THK Blog

The THK Blog provides articles covering THK products, services, and initiatives.

Products

Green Transformation: Visualizing Factory Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Growing social awareness of the fight against global warming has presented the manufacturing world with the urgent challenges of decarbonizing supply chains and reducing factory greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Though visualizing energy consumption is a crucial first step toward reducing GHG emissions, most manufacturers only track consumption on the plant-wide level, so they can't see how much energy individual lines or machines are using. This makes it difficult to determine where to focus energy saving efforts and impossible to gauge their cost effectiveness. That's where THK’s GX Solution, offered as part of our OMNIedge service, comes in. The GX Solution gets its name from the abbreviation used for green transformation, a sweeping effort to change society in ways that reduce greenhouse gas emissions while promoting economic growth. Quick and easy to install, it provides a more granular look at energy consumption from the plant-wide level down to individual lines and machines. In this article, we’ll talk about the OMNIedge GX Solution and how it can be used to tackle the energy challenges faced by production floors.
Products

The Structure and Features of Ball Splines Driving Lighter, More Compact Equipment Design
We’ve featured ball splines twice before in this Product Blog. The first time, we covered the basics of the different types of linear motion guides and explained the benefits of using ball splines in terms of sustained accuracy, improved durability, and reduced cost. In our second ball spline article, we looked at how customization allows us to create the perfect ball spline for enhancing the performance of our customers’ equipment and even offered a few real-world examples. This time, we're going to highlight our latest ball splines, which are more compact and lightweight than ever before.
Products

A Low-Magnetic Permeability LM Guide for Strong Magnetic Fields
The rapid evolution of technology in recent years has spurred the development of new applications for magnetic fields in a variety of industries, ranging from medical devices like MRI machines to semiconductor-related equipment like electron-beam lithography systems. In this article, we’ll look at the performance factors required of linear motion components being used inside of magnetic fields and highlight a low-magnetic permeability LM Guide that can be used in such environments.
Products

Customizing Ball Splines to Maximize Machine Performance
In our last article, we looked at the advantages of using ball spline rolling guides: sustained accuracy, enhanced durability, and reduced costs. This time, we’ll show how customizing ball splines for specific types of equipment can further enhance machine performance and share some customer use cases as well.
CSR

Safe Production with Zero Accidents! Our Safety Aims and Efforts at the Wuxi Plant
In keeping with the THK Group policy of creating safe and comfortable work environments, we work to ensure that our facilities contribute to neither illness nor injury. One of our production facilities, the Wuxi plant, sits on 55,256 m2 of land in the Xinwu district of Wuxi in China’s Jiangsu Province. The plant produces LM Guide models HSR, SSR, SRS, and HRX and employs about 600 people. Through its safety management system and various initiatives for keeping employees safe, the plant strives for safe production with zero accidents. In 2024, it even received the 2023 Outstanding Company for Safety in Manufacturing award from the Wangzhang subdistrict of Xinwu, Wuxi. In this article, we’ll take a detailed look at what the Wuxi plant is doing to make safe production with zero accidents a reality.
Products

A Study in Rolling Guides: Sustaining Accuracy and Boosting Durability with Ball Splines
Linear motion guides are a critical part of what makes machines move. Because some applications require micron-level accuracy, any reduction in positioning accuracy has a large impact on product quality and production efficiency as well. This requires not only achieving a high level of accuracy but maintaining it as well. In this article, we’ll focus on the most common cause of reduced accuracy, wear, and look at ball splines that reduce it to keep accuracy high.
Products

Achieving High-Speed Turning Performance with Turning Axis Bearings for Multitasking Multi-Axis Machine Tools
As the labor population shrinks due to an aging population and declining birthrate, manufacturing is facing an ever-intensifying labor shortage. Solving this challenge will require production-boosting technological innovation, one example of which that has been gaining traction is multitasking multi-axis machine tools. These devices make it possible to efficiently perform multiple processes in one mother machine, and companies use them to compensate for labor shortages and increase production efficiency. In this article, we’ll introduce you to the turning axis bearing, which needs to run at high speeds to facilitate the increasingly varied functions performed by machine tools.
CSR

THK India Private Limited’s Initiatives Advancing Their Local Community
As part of the various sustainability efforts conducted by THK, one of our Group companies, THK India Private Limited (THK India) is pursuing efforts that are deeply tied to their community. Indian law requires companies to conduct sustainability activities equivalent to 2% of their average net income over the past three years, with such funds being meant to support things like medicine, education, the environment, disaster relief, and the eradication of poverty. In accordance with such laws and regulations, THK India makes meaningful contributions to society. In this article, we take a look at the results of their sustainability efforts and share a message from the local leader of these initiatives.
Products

Specifications and Optimal Problem-Solving Approaches for Medical Devices
Medical facilities keep us alive. Because the medical devices and equipment used in such facilities are involved in sustaining life, they must be extremely safe and highly accurate. While medical facilities face their fair share of challenges, they are constantly developing to give us all greater peace of mind in our daily lives. As you may know, numerous THK products are used in the medical devices and equipment that support these facilities in the performance of their work. In this article, we’ll look at the products THK is contributing to the medical industry.
Products

