JTEKT Corporation has developed a “Clean Pro PRZ” (*1) bearing for use in clean environments. This bearing—mass-production of which is scheduled to begin in May 2007—is suitable for special-environment applications such as equipment used in the manufacture and transfer of semiconductors, liquid crystal panels, and hard disks.

  During the manufacture of such sensitive products, dust particles in the air or outgas created by machine parts can lead to degradation of product quality or yield, and therefore bearings with low levels of particle emissions and outgas generation are required. By means of applying a special gel coating with a composition optimal for clean environments that acts as a lubricant to the rolling contact surfaces, JTEKT has succeeded in achieving not only low particle-emission and outgas-generation levels but also much longer life with the Clean Pro PRZ.

  This bearing is sold as a new product within JTEKT's EXSEV series of bearings for special environments.

The Clean Pro PRZ contributes to improvement of the quality and yield of such products as semiconductors and liquid crystal panels because of its drastically improved performance in the areas of particle emissions and outgas generation and also to reduced equipment maintenance expenses and improved equipment operating ratio because of its long life.

  *1　Clean Pro is a registered trademark of JTEKT