Barden Corporation

Last updated
Barden Corporation
Type Private
Founded1942  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Headquarters Danbury, Connecticut, United States
Key people
Maria-Elisabeth Schaeffler-Thumann
Website bardenbearings.com

Barden Corporation is a ball bearing manufacturer based in Danbury, Connecticut, USA with factories in Danbury, Winsted, Connecticut and in Plymouth, England. It previously had factories in Bridgeport, Connecticut (Lacey Manufacturing-divested in 2008) [1] and Haverhill, Massachusetts (Pope Spindle-divested in 2003). [2]

Contents

Barden specializes in the design, manufacture, repair and overhaul of aerospace and super precision ball bearings [3] for safety-critical and harsh environment applications [4] in a broad range of market sectors, from space [5] to aerospace to subsea [6] [7] to high performance machine tools [8] to medical and high performance automotive applications. [9]

History

Barden was founded by Theodore Barth and Carl Norden (hence the name "Bar-den") [10] [11] in 1942 to make precision ball bearings for the Norden bombsight. [12] [13] The Norden bombsight required 61 precision miniature and instrument type bearings. Prior to the US entry into World War II, bombsight production levels were planned to be 800 per month; however after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, production was ramped up and reached roughly 2000 units per month by the close of 1943. [14] The precision level of the bearings required for the bombsight to operate was not available [15] in the domestic bearing industry, driving the creation of Barden. [16] Even during the Cold War, Barden bearings would continue to be used on key weapon systems and platforms. [17] [18]

During various growth spurts, Barden Corporation acquired companies that supported the Barden bearing manufacturing business. These included companies like EMO (later renamed Barden UK-allowed entry into the European Market), Winsted Precision Ball Company (bearing rolling elements), Pope Spindle (precision bearings supported machine tools), Lacey Manufacturing(rolling element retainer/cages and other bearing components), and American Powdered Metals of North Haven, Connecticut. [19]

After severe flooding in the Danbury area in the 1950s, [20] Barden Corporation was re-located from downtown Danbury on East Franklin Street [21] in what had previously been a hat factory to its current location overlooking the Danbury Airport. [22]

Corporate structure

Barden is a member of the multinational Schaeffler Group, which specializes in bearing technologies and precision products for aerospace, industrial plant and automotive industries. Schaeffler is headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany, and oversees three main brands: FAG, INA and LUK. The group has approximately 61,000 employees at more than 180 locations worldwide, recording consolidated sales of approximately $10 bn for 2009.

Barden Corporation

The Barden headquarters is located approximately sixty miles from New York City and is the home office of the CEO of Schaeffler Aerospace. Barden Corporation resides in the North American organizational region of Schaeffler Group and is organized under Schaeffler Technologies GmbH & Co. KG. The Schaeffler Aerospace division also includes FAG Aerospace, Incorporated, of Stratford, Ontario and FAG Aerospace GmbH of Schweinfurt, Germany. [23]

The Barden Corporation (UK) Ltd

Barden UK started life in 1947 as EMO Instrumentation. The founders, Bill Spencer and Stan Hensby, had several years of experience working in the Sperry Brentford gyro factory, cultivating their expertise in precision instrument bearings. After years of expansion, The Barden Corporation (US) purchased EMO Instrumentation [24] and established The Barden Corporation (UK) Ltd in 1961. [25] An ironic twist to the purchase was that Barden was created to supply bearings for a competing bombsight (Norden) with the Sperry product. The company relocated to Bracknell Berkshire until it moved to Plymouth on the South West coast of England in 1977 before being purchased by FAG in 1991 and then becoming part of the FAG Aerospace and Super Precision Division in 1994. [9] The Division was acquired by INA-Schaeffler in 2001, becoming part of the Schaeffler Group. In June 2019 The Barden Corporation (UK) Ltd was acquired by HQW Precision GmbH, a precision bearing manufacturer based in Kürnach, Germany. The two companies operate as 'Partners in Precision' within the super precision ball bearing sector.

