal for Suction Transfer Processes in Crystal Oscillator Manufacturing! The Functionality of the Pick and Place Robot
In this article, we'll take a look at an example application of the Pick and Place Robot PPR introduced in our last post as it is utilized in the crystal oscillator manufacturing process. We’ll explain what a crystal oscillator is in the first place; show what role the PPR plays in the suction transfer, assembly, and mounting processes; and propose process improvements made possible with the PPR's “all-in-one” nature.
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Products
Optimize Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)! New AI Diagnostic Service ADV
The last few years have seen an acceleration in the evolution of AI (artificial intelligence) and the IoT (Internet of Things) for the manufacturing industry. Whereas veteran technicians applied years of experience and intuition to machine maintenance in the past, the quantification of running conditions for various machines has now made it so that AI can analyze that data and enhance the efficiency of maintenance operations.In this article, we’ll be introducing THK’s IoT solution for improving the efficiency of maintenance operations and the newly added AI diagnostic service ADV.
- Machine Tools
- Industrial Robots
- Precision Machinery / Instrument
- Electricity / Electronics
- Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment
- Automotive and Transportation Equipment
- Automotive / Automotive Component
- Conveyance
- Other Machinery
- OMNIedge
- AI Diagnostic Service ADV
- Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
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Products
Rotary Bearings for Multi-Axis Multitasking Machine Tools
Machine tools are indispensable in the manufacture of industrial products. Because of this, the performance of machine tools is being pushed ever further as industry evolves and technology advances. This article will focus on the theme of rotary bearings for multi-axis multitasking machine tools.
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Products
Examining the Workings of the Linear Motor through Its Features and Applications
The Japanese manufacturing industry is struggling with a declining labor population due to the country's aging society and declining birthrate, and the problem is intensifying. According to one survey, the working age population (ages 16 to 64) in Japan is expected to be 14 million people fewer in 2030 than it is today. If nothing changes, it's clear that the labor shortages are going to accelerate, which will hurt the Japanese economy. Factory automation (FA) will be an essential method of achieving labor savings to solve the challenges facing the manufacturing industry. Within this field, a particular challenge is how to boost the productivity of semiconductor manufacturing and inspection equipment, machines that produce automotive parts, and rechargeable battery manufacturing equipment.
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Products
High-Performance, Non-Magnetic, and Extremely Corrosion-Resistant Products Support Cutting-Edge Scientific Fields
Non-magnetic materials are not attracted to magnets and have special properties that prevent magnetic fields from forming. (Materials with low levels of magnetism can also be referred to as non-magnetic.) Industrial materials with these properties include stainless steel and aluminum alloys, but the intensifying requirements for special environments in cutting-edge scientific fields in recent years have created a need for non-magnetic products with even higher levels of performance. Let’s take a look at THK's revolutionary products that offer high performance, non-magnetic properties, and superior corrosion resistance.
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Products
Seismic Isolation: An Inside Look at the Development, Structure, and Applications
Seismic isolation structures hinder the transmission of ground movement to buildings. They have become an increasingly common feature of earthquake-resistant office buildings and high-rise apartments, and they are gradually becoming a part of daily life. Let's take a look at how THK's linear motion guide technology, which uses a rolling guide mechanism, came to be adopted in seismic isolation technology and how it is being used to provide seismic isolation for buildings and equipment.
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Products
Exclusive Look at the Internal Structure of the Pick and Place Robot (PPR)
We're now in an age where every single thing you own—from smartphones and computers to household appliances and cars—contains electronic components. Everyone is probably familiar with the image of electronic components as circuits that move machinery, which are made by soldering components onto a green circuit board. But do you know just how small those components have become? Looking at typical components as an example, the smallest resistors and capacitors are 0201 size (0.2 mm × 0.1 mm). At this granular size, it's becoming difficult to pick them up even with tweezers. The smaller and thinner they get, the more difficult it becomes for production equipment to handle them, which causes a bottleneck in transfer processes. In this article, we’ll take a look at how the Pick and Place Robot is optimized for assembling and transferring these kinds of tiny electronic components, which will include a rare peek inside the structure of this product.
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Products
The Indispensable Ball Joint for Vehicle Suspension Systems
What is known by car enthusiasts as the suspension is a collection of critical components around the tires that influence steering wheel control and the riding experience. The components that join the body of the vehicle with the tires serve a number of functions, such as accurately transmitting the movement of the steering wheel and determining the riding experience for those sitting in the driver’s, passenger’s, and rear seats. In this article, we’ll introduce the suspension component known as the ball joint.
