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INDUSTRY NEWS | 2025-12-12

MPMA Launches New eVTOL & Drone Technology Committee to Advance the Future of Aerial Mobility

The Motion + Power Manufacturers Alliance (MPMA) is forming a new emerging technology committee: the eVTOL & Drone Technology Committee. The inaugural virtual meeting will take place on Thursday, January 22, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern. This new group will examine this fast-moving sector where electrification, lightweight materials, distributed propulsion, and high-precision drive components intersect. As aerial mobility platforms move from prototype to commercialization, gear and bearing manufacturers are uniquely positioned to support their success. MPMA aims to ensure its members possess the knowledge, connections, and technical expertise to effectively support this new technology.

INDUSTRY NEWS | 2025-11-06

Prof. Dr. Hermann Stadtfeld Marks 70th Patent with MicroForm Innovation

Gleason Corporation’s Prof. Dr. Hermann J. Stadtfeld, Vice President of Bevel Gear Technology and R&D, has been awarded a new patent for his latest invention, “Psychoacoustic Tooth Flank Form Modification”—also known by its working name MicroForm. The innovation marks his 70th patented invention, continuing a career dedicated to advancing the science and manufacture of bevel gears. Gear Technology caught up with Dr. Stadtfeld to field a few questions about this latest milestone.

SPONSORED CONTENT | 2025-10-07

Precision Gearing Solutions Engineered for Advanced Mechanical Systems

Spiroid Gearing delivers precision gearing for advanced mechanical systems engineered to handle extreme torque and complex motion requirements. With unique right-angle gear solutions, our technology enhances efficiency, reliability, and design flexibility. This empowers engineers to push boundaries in aerospace, defense, robotics, and industrial applications where performance and durability are non-negotiable.

INDUSTRY NEWS | 2025-04-16

RENK Group AG Completes Acquisition of Cincinnati Gearing Systems Inc.

RENK Group AG, a leading supplier of military and civilian propulsion solutions, has successfully completed the acquisition of Cincinnati Gearing Systems Inc. (“CGS Inc.”), a U.S.-based manufacturer of precision gears and power transmission technologies. Effective immediately, CGS Inc. will operate under the name RENK America Marine & Industry LLC. 

INDUSTRY NEWS | 2021-12-27

Velo3D Ships First Sapphire XC to Aerospace Customer

Velo3D, Inc. has announced its first Sapphire XC delivery. The Sapphire XC, or “Extra Capacity,” is the company’s newes...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2021-11-09

ECM NANO Lands in North American Aerospace Market

ECM USA Director of Sales, Bill Gornicki, recently announced the purchase of a NANO system for deployment into the North American aerospa...
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2021-11-01

Dry Lubricated Rolling-Sliding Contact –Operation Behavior and Calculation of Local Frictional Energy

For certain operating conditions and environments, liquid lubrication of gear drives is not possible, or can only be implemented with great restrictions or at high cost.
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INDUSTRY NEWS | 2021-11-01

Lucifer Furnaces Offers Pot Furnaces for Aerospace Applications

Lucifer Furnaces, Warrington PA, has designed a multi-unit modular Pot Furnace system for a major aerospace manufacturer in the US. The e...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2021-09-09

MINExpo 2021 Examines Safety, Cost Reduction and Productivity in Mining Sector

With 11 halls of industry suppliers showcasing the latest products and services for mining, attendees will have three days to see the bes...
PRODUCT NEWS | 2021-09-01

Product News

The complete Product News section from the September/October 2021 issue of Gear Technology.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2021-08-31

Mercury Marine Advances Heat Treat Processes with ECM Technologies Vacuum Furnace Systems

Mercury Marine of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, recently launched a plan to upgrade its heat-treating capabilities with a move to the low-press...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2021-06-21

Guill Tool Offers Machining and Fabricating Manufacturing Services for Aerospace

For over 55 years, Guill Tool has been providing tooling for the aerospace, extrusion, medical, consumer and commercial, defense, wind, o...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2021-06-10

Kennametal Introduces Drilling and Countersinking System for Aerospace Fastener Holes

Kennametal has introduced the HiPACS drilling and countersinking system for aerospace fastener holes. Designed to drill and chamfer holes...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2021-06-01

Industry News

The latest news from Nordex, Gleason, Solar Atmospheres, and more.
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INDUSTRY NEWS | 2021-05-14

Advantages of Chamfering

State-of-the-Art Chamfer Cutting Technologies for Cylindrical Gears
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2021-04-26

ANCA Provides Complete Skiving Cutter Solution for EV Transmissions

ANCA's TX and MX machines offer skiving cutter sharpening

INDUSTRY NEWS | 2021-04-13

Kennametal Introduces FBX Drill for Aerospace Machining

Kennametal has introduced the FBX drill for flat-bottom drilling of structural aerospace parts. The patented FBX drill delivers superior ...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2021-03-10

MSHS Group Accelerates Marine and Energy Solutions

Positioned to expand both its geographic reach and service capacity, the MSHS Group announced a partnership with MPE to accelerate a stra...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2021-02-24

Lessons Learned

No one succeeds in any field without help. Fifty years ago, I filled out a job application, took a physical, and counted t...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2021-01-29

Non-Automotive Robots Surpass Automotive Orders in 2020

For the first time, yearly orders of robots from non-automotive sectors surpassed automotive robot orders, as sales of robotic units in N...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2021-01-04

Seco Assists with Common Aerospace Challenges

In order to help work through both common and unique challenges, Seco Tools has an aerospace task force made up of aerospace specialists ...
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2021-01-01

NVH Analysis and Simulation of Automotive E-Axles

Addressing a methodology for NVH analysis and simulation of an automotive E-axle.
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2020-12-28

Don't Forget the Follow-Up!

