Interview with Murat Erturk, Chief Executive at OAVCO

Monday, 15 August 2022

OAV Air Bearings is a leading manufacturer of advanced Air Bearing technology and motion systems. Please tell us how you differ from other bearing companies?
First of all, air bearings are different from conventional bearings. Our air bearings are non contact, frictionless, with no limitations on design. Other companies are limited by factors like temperature, friction, speed, etc. By eliminating these constraints in our bearings due to their frictionless nature, our array of Air Bearings all possesses the highest level of precision and speed. For example, when faced with tasks measuring forces below the micro-newton scale, OAV air bearings’ ability to run over 500,000 RPM at a level of 0.025 microns is simply unmatched. To be able to create a system capable of such accuracy, we use aircraft quality material and advanced design enables us to manufacture our products 10 times lighter than the closest competitors. Its lightweight, along with advanced design and the highest quality materials make our products virtually maintenance-free, and effortless to install.

You have developed Thrust Air Bearing and OAV Roller Bearing. Please explain how these technologies differ from other bearing applications?
OAV Thrust and Roller bearings is a breakthrough innovation in this industry. Simply put, this was the first time an air bearing was available that was fully integrated and worked on a three-way frictionless surface, preloading both horizontal and vertical surfaces with opposing thin-film pressure, maintaining the perfect gap for utmost precision. In an ever-changing market susceptible and highly responsive to profitability and quality, the Thrust and Roller Bearing behaved as a market-changing, Beside all, OAV new tapered air bearings design changes the
industries how they operate.

How do you understand your customer’s needs and ensure you find the right solutions for them?
When our customers receive our products, they also receive our service. We work to cooperate on their projects like it is our own, and have our team of experienced engineers assist with any and all needs ranging from specific bearing questions to engineering problems they may face along with the application of their project. Our Air Bearings serve as keystone tools for just about every market, and we continue to learn its capabilities day by day. Taking this into account, OAV’s engineering team works hard to overcome challenges one may face in their project, unifying markets that may seem to never work together.

You have been Chief Executive of OAV Air Bearings for 12 years, what does your role entail?
Forming a business from the ground up requires dedication, discipline, and focus. Being able to adapt to setbacks a company may face and use it to propel yourself forward all display characteristics that create the culture of OAV. My position as Chief Executive is to keep this business at the highest standard of excellence and keep the culture that served as the building blocks rooted in every single aspect of this company. This includes motivating, understanding, and setting an example for those working hard around me. The culture here at OAV and its integrity put our customers at the center of our attention, working to build genuine relationships with those that trust our products, and keeping consistency and superiority in our service and
bearings.

How have you seen the bearings industry change over the years?
There hasn’t been much change in the bearing industry, other than a few small applications, nothing had really shaken the market to a great extent. OAV’s entrance bearing market in 2013 with the Thrust and Roller air bearings not only served the market with quality and profound engineering but made the market accessible to a vast amount of applications. As I mentioned earlier, we are learning about this industry every single day, and our products prove to us time and time again that its use stretches beyond what we had imagined.

What attracted you to becoming an advisory board member for The Bearing Show?
As an entrepreneur at heart, I am always looking to learn more. Being part of a board that shares valuable information, feeds off the energy of one another, and is just as highly motivated in the market as myself was something that drew my attention. I am always looking to share the knowledge I have, whether that be in business, engineering, etc. As well as learning new things from those with different experiences than myself. Becoming an advisory board member for The Bearing Show also served as an opportunity for me to shed even more light on the formidable inventions of OAV that have shaped the industry as we know it.