From May 12 to 16, 2025, the 2025 Plenary Meeting of the International Organization for Standardization Technical Committee on Rolling Bearings (ISO/TC 4) was successfully held at the International Standardization Conference Base (Center) in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province.

The meeting was hosted by the Standardization Administration of China (SAC) and organized by Luoyang Bearing Research Institute Co., Ltd. (ZYS). 69 representatives from 11 countries including China, France, Germany, Japan and Sweden attended the meeting. Luoyang Bearing Research Institute Co., Ltd. organized a Chinese delegation of 30 people from 18 units to attend the meeting. The head of the delegation was Jiang Wei, chairman of the National Rolling Bearing Standardization Technical Committee. Li Jia, researcher of the Standard Innovation Management Department of the State Administration for Market Regulation, Rosengren Filip, Chairman of ISO/TC4, Zhou Yu, Chairman of the China Bearing Industry Association, and Jiang Wei, Chairman of National Rolling Bearing Standardization Technical Committee, delivered speeches at the meeting. The speech session was hosted by Li Wenchao, Deputy General Manager and Chief Engineer of Luoyang Bearing Research Institute Co., Ltd. China's Commitment on the International Standardization Stage

In order to actively implement the important instructions of the Party and the State on the construction of a strong manufacturing country and the development of the bearing industry, implement the "National Standardization Development Outline", and promote the "Going global" pace of China's bearing industry through international standardization, Luoyang Bearing Research Institute Co., Ltd. actively sought the right to host the 2025 ISO/TC 4 Plenary Meeting on behalf of China. After nearly a year of preparation, the ISO/TC 4 plenary meeting was successfully held.

In addition, during this meeting, ZYS hosted the ISO/TC4/SC6 "Spherical Bearings" and SC11 "Linear Motion Rolling Bearings" sub-technical committee meetings. Since the end of 2021, Luoyang Bearing Research Institute Co., Ltd. has taken over the secretariat and chairmanship of ISO/TC4/SC6 and SC11 from the United States on behalf of my country. ZYS has successfully launched two new work projects, completed nine standard reviews, and established three new working groups. The activity of the two SCs has increased significantly, demonstrating China's responsibility on the international standardization stage.

Demonstrate technical strength and consolidate dominance

The meeting lasted for 5 days and covered 6 sub-technical committee (SC) meetings, 4 working group (WG, AG) meetings and ISO/TC 4 plenary meeting. ZYS led the Chinese delegation to propose a number of topics and made great progress:

1. Take the lead in proposing new international standard work projects:

Based on its leading role in formulating the national standard GB/T 25767 "Rolling Bearings - Tapered Rollers", Luoyang Bearing Research Institute Co., Ltd. took the lead in proposing a new international standard work project proposal "Rolling Bearings - Tapered Rollers - Dimensions, Product Geometry Specifications (GPS) and Tolerances", which will unify the design and production of tapered rollers in various countries, improve the performance and interchangeability of tapered rollers, and promote breakthroughs in the mass production manufacturing technology of high-precision tapered rollers.

The Chinese delegation proposed a new international standard work project proposal "Spherical Joint Bearings PTFE Fabric Liner Type Self-lubricating Bearings", which will provide technical support for the global promotion and application of PTFE fabric liner type self-lubricating bearings, guide and standardize the development of PTFE fabric liner type self-lubricating bearings, and promote my country's spherical joint bearings to seize the international market.

In addition, two international standard projects led by China are progressing smoothly. ISO 19457 "Rolling bearings - Linear motion rolling bearings, subassemblies, roller blocks - Dimensions and tolerances" is expected to be officially released by the end of 2025; the main technical framework of ISO 25260 "Rolling bearings - Insert ball bearings" has been completed and the second edition of the working group draft is about to be formed.

2. Make China's voice heard in the core field of rolling bearing standardization:

As the only national first-class comprehensive research institute in China's bearing industry, with its profound technical research foundation and outstanding technical team, Luoyang Bearing Research Institute Co., Ltd. continues to contribute Chinese wisdom in core areas of international standardization such as bearing theoretical calculations, product geometry technical specifications, and testing methods, and makes China's voice heard in the formulation of international standards. In terms of product geometry technical specifications, Chinese experts have become core members of the ISO/TC4/AG2 advisory working group on "Support for Product Geometry Technical Specifications" and have a strong voice. In terms of theoretical calculation of bearings, at the ISO/TC 4/SC 8/WG 9 "Bearing Calculation Methods" working group meeting, China's independent research results were adopted by the draft international standards ISO/TR 25165 "Rolling bearings - Rated life calculation method considering surface damage" and ISO/TR 25269 "Rolling bearings - Theoretical reliability calculation". In terms of bearing testing methods, the important basic method standard ISO 7544:2024 "Rolling bearings - Cleanliness test and assessment methods" formulated by China has been fully recognized by experts from various countries, making China one of the first active member countries of the ISO/TC 4/SC 13 "Bearing Testing, Measurement and Evaluation" sub-technical committee, seizing the commanding heights in the core field of international standardization of bearing testing methods.

Promoting and leading industry development through international standardization

Standards promote technological innovation and lead the progress of the times. International standards are an important cornerstone and technical support for the development of the global governance system and economic and trade cooperation. As the world's common language, the role of standards in facilitating economic and trade exchanges, supporting industrial development, promoting scientific and technological progress, and regulating social governance has become a global consensus. As one of the earliest technical committees established by ISO, the standards formulated by TC 4 "Rolling Bearings" Technical Committee have made important contributions to the development of the global bearing industry and even the global industrialization process.

This is the third time that China has hosted the ISO/TC4 plenary meeting, following 1986 and 2013. The successful holding of this meeting fully demonstrated the achievements made by the rapid development of China's bearing industry in recent years, and at the same time enhanced international exchanges and cooperation. By hosting the conference, China's voice in the ISO/TC 4 governance system will be further enhanced, laying a good foundation for future international standardization of rolling bearings. China's bearing industry will take this meeting as an opportunity to comprehensively accelerate its pace of "going global" and enhance its global competitiveness and influence.

As the secretariat unit of the National Technical Committee for Standardization of Rolling Bearings and the domestic technical unit of ISO/TC4, Luoyang Bearing Research Institute Co., Ltd. will continue to strengthen international standard research and international standardization team building in the future, strive to lead the formulation and revision of more international standards on behalf of China, continuously enhance China's voice in the field of international standardization of rolling bearings, promote China’s bearing industry to move towards an international high-end industrial chain, and help build a strong manufacturing country.