One of the cardinal rules of design engineering is that you will never overcome physics. It is an applied science so misunderstanding or ignoring m...
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2020-11-01

Automotive Drive Concepts

Attempts to eliminate mechanical drive trains in automobiles and trucks have had limited success because of cost, weight, dynamic characteristic, and efficiency of the alternative components.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2020-11-01

Asymmetric Cylindrical Gears

In this article the authors present a loaded tooth contact analysis (LTCA) method for asymmetric gears that provides an accurate and efficient design tool for analyzing and comparing designs. The presented method is implemented in SMT's MASTA software. The authors also present an example comparative study using this tool for an automotive application.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2020-09-24

Solar Atmospheres Achieves Preferred Aerospace Supplier Status

Solar Atmospheres of Western Pennsylvania (SAWPA) recently participated in a Boeing Supplier Assessment. The on-site, preventative engage...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2020-09-16

Learning the Ropes

Ever wonder about the origin of common phrases? As the son of a sailor, I have always enjoyed maritime history and nautical fiction, although some ...
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2020-09-01

Introduction to Electric Vehicle Transmissions

The first chapter from a new book by Dr. Hermann J. Stadtfeld provides an overview of the need for new technologies and approaches when it comes to developing transmissions for electric vehicles.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2020-08-01

Double Differential for Electric Vehicle and Hybrid Transmissions

There's never been a better time to put the spotlight on e-drive transmissions and electric vehicles. They're obviously not just coming: they're already here. Just check out any auto show or showroom. That's why Gear Technology magazine is pleased to present the first installment in a series of chapters excerpted from Dr. Hermann J. Stadtfeld's newest book, "E-Drive Transmission Guide - New solutions for electric- and hybrid transmission vehicles."
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2020-07-06

Master Fluid Solutions Launches HyperSol 888NXT for Aerospace Applications

Global leader in metalworking fluids, Master Fluid Solutions, has launched a new product tailored to the unique and complex needs of the ...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2020-07-01

Dana Makes Changes to Off-Highway Leadership Team

Dana Incorporated has made recent changes in the company’s off-highway leadership team.Jeroen Decleer has been named vice president...
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2020-07-01

Influence of Planet Carrier Misalignments on the Operational Behavior of Planetary Gearboxes

This study deals with the modeling and consideration of misalignments in planetary gearboxes in the optimization and design process. Procedures for taking into account misalignments in cylindrical gearboxes are standardized and established in industry. Misalignments of central elements like carrier, sun gear or ring gear in planetary gearboxes, cause varying contact positions and variable loads, depending on the angular position of the central elements. This load, which is variable over the circumference, is not taken into account in the standardized procedures, despite its effects on the loads on the gears.
ADDENDUM | 2020-07-01

Rudolf Diesel - Man of Motion and Mystery

You have to admit, having an engine named after you is a singularly impressive achievement.
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2020-06-24

Mid-Game Adjustments

People of a certain age well remember The A-Team, a television show about a team of ex-military guys who went around righting wrongs and b...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2020-06-23

Seco/Warwick Delivers Two Vector Vacuum Furnaces for Aerospace Application

Seco/Warwick Group has sold 2 vacuum furnaces for an aerospace application to one client in two locations: the USA and Singapore. The Gro...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2020-06-17

Hoffmann Group Taps WFL Millturn to Test and Optimize Tools

Pushed to the Maximum

With over 4,000 employees and an extensive range of tools, operating equipment and personal protec...
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2020-05-01

New Guideline for Determining the Reliability of Planetary/Spur Gear Units

In the wind power industry, the reliability of powertrain components plays a major role. Especially in multi-megawatt offshore applications, an unplanned replacement of drivetrain components can lead to extremely high costs. Hence, the expectation of wind farm operators is to forecast the system reliability. Under the leadership of the VDMA (Mechanical Engineering Industry Association), the standardization paper 23904 "Reliability Assessment for Wind Turbines" was published in October 2019.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2020-05-01

Industry News

The complete Industry News section from the May 2020 issue of Gear Technology.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2020-03-23

Sulzer Service Centers Keeps U.S. Mining Industry Moving

Mining companies invest huge sums into their equipment, which needs to deliver high output round the clock. Planned maintenance plays an ...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2020-03-01

Documentation: A Challenge in Making Aerospace Gears

For years, Reliance Gear Corp. has manufactured gears for the aerospace industry. Located in Elmhurst, IL, Reliance has served as a Tier 2 or Tier 3 supplier. (Tier 1 suppliers work directly with the aerospace primes, the Boeings and Embraers of the world.) Like many gear shops, Reliance is certified under quality management standard ISO 9001. And its aerospace customers were satisfied with that certification. Until two years ago.
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2019-12-10

Little Misunderstanding

My far better half’s difficulties with getting her “circle” of church women to embrace modern communications is a cautionary tale for the workplace...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2019-11-07

Kennametal Offers KOR 5 for Aluminum Roughing for Aerospace Applications

Kennametal has recently introduced the KOR 5 solid carbide end mill for aluminum roughing for aerospace applications. It is designed for ...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2019-09-12

Where Did All the Dealmakers Go?

An old business associate called the other day with a training request. To the best of my knowledge, he’s among the last “manufacturer’s representa...
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2019-09-01

Influence of Thermal Distortion on Spur Gear Tooth Contact

In this paper the effects of thermally induced geometry distortions on load distribution and transmission error have been analyzed.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2019-08-09

Victrex Awarded Automotive Standard for Manufacture of Gears

Victrex has achieved a new milestone for its automotive offerings. Its gear design and manufacturing facility in Grantsburg, USA, has rec...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2019-07-25

Gear Origins: Reinventing the Family Business

Sometimes the old family recipe needs updating… My husband’...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2019-06-13

Rockford: Should it be Renamed Gear City USA?

