Founded in 1987, Zhejiang Tianma Bearing Group emerged during the rapid development of China’s precision bearing industry and has grown into an influential global manufacturer through continuous technological innovation and rigorous quality control. Uniquely, Tianma Bearing says it is the only precision bearing manufacturer worldwide with its own steel plant, enabling full control of the value chain from raw materials to finished products. Its TMB-branded bearings see widespread use in wind energy generation, rail transport and new-energy vehicles.

As a renowned supplier of precision bearings for wind turbines in China, the company also holds a significant share of the global market for azimuth and pitch bearings. Seeking to expand further within the sector, Tianma invested in advanced machining technology to support the development of wind turbine main shaft bearings.

This strategy led to the acquisition of a vertical grinding machine from Starrag Group. The collaboration between the two companies began in 2020, when Tianma purchased a large vertical grinding centre with turning capability for its Chengdu plant. According to Mu Bin, assistant to the chairman and technical director at Tianma Bearing, the machine significantly improved machining efficiency while ensuring outstanding product quality.

The success of this first installation established strong trust between the two companies. When Tianma sought to enhance its capabilities for producing wind turbine main shaft bearings, components that demand extremely high precision and reliability, it again selected Starrag technology.

The Starrag Berthiez RVU 2300/220 vertical grinder has delivered impressive results. Machining time for sample components has been reduced from three to four days to just four to five hours, increasing productivity and accelerating R&D cycles.

More information www.starrag.com