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State of the Gear Industry 2026

The gear industry navigates uncertainty, finds pockets of strength, and bets on automation

Of the 137 respondents to our annual gear-industry survey, the message was clear: tariffs are the defining challenge of 2026. But the frustration runs deeper than the duties themselves. Manufacturers can absorb cost increases; they can’t absorb chaos. When rules shift weekly and exemptions evaporate overnight, planning becomes guesswork. One respondent captured the exhaustion: “In 2025, they were all over the place, without warning, up and down. Terribly disorganized.” Yet within this turbulence, distinct currents run strong. Defense and aerospace work has surged. Oil and gas, buoyed by loosened regulations, is “very active” according to multiple respondents, with mobile power units and gas compression driving demand. Overhaul and repair business is booming—when new equipment becomes expensive or hard to source, companies keep existing machines running longer, and that means gears.

¡Rápido!

With many of its precision gears produced in small lot sizes, Spanish gear producer Engranajes Juaristi S.L. depends on Gleason machines for exceptional speed and flexibility.

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Technical Articles

The Intrinsic Pitch Cones in Hypoid Gears

A method to calculate pitch cones for hypoid gears using macrogeometry parameters—similar to non-offset bevel gears—while accounting for the added complexity of hypoid offset, tooling, and cutting technology is explored in this paper.

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Electric vs. Combustion: A Comparative Analysis of Gear Design for Commercial Vehicle Applications

This paper examines the transition from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs), highlighting the distinct gear design requirements for each and presenting a comparative case study of gearbox configurations in a 14-ton commercial vehicle.

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Investigating the Effects of Wear, Lubrication and Material Pairing on the NVH Performance of Plastic Gears

This study systematically evaluates how material selection, progressive wear, and grease lubrication affect the noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) performance of polymer gears, providing new insights for designing quieter, more optimized transmission systems.

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Prospects of Asymmetric Gears in EV Gearbox

The paper examines how optimizing asymmetric gear tooth geometry through Direct Gear Design can improve load capacity, efficiency, and compactness in EV gearboxes, surpassing the performance limits of conventional symmetric gears.

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Design

For cylindrical gears, speed-increasing transmission stages are well known, and regarding profile shift, preferred pressure angles, and helix angles a set of rules applies, which is not much different from the rules for speed reducers. It is important to acknowledge that basically, a speed increaser has to be designed just like a speed reducer, but then the gear with the lower number of teeth is the output. Of course, the torque and the speed of the gear with the lower number of teeth (output) and the gear with the higher number of teeth (input) must be the same as if this transmission was used as a speed reducer. In the case of straight bevel gears, spiral bevel gears, and hypoid gears the same rules apply with some additions. Spiral bevel gears have many applications as speed increasers.  

Grinding

Overall developments and widespread public awareness of man-made climate change are transforming the way people think. The awareness has inspired a shift towards a more ecologically sustainable way of life. Driven by policymaking and technological innovation, ambitious efforts are underway to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to curb the rise in average temperatures. A key focus of these efforts is the mobility sector. 

Inspection

A combination of international regulations and consumer expectations is driving the demand for reduced noise on all drivetrain components. Further demand is driven by the growing trend towards EVs and HEVs, where noise from ICE is intermittent or no longer present, and the contribution of transmission noise to overall vehicle noise becomes dominant.

Heat Treating

By understanding customers’ manufacturing and heat-treatment processes, Ipsen identifies pain points and develops IIoT and AI-driven solutions that improve operational efficiency.

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Videos

If This Old Machine Can Be Automated, Yours Can Too

Productive Robotics sets the new standard for simplifying robotic automation. OB7 ensures simplicity in use and versatility, easy automation of existing production and new set-ups, increased output, consistency, and quality. It emphasizes teaching the robot rather than programming. Productive Robotics' OB7 collaborative robots are currently used in many diverse applications due to their simplicity, capability, and affordability.

Industry News

Affolter Group is investing in a major expansion and renovation of its headquarters in Valbirse (Grand Chasseral, canton of Bern, Switzerland). Construction has been under way since 2024 at the company’s site on Grand-Rue 74 and will continue through 2027.

Product News

Weiler Abrasives announced the new Tiger 3D MAX Ceramic flap discs and blending discs, which are products built for maximum material removal, durability and consistency. This expansion of the 3D MAX lineup brings advanced precision-shaped grain technology to a wider range of grinding applications.

Calendar

Gear Up for Precision Open House

Jun 9, 2026 - Jun 10, 2026

This joint Open House highlights the critical synergy between high-performance machining and precision measurement. Attendees will see firsthand how Nidec’s production workflows are complemented by Wenzel’s inspection and validation technologies, helping manufacturers achieve higher throughput and tighter tolerances.

WZL Gear Conference USA

Jul 15, 2026 - Jul 16, 2026

Fabtech Canada

Jun 9, 2026 - Jun 11, 2026

Hannover Messe 2026

Apr 20, 2026 - Apr 24, 2026

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