Rob Swiss’ origin story reached me the very same day his new hometown, Rockford, Illinois, ...
PRODUCT NEWS | 2019-06-01

Product News

The complete Product News section from the June 2019 issue of Gear Technology.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2019-06-01

Oil-Off Characterization Method Using In-Situ Friction Measurement for Gears Operating Under Loss-of-Lubrication Conditions

The oil-off (also known as loss-of-lubrication or oil-out) performance evaluation of gears is of significant interest to the Department of Defense and various rotorcraft manufacturers, so that the aircraft can safely land in an accidental loss-of-lubricant situation. However, unlike typical gear failure modes such as pitting or bending fatigue where early detection is possible, gear failure in an oil-off situation is very rapid and likely catastrophic. Failures rapidly result in the loss of torque transmission and the inability to control the aircraft.
EVENTS | 2019-06-01

The Electric Evolution

CTI Symposium Presents Latest Automotive Transmission Developments and Applications.
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2019-05-24

Finding the Limits

Jim Richard’s account of his journey from youthful experimenter to designer of cutting edge gear processing equipment illustrates the amazing thing...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2019-05-21

My Origin Story: James Richards

James Richards’ entry int...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2019-05-09

My Story – Bob Handschuh

Most of us only think of NASA with regard to the “S” [Space] in its acronym. The first “A” [Aerospace] is just as important to its mission of s...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2019-05-01

CTI Symposium USA 2019

The Past, Present and Future of Vehicle Electrification
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2019-05-01

Design and Optimization of a Hybrid Vehicle Transmission

The paper is not the proof of a discovery, but it is the description of a method: the optimization of the microgeometry for cylindrical gears. The method has been applied and described on some transmissions with helical gears and compound epicyclic, used on different hybrid vehicles. However, the method is also valid for industrial gearboxes.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2019-04-24

Determining Excitation Force in KISSsoft

Since the 03/2018 release, KISSsoft contact analysis also calculates the excitation force according to the FVA Report 487 (module ZA30) i...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2019-03-29

EMAG Offers ECM Technology to Aerospace Market

There is one important correlation to be found in the manufacture of aero engines: the higher the temperatures generated by the engine, t...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2019-03-21

My Story: Ernie Reiter

In the last semester of my senior year of mechanical engineering, I recall having a discussion with my study group friends about the purpose of our...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2019-03-19

Six Degrees of Gears ...

Our next “origin story” author is another consulting en...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2019-03-14

My Career in Gears: Ray Drago

When I was in high school (Manual Training High School in Brooklyn, NY) I had a general science teacher, Mrs. Gaudiello, who recognized something i...
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2019-03-01

Electric Vehicle Whine Noise - Gear Blank Tuning as an Optimization Option

Noise issues from gear and motor excitation whine are commonly faced by many within the EV and HEV industry. In this paper the authors present an advanced CAE methodology for troubleshooting and optimizing such NVH phenomenon.
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2019-02-12

Adult Education

Origin Stories Needed

How did you get started in the gear trade? We are interested in sharing your “origin story” as a way of helping hum...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2018-11-15

Beautiful on the Inside

Higher Quality Internal Gears

GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-10-30

New Things in an Old Box

To conclude our loo...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-10-18

How to Upgrade a Classic

If you are a f...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-10-09

Where to Next?

We have devoted this year to going over fundamentals of gear and gearbox design and manufacture. Before we move on to other topics, I would like to...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-09-20

Frequently Asked Questions

Backlash “adju...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-09-14

The Usual Suspects

Once you accept that “stuff” happens in even the best of machine shops, you can begin to assess where the problems are likely to occur and start th...
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2018-09-01

NVH Potential of PM Gears for Electrified Drivetrains

Electrification has already started to have a noticeable impact on the global automotive industry. As a result, the drivetrains of hybrid (HEV) and full electric vehicles (EV) are facing many challenges, like increased requirements for NVH in high speed e-Drives and the need for performance improvements to deal with recuperation requirements. Motivated by the positive validation results of surface densified manual transmission gears which are also applicable for dedicated hybrid transmissions (DHTs) like e-DCTs, GKN engineers have been looking for a more challenging application for PM gears within those areas.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2018-08-15

IMTS 2018: A Field Guide

Chicago Preps for the Next Manufacturing Technology Extravaganza Matthew Jaster, Senior Editor
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2018-08-14

IMTS 2018: Jenoptik Automotive

The new generation of Waveline W800 roughness and contour measuring devices, designed to meet a variety of customer requirements for flex...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2018-08-13

International Gear Conference 2018

Lyon, France. Mechanical transmission components such as gears, rolling element bearings, CVTs, belts, chains, etc. are present in every industrial...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2018-08-13

IMTS 2018: MAG Automotive

MAG (Booth S-338129) will be debuting its MMH 500 Horizontal Machining Center for the general market at IMTS 2018. MAG engineers designe...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-06-28

Suns and Planets

The first planetary drive I helped take apart had three stages of through hardened spur gears encased in a simple cast iron tube with plates on both ends. Both input and output shafts rotated on taper roller bearings, but everything else had simple bronze bushings.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2018-06-05

GWJ Expands Automotive Engagement at Dritev Congress 2018

The International VDI Dritev Congress will be held June 27-28 in Bonn, Germany. The exhibition at the Dritev congress features a unique...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-06-05

Hardenability 101

Material Grade in Gears

The reason not all gears can be made from the same material grade has to do with hardenability. We have long unde...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-05-22

Further Modifications

You might be thinking this conversation would logically move to other tooth modifications. Gear Technology has and will c...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2018-05-01

The Road to Reliability

Gear Industry Steps Up to Automation Challenges in Auto Industry. Automotive parts are always moving. They are zipping across conveyors, smashing into each other in bins and traveling across the production chain before ending up inside an automobile. For gears, this can be a somewhat precarious situation as they tend to run best when they're free from nicks, abrasions, cracks or other damages.
ADDENDUM | 2018-05-01

Little-Known Horologist Made Waves with His Revolutionary Chronometer

John Harrison (1693–1776) - a British clockmaker (and carpenter) whose extremely precise chronometer enabled seafarers to calculate longitude (also known as east-west axis) with a degree of accuracy that until then was unheard of.
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-04-10

What About Face Width?