Winsted Precision Ball Company

In addition to the Danbury and Plymouth locations, Barden has a subsidiary in northwestern Connecticut, Winsted Precision Ball Company, a rolling element factory. The Winsted Precision Ball Company was founded in 1949 with the sole purpose of manufacturing high-precision balls for the use in miniature precision ball bearings. Acquired by Barden Corporation in the 1960s, [26] WPBC is not a separate legal entity, but a department of the Barden Corporation’s Danbury location. Today, WPBC is one of the leading manufacturers of ABMA (American Bearing Manufacturers Association) Grade 3, 5, and 10 balls in the U.S. [27]

FAG Aerospace

Barden Corporation was acquired by FAG in 1990. [28] The irony of the acquisition by FAG was that Barden Precision Bearings had been used to make the Norden bombsight operate and facilitated destruction of the Schweinfurt bearing factories during World War II. In 2001, FAG was acquired INA-Holdings/Schaeffler KG (Schaeffler Gruppe). FAG is an acronym for Friedrich Fischer Aktien-Gesellschaft or Fischer AG which translates to Fischer Stock Company.

Friedrich Fischer invented the ball grinding machine 1883 for mass production of steel balls that allowed for broad use of ball bearings. [29] FAG was trademarked in 1905.

Products

Traditional Barden products are predominantly radial, single row, super precision angular contact (separable and nonseparable) and deep groove ball bearings. Bearings are classified as either instrument or spindle bearings, and are made to exacting ABEC-7 or ABEC-9 specifications. Barden also sells ball screw support bearings, cylindrical roller bearings and double direction angular contact thrust ball bearings.

Barden super precision bearings come in inch or metric dimensions with diameters ranging from 3/8" (9.5mm) O.D. up to 153⁄4" (400mm) O.D. A variety of seals, shields and metallic/nonmetallic cage designs and calibration options are available to satisfy most precision bearing requirements.

Because of the precision levels and applications that Barden Precision Bearings are used in, availability is limited because of US EAR, [30] DFARS [31] and ITAR regulations, [32] with many of the bearing products coming under the US Munitions Listings. [7] [33] Additionally, international players of dubious motivations frequently attempt to bypass export restrictions by utilizing unsuspecting distributors of bearings who become unwitting accomplices in violation of export laws. [34]

Because of the value and availability of Barden bearings, counterfeiting is not an uncommon occurrence. Although the counterfeit product may be difficult to identify in packaging or in appearance, once placed in the application, because of the low precision of the counterfeit product, performance issues usually surface with the application. The performance usually gives away and readily identifies the counterfeit bearing. [35] [36]

Related Research Articles

Kaman Corporation is an American aerospace company, with headquarters in Bloomfield, Connecticut. It was founded in 1945 by Charles Kaman. During the first ten years the company operated exclusively as a designer and manufacturer of several helicopters that set world records and achieved many aviation firsts.

Norden bombsight Targeting device on US bombers during World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War

The Norden Mk. XV, known as the Norden M series in U.S. Army service, is a bombsight that was used by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) and the United States Navy during World War II, and the United States Air Force in the Korean and the Vietnam Wars. It was an early tachometric design that directly measured the aircraft's ground speed and direction, which older bombsights could only estimate with lengthy manual procedures. The Norden further improved on older designs by using an analog computer that continuously recalculated the bomb's impact point based on changing flight conditions, and an autopilot that reacted quickly and accurately to changes in the wind or other effects.

ZF Sachs German family business

ZF Sachs AG, also known as Fichtel & Sachs, was founded in Schweinfurt in 1895 and was a well-known German family business. At its last point as an independent company, the company name was Fichtel & Sachs AG.

PerkinElmer American corporation focused on life science research

PerkinElmer, Inc., previously styled Perkin-Elmer, is an American global corporation focused in the business areas of diagnostics, life science research, food, environmental and industrial testing. Its capabilities include detection, imaging, informatics, and service. PerkinElmer produces analytical instruments, genetic testing and diagnostic tools, medical imaging components, software, instruments, and consumables for multiple end markets.

Federal-Mogul Corporation is an American developer, manufacturer and supplier of products for automotive, commercial, aerospace, marine, rail and off-road vehicles; and industrial, agricultural and power-generation applications. It was acquired in October 2018 by Tenneco.

