On 12 August Xingtai Hengtuo Transmission Technology Co., Ltd. and the bearing innovation team of Hebei University of Technology jointly inaugurated a Precision Bearing R&D Center. The centre will combine the company's full-chain forging–turning–heat-treatment–grinding–assembly capability with the university's expertise in rolling contact mechanics, lubrication and fatigue, focusing on three projects: convexity profiling of large spherical roller bearings, seal optimisation for contaminated environments, and heat-treatment distortion control of thin-wall rings. Postgraduate researchers will be stationed in the company laboratory, with the first three projects already underway.