The second component in that face contact ratio equation is the face width. There are almost as many “rules of thumb” for determining the “proper” ...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2018-04-06

Houghton International HOCUT 8750 Oil Metal Removal Fluid Improves Operational Efficiency During Manufacture of Automotive Parts

Houghton International has developed a new versatile soluble oil metal removal fluid for the manufacture of automotive parts including en...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-03-27

Filling in the Gaps

A few weeks ago, I admitted to not knowing much about the Klingelnberg system of bevels. Terry Edwards, chief designer at Pacific Star Marine in Br...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-03-13

Bevel Buzzwords

Does technical lingo confuse you? If so, welcome to the bevel gear sector and its special kind of hell. The same “system” that benefited from stand...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-03-01

Out of Your Depth?

How did that over pin calculation work out? My congratulations if you managed to work your way through it without tearing your hair out. Guess what...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2018-02-13

IMPCO Microfinishing Worldstar 1680 Offers Fully Flexible Microfinishing System for Automotive Applications

A new design CNC microfinishing system by IMPCO Microfinishing, polishes the critical cylindrical bearing journals of a range of differen...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2018-02-12

IIoT Spotlight: The Job Shop

As IIoT solutions become more readily available throughout the manufacturing sector, challenges continue when you start looking specifically at the...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2018-01-31

IIoT Spotlight: A Look at Honeywell Connected Plant

One of the most relevant topics in manufacturing right now is predicting process conditions and equipment failures for continuous improvement on th...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-01-23

The First Step is Easy

When I started writing my gear book back in 1986, the mission was to provide enough information for a person new to the gear trade to tell if someo...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2018-01-01

Holding Fast, Bouncing Back

Business is finally starting to get back to usual in the big gear world, which offers us a chance to look back at the greatest lesson on how to survive an economic downturn. Includes the sidebar: "Brass Tacks with Klingelnberg."
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2017-10-31

Gear Expo Swag Report

Soon you will be reading lots of stories about the 2017 AGMA Fall Technical Meeting and Gear Expo in our magazine and online reports. BUT, the info...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2017-09-28

Is There a Future in Gears?

I have several vivid memories of my first week as an apprentice back in 1971. One was the shock of getting a printout from Human Resources in my fi...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2017-08-24

Effective Instructions

Have you ever tried to assemble something with poorly written or translated instructions? The classic image of a befuddled father on Christmas Eve ...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2017-08-08

WZL Gear Conference Highlights Latest Technology

Liebherr Gear Technology Inc. recently hosted the 7th WZL Gear Conference in the USA 2017 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This two-day program o...
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2017-08-01

Determination of Maximum Loads for Drivetrain Components in Thrusters Using Flexible Multibody-System Models

The usage of modern thrusters allows combining the functions of the drive and the ship rudder in one unit, which are separated in conventional ship propulsion systems. The horizontally oriented propeller is supported in a vertically rotatable nacelle that is mounted underneath the ship's hull. The propeller can directly or indirectly be driven by an electric motor or combustion engine. Direct drive requires the installation of a low-speed electric motor in the nacelle. This present paper concentrates on indirect drives where the driving torque is transferred by bevel gear stages and shafts from the motor to the propeller.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2017-08-01

Industry News

Results from the 2017 Powder Metallurgy Design Excellence Awards, plus other news from around the industry.
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2017-07-11

Origin Stories

Once in a while we need to take a break from the “honey do” list and start becoming familiar with our community. A trip to a nearby state park that...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2017-06-23

A Calling, Not a Job

In driving around my new hometown, I am struck by the grandeur of some of the older homes and buildings. Oil City, Pennsylvania was once home to gi...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2017-06-13

Mastercam 2018 Focuses on Efficiency and Speed

Mastercam 2018 was recently introduced at EASTEC where attendees were impressed with the tools the software has available to get parts off...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2017-06-01

Wind Turbine Gearbox Reliability

A high number of wind turbine gearboxes do not meet their expected design life, despite meeting the design criteria of current bearing, gear and wind turbine industry standards and certifications.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2017-05-01

Transmission Throwdown

Which transmission system will come out on top is a hot topic in the automotive community. With multiple transmission-centric conferences on the horizon, there will be plenty of debate, but how much will the answer actually affect gear manufacturers, and when?
ADDENDUM | 2017-05-01

The Guy Who Put the Gearbox Up Front

As the Indianapolis 500 begins its second hundred years, it is a good opportunity to recall the guy who put the gearbox "up front."
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2017-04-20

Innovation in Mature Products

Many people look back fondly on the days of the annual model change in the automobile market. Car dealerships would cover their display windows and...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2017-04-17

AFC-Holcroft Roller Hearth Annealing Furnace Installed for Major Automotive Systems and Components Supplier

A leading global automotive supplier of systems and components has purchased a new roller hearth annealing furnace from AFC-Holcroft. The...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2017-04-11

Why Things Break

I used to tease our maintenance staff that there were only two reasons a machine went down: it went down because we worked on it or because we did ...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2017-04-04

What Makes a Good Design?

