2001
June 26, 2001
Minebea Co., Ltd.
Minebea Begins Mass-Production of Spindle Motors with High-Precision RO bearings for use in 20GB/Platter Large-Storage Capacity 2.5-inch HDDs
Minebea has launched mass-production of spindle motors that use high-precision RO bearings for 20GB/Platter large-storage capacity 2.5-inch HDDs.
RO bearings are high-precision ball bearings developed by Minebea based on its proprietary expertise gained through the manufacturing activity of precision small ball bearings that extends over a 50-year period. RO bearings are in wide use in Minebea's HDD spindle motors.
Combining the functions of two ball bearings in one, RO bearings, which minimize non repeatable run-out (NRRO) and misalignment, have advantages in reliability and rotational accuracy and facilitate more compact design of motors. Preparations are now under way for mass-production of RO bearing spindle motors intended for use in 1.8-inch HDDs that are expected to find a growing market in the future.
2.5-inch HDD spindle motors that Minebea has started mass-production use a new type of RO bearings in that inner ring rigidity, raceway accuracy, ball sphericity, and surface roughness are greatly improved, thereby enhancing reliability, NRRO, and sound level.
RO bearings presently fitted in spindle motors for large-storage capacity 3.5-inch HDDs use ceramic balls made in-house. Minebea is planning to use ceramic balls in RO bearings for use in 2.5-inch HDD spindle motors in order to further improve reliability, NRRO, and sound level.
Minebea is a world leading precision small ball bearing manufacture and is also a motor maker with over 30-year manufacturing experience of small-sized motors such as stepping motors and fan motors, as well as HDD spindle motors. Except for lead wires and windings, almost all components including ball bearings, shafts, lead screws, hubs, and magnets are manufactured in-house. This gives Minebea a great advantage in terms of quality, supply capabilities, cost competitiveness and speed of delivery. Especially, the in-house production of ball bearings, which plays a critical role in improving the precision of motors, provides Minebea with a unique advantage over its competitors.
Minebea is fully prepared to meet a variety of needs in the HDD spindle motor market. In November 2000, the Company began mass-production of fluid dynamic bearings(FDBs). In March 2001, it completed a new manufacturing facility (with floor space of 25,000 square meters) in the Bang Pa-in Plant in Thailand, which is the largest manufacturing base of the Minebea Group. The new facility is exclusively for the production of fluid dynamic bearings and HDD spindle motors.
For further information and inquiries, please contact :
Minebea Co., Ltd.
Corporate Communications Office, Corporate Planning Department
Shoji Sato, General Manager
Yasuaki Miyahara, in charge of corporate communications
ARCO Tower, 19th Floor, 1-8-1, Shimo-Meguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8662
Tel : 81-3-5434-8637
Fax : 81-3-5435-8607
E-mail : ymiyahar@minebea.co.jp
URL : http://www.minebea.co.jp/
Product information, contact and other context are subject to change without prior notice.
