January/February 2004

Renaissance Man

January 1, 2004

I lost a good friend in October—one that many of you might know. Carlo Costi of Sogimex S.A.S. in Caponago (Milano), Italy, came out of the EMO show in Milan on October 28, caught a taxi and called his wife, Mariella, to tell her that he wasn’t feeling well. He died—in the taxi—on the phone—talking to his wife. He was 60 years old.

New Potentials in Carbide Hobbing

January 1, 2004

To meet the future goals of higher productivity and lower production costs, the cutting speeds and feeds in modern gear hobbing applications have to increase further. In several cases, coated carbide tools have replaced the commonly used high speed steel (HSS) tools.

Understanding Fluid Flow to Improve Lubrication Efficiency

January 1, 2004

Excess lubricant supply in gearing contributes to power loss due to churning as well as the requirements of the lubrication system itself. Normally, a much larger amount of oil than required is used for cooling because so much of it is thrown away by centrifugal force. To lower the amount of lubricant required and reduce those losses, it is necessary to discover the ideal location of the supplying nozzle.

Service Behavior of PVD-Coated Gearing Lubricated with Biodegradable Synthetic Ester Oils

January 1, 2004

The following article is concerned with the analysis of the wear-reducing effect of PVD-coatings in gearings. Standardized test methods are used, which under near-real conditions enable statements to be made about the different forms of damage and wear (micropitting, macropitting, scuffing).

Software Bits

January 1, 2004

The latest software for gear design, engineering and manufacturing.

Philly Gear: A Long Life, A New Direction

January 1, 2004

Large marine gearboxes. More than a year in production, each weighing 125,000 pounds, the gearboxes were for U.S. Navy amphibious ships, for combining the power of 10,000 hp diesel engines to drive propeller shafts. They were also the last major gear products shipped from Philadelphia Gear Corp.’s King of Prussia factory.

Unsolved Gear Mysteries

January 1, 2004

If there is such a thing as a gear fairy, then it’s possible he makes surprise visits to various colleges to deposit gears under the pillows of deserving professors.