In my last post I insisted that good design wins in the marketplace. As a student of automotive history, I am compelled to admit that some very gre...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2017-03-21

Worm Gears: Higher Energy Efficiency and Less Strain on Resources

Introduction The concepts of sustainability and energy efficiency are gaining importance in power transmission engineering. Mor...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2017-03-01

Shifting Fortunes

Amidst the energy industry's uncertain future, gearbox manufacturers are focusing on supplying the aftermarket.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2017-03-01

Mecof Powermill Machining Center Offers Ideal Solution for Aerospace and Large Workpiece Handling

The large Powermill machining center from Mecof, part of EMCO Group, provides users precision, high dynamics, operational flexibility and...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2017-02-23

Operator Error

The backlash discussion posted previously was inspired by the comments posted on a hobby website I frequent. The commentator was of the opinion tha...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2017-02-21

Unreasonable Backlash

Not to worry — no politics here. The “backlash” I want to talk about is the “lost motion” in gear systems. It sometimes seems to rile people up alm...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2017-01-20

LMI Aerospace Appoints Jay Inman President of Engineering Services, Keith Schrader Vice President of Operations

LMI Aerospace Inc. has appointed Jay Inman as president of engineering services, a role he had been serving on an interim basis since Sep...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2017-01-18

Advanced Materials Development Corp. Offers New Material Options for Automotive Components

Car and truck manufacturers are faced with the difficult task of significantly improving fuel economy while maintaining safety and compet...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2017-01-01

Oil-Out Endurance Under the Lens

Oil-out conditions, or conditions in which an aircraft is operating without any oil in its gearbox or transmission, are devastating for an aircraft's hardware. Even the sturdiest gears usually can't last 30 minutes under such conditions before they catastrophically fail, and the whole system usually follows shortly after. That doesn't leave pilots with a whole lot of time to find a suitable location to land in the case of an oil-out emergency.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2017-01-01

Development of High-Hardness-Cast Gears for High-Power Mining Applications

Multiple possibilities are available to increase the transmissible power of girth gears. These solutions include: using a larger module, increasing of the gear diameter through the number of teeth, enlarging the face width, and increasing the hardness of the base material. The first three parameters are mostly limited by cutting machine capability. Module, outside diameter, and face width (for a cast gear) can theoretically be increased to infinity, but not the cutting machine dimensions. There are also practical limits with respect to the installation of very large diameter/large face width gears.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2017-01-01

Repair of Large, Surface-Degraded Industrial Gears - a New Approach

This paper presents a new approach to repair industrial gears by showing a case study where pressure angle modification is also considered, differently from the past repairing procedures that dealt only with the modification of the profile shift coefficient. A computer program has been developed to automatically determine the repair alternatives under two goals: minimize the stock removal or maximize gear tooth strength.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2017-01-01

Industry News

News from around the Gear Industry
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2016-12-15

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries MSS300 Skiving Machine Designed for Manufacturing Automotive Internal Ring Gears

The opening of the JIMTOF machine tool show in Tokyo, Japan marked the debut of MHIMTC's new MSS300 super skiving gear machine. This ...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2016-12-09

GKN Sinter Metals Starts Automotive Series Production with 3D Printing System

GKN Sinter Metals announced that the first additive manufacturing (AM) machine in the automotive industry to enable series production of ...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2016-11-29

Specialization vs. Adaptability

Darwin posited that life on earth evolved to make the most of its environment. Too much competition for low hanging leaves, he concluded, prompted ...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2016-11-17

Energy Policy Thoughts

Our industry makes parts for all different types of energy and transportation. AGMA, our national trade association, was formed, in part, because t...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2016-10-27

Jenoptik Automotive Offers Hommel-Etamic AG380 Pneumatic Snap Gage

Jenoptik Automotive recently introduced the Hommel-Etamic AG380 pneumatic snap gage to quickly, cost-effectively and flexibly check a ran...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2016-10-27

The Limits of Genius

There is an old saying that “the fools always win in the end because stupidity has no limits, while genius does.” Occasionally we see this acted ou...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2016-10-18

Two Problems, Two Machines, Two Solutions

Delta’s Investment in New Mitsubishi Equipment Adds Capacity, Reduces Cycle Time Dwight Smith, Vice President, Mitsubishi Hea...
PRODUCT NEWS | 2016-09-01

Product News

News on the latest products in the industry.
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2016-08-16

Speaking in Metaphors

  As one of our trade’s more accessible “experts,” I am happy to field questions from the general public, too. This week one of the more un...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2016-08-01

IMTS 2016 Booth Previews

Comprehensive descriptions of what you will find in the booths of many leading gear industry suppliers at IMTS 2016.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2016-08-01

Updating Modern Production Processes

Gear Technology interviews Scott Yoders of Liebherr about the latest gear machining technologies of relevance to automotive manufacturers.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2016-06-02

Forbes Names Ricardo one of America's Leading Consulting Firms in the Automotive Industry

Ricardo was recently listed in the Forbes America’s Best Management Consulting Firms 2016, a list identifying which management cons...
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2016-06-01

Gear Backlash Analysis of Unloaded Gear Pairs in Transmissions

A best practice in gear design is to limit the amount of backlash to a minimum value needed to accommodate manufacturing tolerances, misalignments, and deflections, in order to prevent the non-driving side of the teeth to make contact and rattle. Industry standards, such as ANSI/AGMA 2002 and DIN3967, provide reference values of minimum backlash to be used in the gear design. However, increased customers' expectations in vehicle noise eduction have pushed backlash and allowable manufacturing tolerances to even lower limits. This is especially true in the truck market, where engines are quieter because they run at lower speeds to improve fuel economy, but they quite often run at high torsional vibration levels. Furthermore, gear and shaft arrangements in truck transmissions have become more complex due to increased number of speeds and to improve efficiency. Determining the minimum amount of backlash is quite a challenge. This paper presents an investigation of minimum backlash values of helical gear teeth applied to a light-duty pickup truck transmission. An analytical model was developed to calculate backlash limits of each gear pair when not transmitting load, and thus susceptible to generate rattle noise, through different transmission power paths. A statistical approach (Monte Carlo) was used since a significant number of factors affect backlash, such as tooth thickness variation; center distance variation; lead; runout and pitch variations; bearing clearances; spline clearances; and shaft deflections and misalignments. Analytical results identified the critical gear pair, and power path, which was confirmed experimentally on a transmission. The approach presented in this paper can be useful to design gear pairs with a minimum amount of backlash, to prevent double flank contact and to help reduce rattle noise to lowest levels.
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2016-05-31

