Lance Brown spent 28 years at CGI, Inc.—a Carson City, Nevada-based manufacturer of precision drive systems founded in 1967 and best known for its work in medical robotics and aerospace, now part of The Timken Company—working his way from the shop floor into design engineering and tackling gear problems across some of the most demanding industries in the world. Now, as MPMA’s first Senior Technical Instructor, he’s channeling that experience into a growing education program at a pivotal moment for the organization. We sat down with Brown to talk about the career that got him here, what he’s seeing in the classroom, and where MPMA’s training offerings are headed next.
20NiMo9-7 alloy achieves up to 48 percent higher fatigue strength than conventional carburizing steels in the as-carburized condition, eliminating the need for shot peening and grinding in automotive gear applications.
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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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The article proposes a method to optimize cylindrical gearbox tolerances by balancing gear noise performance and manufacturing costs using modeling, analysis, and meta-model-based optimization.
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This study investigates how manufacturing-related geometry deviations in the tooth root area affect gear bending strength calculations, demonstrating that accounting for measured tooth contours rather than nominal geometries is essential for accurate material comparisons in fatigue testing.
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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.
For precision measuring, skilled machinists, toolmakers, and inspectors must have accurate tools and gages, produced from quality materials, carefully manufactured, and rigidly inspected, to ensure lasting dependability. Gages have evolved throughout the years beginning with mechanical, then electronic models, and now convenient wireless electronic versions have come on the scene. Each type has an important place in today’s quality control and inspection processes.
Advantages of induction hardening over carburizing, as prepared for the AGMA Metallurgy Committee.
Gleason's Closed Loop System with robot or cobot loading now fully automates the measurement and correction process in gear production. Automatically prompting corrections on connected production machines, the GMSP series not only reduces human error in repetitive tasks, it also increases utilization of inspection equipment up to 90%.
TfG’s RGC 350 Radial Chamfering Machine from Machine Tool Builders produces defined, reproducible chamfers and ‘perfect’ teeth every time. The continuous, high-speed cutting process works wonders even on workpieces with interfering contours. What used to be slow, painful and expensive is now fast, painless, and perfect.
Deburring gears is dusty, repetitive, and hard to staff. The OB7 cobot from Productive Robotics automates it with quick setup and no programming required. Consistent finish on every part, built in the USA. See the full cobot deburring package and request a quote.
Download the whitepaper to learn how lifecycle management improves tool performance, reduces downtime, and drives measurable cost savings.
This white paper explores how the use of an automatic tool change system can boost productivity in the grinding process. When manufacturing large gears, the demands regarding surface quality of the ground tooth flanks are increasing.
The LC 280 DC gear hobbing machine from Liebherr is designed for precise gear cutting up to module 4.5 mm. It combines high productivity with advanced technology, featuring simultaneous FlexChamfer for efficient deburring and chamfering during the hobbing process.
Forest City Gear announced the retirement of Jeff Mains, Director of Technical Operations, following many years of dedicated service and leadership within the company. Mains’s transition from his full-time role went into effect on Friday, May 29.
Heimatec recently announced the availability of its u-tec flexible changing system on all live tools in the company’s product line. Tools are now available for the most popular machine tool models in the market, according to Platinum Tooling Technologies Inc. President, Preben Hansen.
Jul 29, 2026 - Jul 30, 2026
The Advanced Manufacturing Expo (AME) (Grand Rapids, MI) is the premier gathering for professionals shaping the future of manufacturing. It’s where innovation meets production — connecting industry leaders, cutting-edge technology, and real-world solutions under one roof. Explore the latest in automation, metalworking, MRO, safety and Industry 4.0 technology across four dynamic halls. From hands-on demonstrations to expert-led sessions, AME provides smarter, faster, and more efficient manufacturing solutions.
Sep 22, 2026 - Sep 23, 2026
Oct 12, 2026 - Oct 14, 2026
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