Protecting Important Cultural Properties and Cultural Heritage: An Introduction to Seismic Isolation Display Cases
Everyone has seen a natural treasure or an important cultural property behind the glass of a museum display case at some point in their lives. Far fewer, however, know what kind of measures are taken to protect these objects of historical value from the threat of large earthquakes. In this article, we’ll take a look at the seismic isolation technology that protects valuable cultural property from tumbling over or being otherwise damaged by earthquakes.
Products

Supporting Aircraft Safety: THK's Quality Assurance and Track Record
Recent technological developments have hastened innovation in a number of fields, and developments in the fields of robotics and the IoT have garnered particular attention. These technologies are likely to be adapted for a wide range of applications, including smart factories, self-driving vehicles, medical equipment, and renewable energy. As they are increasingly adopted, however, quality control for the products that go into them will be ever more critical. Work in the aviation sector, for instance, requires certification under the ISO 9001 international quality control system standard or the even stricter JIS Q 9100 standard for quality management systems in the aerospace and defense industries. Well aware of the importance of these technological innovations and the critical nature of quality control, THK has already begun making inroads into this sector. This time, we’ll be looking at the future outlook for the burgeoning aviation sector and how THK’s quality control initiatives and product development tie into that future.
Products

Accelerating the Boom in AI Chips! Component Parts for Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment
Digital transformation (DX) technology has developed rapidly in the last few years. This can be seen across a variety of fields in the adoption of generative AI, the dissemination of cloud computing, and the development of self-driving technology as well as closer to home in the form of digital appliances that can connect to your smartphone. All of these advances rely on semiconductors, and the industry that creates them is currently developing new manufacturing processes for the purpose of imbuing these components with even greater performance capabilities. In this article, we’ll take a look at linear motion guides that are frequently used in semiconductor manufacturing equipment and highlight which of these is best-suited to meeting each kind of required specification.
Products

Challenges and Advancements in Semiconductor Chip Picking
In this article, we’ll start with a simple overview of the processes and machines involved in making semiconductor chips and the products all around us that rely on them. We’ll then take a closer look at some of the challenges that arise in the semiconductor chip picking process, where chips are grabbed and lifted. After that, we’ll suggest methods for damage control using THK’s Pick and Place Robot (PPR) by sharing examples of user challenges and product applications. We hope that young engineers just entering the semiconductor industry as well as veterans who are already grappling with the challenges of the chip picking and placing processes find this article useful.
Products

When Disaster Strikes! Seismic Isolation for Equipment as Part of a Business Continuity Plan
In a perfect world, none of us would have to worry about the chaos created by natural disasters and the spread of disease. In reality, however, it is impossible to prevent the unpredictable. What assurance can we have, then, that our organizations will be able to continue conducting business in the face of events such as these? This time, we’ll be exploring what kind of countermeasures are required for business continuity during an emergency and looking at a concrete example of earthquake countermeasures that utilize THK seismic isolation for equipment.
Products

Supporting Super-Precise Processing: The Nano-Level Accuracy Super-Low Waving LM Guide
Have you ever heard the phrase “mother machine?” When we think of machines, a number of examples come to mind, from automobiles and airplanes to clocks, air conditioners, and robots. These machines are made up of countless component parts that have been fashioned from raw materials by processing machines known as machine tools. Put another way, machine tools produce the parts that give birth to all the machines in existence. And this is why they are sometimes referred to as “mother machines.”
Products

Numerical Simulation Technology for Enhancing LM Guide Accuracy
The LM Guide first debuted on the market in its current form in 1973. During the just over 50 years since, it rapidly became ubiquitous around the world in machine tools and a variety of other fields besides. Today, the LM Guide is essentially synonymous with linear motion and its use is widely taken as a given. That said, the changing needs that have accompanied market expansion have been the impetus for a wider range of available sizes, more varied product concepts, and numerous combinations of optional features that have collectively resulted in a vast variety of LM Guide products on offer. From a customer’s perspective, though, selecting the appropriate LM Guide to build a machine that meets their requirements from this vast array poses a challenge. There are performance factors like service life and rigidity as well as dimensional constraints to consider, to say nothing of cost and lead times that must also be taken into account. This is where THK steps in as a manufacturer to offer different types of technical support.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Products

Non-Magnetic and Extremely Corrosion-Resistant! A Closer Look at Products Contributing to Cutting-Edge Science
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.
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.
Products

The Pick and Place Robot (PPR): The Perfect Choice for Electronic Component Assembly
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.
Products

Tool Monitoring AI Solution Detects Cutting Tool Conditions and Prevents Defects!
If you install sensors and communication devices on various things connected to the internet, those things will be able to communicate with each other and exchange information through the IoT (Internet of Things). This can generate value for business and people's lives through automation and efficiency improvements. Let’s take a look at the IoT solutions that THK offers.
Products

Linear Motion Products That Determine Machine Tool Performance
Manufacturing generally refers to the entire process of creating a product, starting with design and including selection. Throughout the manufacturing industry's production processes, appropriate control of product quality is crucial to meeting customers’ needs. Let's take a look at linear motion products that have a large impact on machine tool performance.
Products

THK's Robot Hand: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Humanoid Robot Development
We are getting closer to achieving a world straight out of a movie scene, where people work side by side with humanlike robots as their colleagues. AI is already being employed in the digital realm, while humanoid robots are active in the physical. How did these robots come to exist in the real world? Let’s take a look behind the scenes of their development.

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