Animal Trouble

Although the official astrological start to summer in the northern hemisphere is still three weeks away, the Memorial Day weekend just concluded ma...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2016-05-01

Off-Highway Endures Soft Markets

under pressure from numerous market forces. The oil sector's decline, weakened global economies (particularly China) and local government policies outnumber and outweigh relieving forces such as the FAST Act, leaving the industry in a general downturn. The outlook has yet to become truly grim, but companies are beginning to scale back.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2016-05-01

Noise Reduction in an EV Hub Drive Using a Full Test and Simulation Methodology

With the ongoing push towards electric vehicles (EVs), there is likely to be increasing focus on the noise impact of the gearing required for the transmission of power from the (high-speed) electric motor to the road. Understanding automotive noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) and methodologies for total in-vehicle noise presupposes relatively large, internal combustion (IC) contributions, compared to gear noise. Further, it may be advantageous to run the electric motors at significantly higher rotational speed than conventional automotive IC engines, sending geartrains into yet higher speed ranges. Thus the move to EV or hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) places greater or different demands on geartrain noise. This work combines both a traditional NVH approach (in-vehicle and rig noise, waterfall plots, Campbell diagrams and Fourier analysis) - with highly detailed transmission error measurement and simulation of the complete drivetrain - to fully understand noise sources within an EV hub drive. A detailed methodology is presented, combining both a full series of tests and advanced simulation to troubleshoot and optimize an EV hub drive for noise reduction.
ADDENDUM | 2016-05-01

NOME Is Where The Energy Is

According to the U.K.-based WITT Energy website (witt-energy.com), "The WITT is the only device in the world that can capture energy from all movement and turn it into electricity. No other energy system can exploit the full spectrum of movement, enabling it to harvest power from water (sea, river or tidal), wind and human or animal motion."
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2016-03-01

Industry News

News from around the Gear Industry
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2016-03-01

Plastic Gearing Continues Converting the Unconverted

Plastic gears are everywhere today - throughout your car, at the oceans' lowest depths, in deep space. The question, when is a metal gear a candidate for plastic conversion, can be addressed in three words, i.e. what's the application?
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2016-03-01

Taking on Tight Margins in Wind Energy

Onshore and offshore wind turbines boast some of the most critical assets in order to run effectively.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2016-02-08

Global Automotive Gear Market Continues to Grow

Asia-Pacific accounted for the largest share of the global automotive gears market in 2015. The region generates high demand for veh...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2016-02-02

Tight Belts, Restricted Vision

Regular unleaded gasoline prices dropped below $1.50 a gallon in the Chicago suburbs this week. That hardly seemed possible when prices peaked well...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2016-01-07

Who Offered the First Enclosed Gearbox?

Let’s start 2016 off with a joint research project. While visiting a client late last year we got to talking gear history and he recounted a story ...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2016-01-01

Looming Large

Let's talk about large gears. Not the size or scope or inspection process, but the forecast and market potential in areas that utilize these massive components. We'll examine key industry segments like energy and mining and tap IHS Economics for a forecast for 2016 and 2017 (spoiler alert: it's not great). Additionally, we'll discuss some of the critical factors influencing global big gear manufacturers Ferry-Capitain and Hofmann Engineering.
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2015-11-17

Partners — Not Adversaries

Continuing my rant on the difficulties in getting quotes…

Not all the b...

GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2015-10-08

Old School Technology Boosts High Technology

A popular cable car customizing show recently featured a segment on using 3-D printing to produce a prototype part. There wasn’t anything original ...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2015-07-01

New Transmissions Make the Gas GREENER

“Highway vehicles release about 1.7 billion tons of greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere each year — mostly in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2) — contributing to global climate change. The CO2 emissions of a car are directly proportional to the quantity of fuel consumed by an engine. In 2013, U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from transportation were second only to the electricity sector — an increase of about 16% since 1990.” (EPA.GOV).
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2015-07-01

I Like Big Gears and I Cannot Lie!

Many years ago, when asked how the five-meter gear was checked, the quality manager responded, “When they’re that big, they’re never bad!” That may have been the attitude and practice in the past, but it no longer serves the manufacturer nor the customer. Requirements have been evolving steadily, requiring gears to perform better and last longer.
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2015-06-30

Echoes of My Past

GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2015-06-18

How Do You Learn?

We hear a lot of chatter about the “crisis in education” — as if this was a completely new and unexpected situation. My home state, long proud of i...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2015-06-01

Precision Gearing Lightens the Load for Off-Highway Equipment

Faith — paraphrasing the gospels of Matthew and Mark — can move mountains. But it helps if you have precision geared equipment.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2015-06-01

Industry News

News from Around the Gear Industry
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2015-06-01

Off-Highway or Off-Press, Andantex Focuses on Precision

Andantex USA is a part of the worldwide Redex group, a longtime provider of high-precision motion control components and systems
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2015-05-28

Formula 1 Gearbox Designs

As mentioned in my last blog, Formula 1 gearboxes are now highly integrated into the overall car design. The days of a “spec” transmission from a t...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2015-05-26

Short Lived Gearbox Designs

“All memorable quotations referring to gearboxes involve expletives.” Peter Wright             The author of Fo...

GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2015-04-23

Standards of Excellence

Cadillac once proclaimed itself the “Standard of the World” and did its level best to back that claim up with high levels of product quality and cu...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2015-01-15

Studying the State of the Art

[starbox] A few years ago I presented a paper on reverse engineering at the AGMA Fall Technical Meeting. I heard through the grapevine that some f...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2015-01-01

Getting in Gear with the Chain of Innovations

At the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, so-called mechanics were tasked with devising the precise methods that would make mass production possible. The result was the first generation of machine tools, which in turn required improved tooling and production methods.
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2014-12-17

Recreating History

INDUSTRY NEWS | 2014-12-08

BRM Announces Automotive Aftermarket and Performance Racing Industry Applications

Brush Research Manufacturing (BRM), maker of flexible engine hones, diesel tools, and automotive brushes, announced a new article about N...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2014-09-23

GF Machining Unveils Aerospace EDM

GF Machining Solutions debuted its new Cut 200 Dedicated wire electrical discharge machine (EDM) for aerospace work at IMTS in Chicago. T...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2014-09-01

Gear Manufacturer Benefits from CAM Initiatives and Advanced Manufacturing Technology

Multiple CAM initiatives at Snyder Industries are improving safety, quality and productivity for parts ranging from 50 to 5,000 lbs.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2014-09-01

Less Energy Consumption with High-Efficiency Bevel Gears and their Usage in the U.S.

The efficiency of a gearbox is the output energy divided by the input energy. It depends on a variety of factors. If the complete gearbox assembly in its operating environment is observed, then the following efficiency influencing factors have to be considered
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2014-08-14

The Problem of Certainty

[starbox] In writing about unforeseen consequences there is a risk of inspiring such conservatism in design that the resulting product is no lon...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2014-08-05

Make No Small Plans

[starbox] “Make no small plans” has been attributed to a variety of people over the years, but that doesn’t undermine its importance to fledglin...
ASK THE EXPERT | 2014-08-01

Importance of Contact Pattern in Assembly of Bevel vs Cylindrical Gears

Why is there so much emphasis on the tooth contact pattern for bevel gears in the assembled condition and not so for cylindrical gears, etc?
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2014-08-01

Setting Load Parameters for Viable Fatigue Testing of Gears in Powertrain Axles Part I: Single-Reduction Axles

This presentation introduces a new procedure that - derived from exact calculations - aids in determining the parameters of the validation testing of spiral bevel and hypoid gears in single-reduction axles.
PRODUCT NEWS | 2014-07-01

Product News

The complete Product News section from the July 2014 issue of Gear Technology.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2014-07-01

The Influence of Tool Tolerances on the Gear Quality of a Gear Manufactured by an Indexable Insert Hob

Recently, a new type of hob with carbide inserts has been introduced, providing higher cutting speeds, longer tool life and higher feed rates when compared to re-grindable, high-speed steel hobs. But with this kind of hob, new challenges occur due to positional errors of the cutting edges when mounted on the tool. These errors lead to manufacturing errors on the gear teeth which must be controlled. In this paper, the tooth quality of a gear manufactured by hobs with different quality classes is analyzed using a simulation model in combination with Monte Carlo methods.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2014-07-01

Industry News

The complete Industry News section from the July 2014 issue of Gear Technology.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2014-06-12

AFC Holcroft Receives Order from Tier One Automotive Supplier

A global Tier One automotive supplier has placed an order with AFC-Holcroft for a production gas modernization project involving the purc...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2014-05-06

The Peer Review Process

[starbox] I began this blog with an appeal for abstracts for the 2014 AGMA Fall Technical Meeting. For those of you who had an abstract accepted...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2014-04-22

Different Consequences

[starbox] In the most recent issue of Gear Technology, the Publisher’s Page recounts the inaugural issue’s coverage of “transformative ...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2014-02-28

Internships: How Does the Employer Benefit? Part II

[starbox] In my previous post I talked about the official ways an internship program benefited our company. Today I’d like to talk about a coupl...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2014-02-14

5ME Delivers Machining Fluids for Aerospace and Heavy Equipment

5ME's Cyclo Cool 900 series synthetic metal machining fluids utilize a unique, near-neutral pH formula developed to meet heavy-duty, ...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2014-02-05

Practical Magic

[starbox] Today I have t
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2014-01-15

AGMA Releases New Marine Gear Unit Standard

The AGMA Helical Enclosed Drive Marine Units Committee recently completed the development of the next version of their popular flagship s...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2014-01-08

QuesTek Gets Second Alloy Approved for Aerospace Applications

QuesTek Innovations LLC is pleased to announce that its ultra high-strength, high-toughness Ferrium M54TM steel has been approved for inc...
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2013-11-01

Understanding Oil Analysis: How it Can Improve Reliability of Wind Turbine Gearboxes

Historically, wind turbine gearbox failures have plagued the industry. Yet an effective oil analysis program will increase the reliability and availability of your machinery, while minimizing maintenance costs associated with oil change-outs, labor, repairs and downtime. Practical action steps are presented here to improve reliability.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2013-09-01

New-Formula Acetylene Cool for Heat Treatment

Acetylene with DMF solvent enables benefits of low-pressure vacuum carburizing.
ADDENDUM | 2013-09-01

A Mechanically Marvelous Sea Saga

In the summer of 1974, long before Argo, there was “AZORIAN” -- the code name for a CIA gambit to recover cargo entombed in a sunken Soviet submarine -- the K-129 -- from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. The challenge: exhume -- intact -- a 2,000-ton submarine and its suspicious cargo from 17,000 feet of water.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2013-08-01

Turbine Gearbox Inspection - Steady Work in a Shaky Wind Market

Having outlasted the worldwide Great Recession, the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) forecasts a constant growth in wind energy, i.e.: "increase in worldwide capacity to 460,000 MW by 2015."
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2013-08-01

An Experimental Investigation of Aerospace-Quality Gears Operating in Loss-of-Lubrication Condition

This work establishes a baseline for aerospace spur gear behavior under oil-off conditions. The collected test results document a different oil-off time, dictated by material used.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2013-08-01

Automotive Transmission Design Using Full Potential of Powder Metal

For metal replacement with powder metal (PM) of an automotive transmission, PM gear design differs from its wrought counterpart. Indeed, complete reverse-engineering and re-design is required so to better understand and document the performance parameters of solid-steel vs. PM gears. Presented here is a re-design (re-building a 6-speed manual transmission for an Opel Insignia 4-cylinder, turbocharged 2-liter engine delivering 220 hp/320 N-m) showing that substituting a different microgeometry of the PM gear teeth -- coupled with lower Young’s modulus -- theoretically enhances performance when compared to the solid-steel design.
PUBLISHER'S PAGE | 2013-06-01