Maria-Elisabeth Schaeffler is a German businesswoman and one of the owners of Schaeffler Group, one of and the world's largest producers of rolling bearings. The other owner is her son Georg F. W. Schaeffler.

Dover Corporation American industrial conglomerate corporation

Dover Corporation is an American conglomerate manufacturer of industrial products. The Downers Grove, Illinois-based company was founded in 1955. As of 2021, Dover's business was divided into five segments: Engineered Products, Clean Energy and Fueling, Imaging & Identification, Pumps & Process Solutions and Climate and Sustainability Technologies. Dover is a constituent of the S&P 500 index and trades on the New York Stock Exchange under "DOV". Dover was ranked 429th in the 2020 Fortune 500. The company relocated its headquarters to Illinois from New York in mid-2010.

MinebeaMitsumi, Inc. is a Japanese multinational corporation and a major producer of machinery components and electronics devices. The company as of June 30, 2019, has its 121 consolidated subsidiaries and affiliates. NMB (USA) Inc. is an American holding company that manages Minebea's American subsidiaries.

Friedrich Fischer Inventor of ball bearings

Friedrich Fischer from Schweinfurt, Germany is considered the father of the modern ball bearing, having invented the process for milling standard bearings in 1883.

Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, also known as Schaeffler Group, is a German manufacturer of rolling element bearings for automotive, aerospace and industrial uses. It was founded in 1946 by brothers Dr. Wilhelm and Dr.-Ing. E. h. Georg Schaeffler.

Torrington Company

The Torrington Company was a firm that developed in Torrington, Connecticut, emerging as a rename from the Excelsior Needle Company. It used a "cold swaging" technique to create sewing machine needles and other needles from cold metal, and was the largest employer in Torrington. in addition to its main facilities in Torrington, it acquired a division, located in South Bend, Indiana.

Ball and Roller Bearing Company United States historic place

The Ball and Roller Bearing Company, also known as American Family Crafts and the Joseph Nutt House and Machine Shop, is a historic industrial complex at 20-22 Maple Avenue in Danbury, Connecticut. Developed mainly in the early 20th century, the factory is most notable as the location where Lewis Heim invented the modern grinding machine, which revolutionized the manufacture of machine parts. The complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 25, 1989. It now houses a church and social service agencies.

NTN Corporation

NTN Corporation is one of the most prominent manufacturers of bearings in Japan, second domestically only to NSK Ltd. The company is one of the largest exporters worldwide of friction-reducing products such as constant-velocity joints.

Hanwha Group South Korean conglomerate

Hanwha Group is a large business conglomerate (chaebol) in South Korea. Founded in 1952 as Korea Explosives Co., the group has grown into a large multi-profile business conglomerate, with diversified holdings stretching from explosives, their original business, to retail and financial services. In 1992 the company adopted its abbreviation as its new name: "Hanwha".

Pacific Bearing Company

Pacific Bearing Company, dbaPBC Linear and PBC Lineartechnik GmbH, is a manufacturer and distributor of plain bearings, linear guides and custom machined parts.

Wyman-Gordon

Wyman-Gordon is a company that designs and manufactures complex metal components. Founded in 1883 as a manufacturer of crankshafts for looms, it has a long history of making forged metal components, particularly for the aerospace industry. Wyman-Gordon is now a subsidiary of Precision Castparts Corp., and is based in Houston, Texas. It has 13 plants in five countries, and employed about 2,500 people as of 2012.

GGB, formerly Glacier Garlock Bearings, then GGB Bearing Technology manufactures self-lubricating, prelubricated plain bearings and tribological polymer coating for various industries and applications. It has production facilities in the U.S., Germany, France, Slovakia, Brazil and China. The company is a subsidiary of EnPro Industries. The company manufactures metal-polymer bearings, engineered plastics bearings, fiber reinforced composite bushings, metal and bimetal bearings & thrust plates and bearing assemblies.

