Speaker Interview: Gakuo Ndonga, Senior Engineer at WD Bearings
Tuesday, 14 January 2025
Gakuo Ndonga, Senior Engineer at WD Bearings, is set to bring his wealth of expertise to Lubricant Expo & The Bearing Show North America 2025, happening March 18-20 at Huntington Place, Detroit. With over a decade of experience in the rotating equipment and fluid machinery sectors, Gakuo has established himself as a thought leader in rolling element bearing applications.
In this exclusive Q&A, Gakuo shares insights into his career journey, the challenges facing the bearing industry today, and his vision for a more sustainable and innovative future. From his extensive contributions to industry publications and global conferences to his advocacy for sustainability and technological integration, Gakuo’s passion for engineering and collaboration is sure to inspire.
Read on to discover Gakuo’s perspective on the evolving landscape of the bearing sector and how events like Lubricant Expo & The Bearing Show play a pivotal role in shaping the industry’s future.
Tell us a bit about yourself… What is your focus and what are your responsibilities within your role as Senior Engineer at WD Bearings?
My journey through life has been defined by embracing diversity in knowledge, relationships, and experiences. My beginnings in industry as a product tester to my roles as a maintenance mechanic, sales engineering, and application engineering expert, I’ve gained a unique and invaluable perspective on solving complex problems. This unique skillset is what led me to WD Bearings, a company known for providing diverse solutions in complex applications. After working in the rotating equipment and fluid machinery sector for over a decade, I now offer application and design support as a Senior Engineer at WD Bearings in most other industries using rolling element bearings.
What are some of the highlights of your career?
I feel grateful for the opportunity to have contributed to numerous industry publications such as Pumps and Systems, Pump Engineer, Plant Services, and SAE International. It has also been a pleasure to present at industry conferences such as The Lubrication & Reliability Summit and Empowering Pumps and Industry Conference. I was also very happy to be recognized for my contributions to our industry and society by being inducted into the 2023 Marquis Who’s Who In America celebrating accomplished individuals from significant fields. Finally, working in the engineering field has awarded me the opportunity to travel around the world and work with talented people from many different backgrounds, something I highly encourage others to experience.
You are presenting on Day 3 of the conference, which will have a focus on bearing applications. What are the key challenges driving the bearing sector currently?
Global events from foreign policy changes, regional conflicts, to climate emergencies have led to interruptions in the supply of critical components, affecting manufacturing and delivery schedules. Bearing suppliers often work with clients around the globe, so supply chain disruptions require many companies to be very nimble in adjusting their manufacturing and supply chain resources.
There is also a growing emphasis on companies investing in sustainability and energy efficiency. We are seeing more domestic and foreign regulations requiring increased standards for lowered energy consumption while reducing the use of any hazardous or toxic materials in production. In order to avoid harming the environment our industry so desperately depends on, it will require manufacturers to willingly participate in producing sustainable products, services, and practices.
Finally, with the current surge in digitalization, sensors, and the emergence of artificial intelligence, machines are seeing benefits of improved process control and automation. This increase in technology adoption is also requiring industry specialists and experts to develop a different skillset that is both hands-on and software based. This evolution in technology will also drive an evolution in expertise, which should prove extremely valuable in tomorrow’s industry.
What change would you like to see in the bearing industry?
I envision the bearing industry will place a stronger emphasis on sustainability. By using more software tools, application knowledge, and advanced manufacturing, bearings can perform well beyond their designed life requirement. Achieving this helps keep machines running longer while keeping material waste levels down through simply avoiding the scrapping of failed parts or equipment.
In addition, enhancing collaboration outside of the industry will also be crucial as we see more integration of sensors and software with machinery. Our future will need to bring new talent such as software engineers closer to the field.
How can events like Lubricant Expo and The Bearing Show North America help effect these changes?
The Lubricant Expo and The Bearing Show North America can help reach out to university students and younger professionals to get involved in the field of bearings and tribology. This industry is not well known to the outside world. This becomes an obstacle in the process of recruiting the best talent.
Gakuo will be a speaker in the conference session “Preventing Bearing Failures” on March 20th from 1:30 – 2:45pm at Lubricant Expo & The Bearing Show North America, Huntington Place, Detroit. Register now to secure your FREE spot!