The inaugural issue of Gear Technology marked a significant change in the industry. I was 13 years into my career, working at my third company and in my fifth year on AGMA’s Helical Gear Rating Committee. Back then, few engineers moved around; you started at a gear company, were indoctrinated in their way of doing things, and hoped to advance by making very incremental changes to the “old family recipe.”
My family company, Cadillac Machinery, was a used machinery dealer specializing gear machinery, especially bevel gear equipment, so we knew first-hand how unique and sometimes insular the gear industry was. As a member of AGMA, I often attended AGMA events, including the Fall Technical Meeting, where tremendous knowledge was presented, year after year, about the latest research, technology and manufacturing approaches for gears.
I joined the staff of Gear Technology 30 years ago, as a lowly editorial assistant. I had just moved back to the Chicago area after a brief stint working for a family business in Louisiana. The nice people at Randall Publications offered me an opportunity to put to good use my journalism degree as well as my enthusiasm for math and science.
Forest City Gear announced Turning Lead Josh P. Gates has joined Rock Valley College as an adjunct professor. Gates teaches two courses under the Manufacturing Engineering Technology program: MET 111 CNC Machine Setup/Operation/Programming and MET 226 CNC/CAM Operations I. Both courses are required to complete the Rock River Valley Tooling & Machining Association (RRVTMA) CNC Precision Machinist Journeyman Apprenticeship.
As a community, we gear engineers collaborate and share ideas to progress our collective capability. Technology progresses based on our efforts, and we have seen solid advances in the performance of our products as they become quieter, cheaper, more efficient, and more power dense. The pages of this magazine (past and present editions) are filled with examples where talented engineers have dug deeper into a subject using a more precise approach to a particular area concerning gear performance. The implied belief is always that greater precision (complexity) in the calculations brings greater accuracy (alignment with reality).
New training programs and digital training technologies are closing the gap between shortages in skilled workers and an increasingly complex manufacturing environment. People are your most valuable asset, and investments in training pay enormous dividends downstream.
Training has quickly evolved in recognition of the new realities of the factory floor. The training tool kit has never been more diverse or effective. Training regimens today, at the best companies, are analogous to those of the most successful professional sports or Olympic teams. Instead of weight room, nutrition, and practice, workers use digital webinars, simulations, and classrooms. If modern training tools and techniques result in faster, higher, and stronger on the athletic field, they also produce faster, smarter, and better for companies seeking a competitive edge in the marketplace.
OK, audience. I’m going to divide you into two groups. Everybody whose company is a member of AGMA, please move over to the left-hand side of the room, and everybody else, please move over to the right.
The AGMA Foundation announces changes to its Board of Trustees at the AGMA Members' Meeting during the 2024 Annual Meeting in Napa, CA. “The Foundation continues to serve the gear industry by providing funding through their four pillars: education, workforce, scholarship, and emerging technology,” stated Executive Director, Mary Ellen Doran. “These new Trustees will help us make key decisions in how we can have a greater impact on the workforce over the next three years. I look forward to their contributions.”
The American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) announces changes to its Board of Directors at the AGMA Members' Meeting during the Annual Meeting in Napa, CA. “AGMA would not be where it is today without the passion and diligence of its Board of Directors,” said Matthew E. Croson, President, AGMA. “I want to thank the outgoing Directors for their wisdom and guidance during the pandemic and for helping AGMA maneuver through the tough economic conditions that followed. I have full confidence in our new Directors as AGMA focuses on programs to improve the gear industry at home and forge new partnerships with like-minded associations and organizations abroad.”
B&D Industrial, a leading independent distributor and service provider specializing in industrial applications, is thrilled to announce the recent acquisition of American Gear & Engineering, Inc. (American Gear), a premier gear manufacturing organization located in Westland, MI. This strategic move marks a significant step in B&D Industrial's commitment to vertical integration, enabling the company to provide an expanded range of offerings and greater value to its customers.