Juergen M. Geissinger

Jürgen M. Geissinger is a German technology business executive and Chief Executive Officer of Senvion S.A., a Hamburg based wind turbine manufacturer. Geissinger is best known for his role as the Chief Executive of Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, a technology conglomerate known for its bearing solutions and precision components for engine and transmission systems for automotive, as well as industrial and aerospace applications. During Geissinger’s tenure as CEO, annual sales have risen more than fivefold. Schaeffler AG, employing over 76,000 people across 180 locations in 50 countries, with annual sales of $14 billion, is also the controlling shareholder of Continental AG with 49.9% of its shares.

Hyatt Roller Bearing Company Company in New Jersey, United States

Hyatt Roller Bearing Company was a manufacturer of roller bearings from 1892 to 1916, when it was acquired by General Motors. It continued as a distinct division of GM for many years. The company struggled at first, then entered a phase of profitable growth under the leadership of Alfred P. Sloan. The innovative design of Hyatt's roller bearings made them more durable and efficient than others. They were widely used in early automobiles by various manufacturers, and in industrial vehicles and equipment.

Lewis Rasmus Heim was an American machinist and businessman who was the inventor of the Centerless Cylindrical Grinder, the Heim Joint Rod End Bearing and a pioneer of modern spherical, ball and roller bearings.

References

  1. ↑ PEP Press Release, November 3, 2008, "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-05-23. Retrieved 2010-05-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ↑ Pope spindle is acquired by Setco. | North America > United States from AllBusiness.com
  3. ↑ Fuchs & Steidel, Technology & Engineering, 1973, p399
  4. ↑ NASA CP, Volume 3115, p160
  5. ↑ Goetzel, Rittenhouse, Singletary, Lockheed Missilses and Space Company, Space Vehicles, 1965, p269
  6. ↑ Bearing inspection is no longer a pain in the neck: News from Nikon
  7. 1 2 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2010-05-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. ↑ Agapion & Stephenson, Metal Cutting Theory and Practice, 2006, p138
  9. 1 2 "Super Precision & Aerospace Ball Bearings". Barden Bearings. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
  10. ↑ The Barden Corporation: Private Company Information - BusinessWeek
  11. ↑ New York Times, Finance & Business, May 24, 1946, p32
  12. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-05-28. Retrieved 2010-05-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. ↑ "About Barden/FAG". Barden Corporation. Archived from the original on 2010-08-06.
  14. ↑ Carl Norden Biography
  15. ↑ The Secret Weapon Archived July 22, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  16. ↑ Morton, Hudson T.; Bearings (Machinery), 1965, p461
  17. ↑ Article title [ bare URL PDF ]
  18. ↑ Article title [ bare URL PDF ]
  19. ↑ Hartford Courant, March 30, 1965 p25
  20. ↑ New York Times, August 20, 1955 p1
  21. ↑ Aero Digest, Volumes 72-73, 1956 p54
  22. ↑ New York Times, Finance & Business, September 24, 1957, p50
  23. ↑ "Welcome To Schaeffler Group North America". Schaeffler.us. Archived from the original on 2 May 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
  24. ↑ Hartford Courant, December 16, 1959, p9
  25. ↑ Corporations, Who Owns Whom: UK & Ireland, 1972 p784
  26. ↑ Hartford Courant, May 1, 1968 p51
  27. ↑ "Winsted Precision Ball Company". Winball.com. Archived from the original on 19 April 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
  28. ↑ Hicks, Jonath, New York Times, FAG to Acquire Barden Corp. for $131 million, September 18, 1990
  29. ↑ "The Conquest of Friction," Feature Article, November 2003 Archived June 19, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  30. ↑ "Export Administration Regulations Database". Archived from the original on 2010-07-25. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  31. ↑ DPAP | Defense Acquisition Regulations System | DFARS/PGI
  32. ↑ US State Department - Policy - Directorate of Defense Trade Controls Archived 2009-09-17 at the Wayback Machine
  33. ↑ International Traffic In Arms Regulations
  34. ↑ "Targeting U.S. Technologies". Archived from the original on 2009-07-26. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  35. ↑ "Counterfeit bearings: A serious problem; Almost impossible to spot the fakes". Interflon.net. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
  36. ↑ McGuinn, Jack; Power Transmissions Engineering, www.powetransmission.com, Bogus Bearings, April 2010, p21
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.