Boom or Bust - Are You in the Right Markets

Over the past few months we've talked with a lot of gear manufacturers. Many of them tell us business is strong, while others are struggling with reduced demand. The difference between them isn't so much in the quality of their manufacturing operations, but rather trends in the end markets they serve.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2013-06-01

Off-Highway Gears

Market needs push in 2013, but will it get one? The construction/off-highway industries have been here before. New equipment, technologies and innovations during an economic standstill that some have been dealing with since 2007.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2013-05-01

Delivering Big Gears Fast

When a customer needed gears delivered in three weeks, here’s how Brevini Wind got it done.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2013-03-13

KISSsoft Implements Marine Calculations

Det Norske Veritas provides with the standard No. 41.2 "Calculation of gear rating for marine transmission" a widespread gear ...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2013-03-07

Mazak Targets Aerospace and Medical Manufacturing Technology

In support of the growing aerospace and medical industries, Mazak Corporation is hosting a Discover More With Mazak event at its Northeas...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2013-03-01

Talking Truth to Power: Plastic Gears Taking Back Seat to No One

Automotive industry embraces proven yet evolving technology of plastic gears.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2013-03-01

My Gear Is Bigger than Your Gear

Industry battles it out for World's Largest Gear title.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2013-01-01

Gear Material Selection and Construction for Large Gears

A road map is presented listing critical considerations and optimal use of materials and methods in the construction of large gears.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2013-01-01

Large Pinions for Open Gears - The Increase of Single Mesh Load

This paper introduces mandatory improvements in design, manufacturing and inspection - from material elaboration to final machining - with special focus on today's large and powerful gearing.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2012-12-21

Micro Precision Joins Aerospace Supply Chain Program

In line with its policy of continually improving all aspects of its operations, Hemel Hempstead based Micro Precision has signed up to th...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2012-10-17

Cimcool Offers Hybrid Fluid Technology for Automotive Industry

Cimcool Fluid Technology has announced the release of a new lubricant technology for machining and grinding of hard metals. These new Cim...
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2012-09-01

How Bearing Design Improves Gearbox Performance

Gearbox performance, reliability, total cost of ownership (energy cost), overall impact on the environment, and anticipation of additional future regulations are top-of-mind issues in the industry. Optimization of the bearing set can significantly improve gearbox performance.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2012-09-01

How to Minimize Power Losses in Transmissions, Axles and Steering Systems

By increasing the number of gears and the transmission-ratio spread, the engine will run with better fuel efficiency and without loss of driving dynamics. Transmission efficiency itself can be improved by: using fuelefficient transmission oil; optimizing the lubrication systems and pumps; improving shifting strategies and optimizing gearings; and optimizing bearings and seals/gaskets.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2012-09-01

IMTS 2012 Product Preview

Previews of manufacturing technology related to gears that will be on display at IMTS 2012.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2012-06-01

Growing Pains - Renewables Hang on in Turbulent Energy Market

The turbines are still spinning. They’re spinning on large wind farms in the Great Plains, offshore in the Atlantic and even underwater where strong tidal currents offer new energy solutions. These turbines spin regularly while politicians and policy makers— tied up in discussions on tax incentives, economic recovery and a lot of finger pointing—sit idle. Much like the auto and aerospace industries of years past, renewable energy is coping with its own set of growing pains. Analysts still feel confident that clean energy will play a significant role in the future of manufacturing—it’s just not going to play the role envisioned four to five years ago.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2012-05-01

Gear Software - Without it, Hardware Goes Nowhere

It’s a brave, new hardware-software world out there. Players in the worldwide gear industry who don’t have plenty of both run the risk of becoming irrelevant—sooner than later.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2012-03-01

The Plastic Gear Pay-Off

Eliminating noise, weight and wear proves valuable in 2012.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2012-01-01

New Energy - Same Challenges

Uncertainty casts a shadow over future business opportunities for manufacturers serving the new energy markets.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2011-11-01

Flank Breakage on Gears for Energy Systems

Gear flank breakage can be observed on edge zone-hardened gears. It occurs, for example, on bevel gears for water turbines, on spur gears for wind energy converters and on single- and double-helical gears for other industrial applications.
ADDENDUM | 2011-11-01

It's No American Dream: Pratt & Whitney GTF Engine Now a Reality...

In the August 2008 issue of Gear Technology, we ran a story (“Gearbox Speed Reducer Helps Fan Technology for ‘Greener” Jet Fuel Efficiency’) on the then ongoing, extremely challenging and protracted development of Pratt & Whitney’s geared turbofan (GTF) jet engine.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2011-10-01

Comparison of Test Rig and Field Measurement Results on Gearboxes for Wind Turbines

This article describes some of the most important tests for prototypes conducted at Winergy AG during the product development process. It will demonstrate that the measurement results on the test rig for load distribution are in accordance with the turbine measurements.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2011-10-01

Low-Distortion Heat Treatment of Transmission Components

This paper presents how low pressure carburizing and high pressure gas quenching processes are successfully applied on internal ring gears for a six-speed automatic transmission. The specific challenge in the heat treat process was to reduce distortion in such a way that subsequent machining operations are entirely eliminated.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2011-09-01

Next Stop Cincinnati

What's not to like about a more focused, user-friendly Gear Expo? Booth Previews.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2011-08-01

Industry News

The complete Industry News section from the August 2011 issue of Gear Technology.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2011-06-01

Wind Turbines: Clean Energy, but Energy Efficient

We talked energy efficiency with some major players in the lubricants industry— but with a focus on their products’ impact regarding energy efficiency of gears and gearboxes in wind turbines.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2011-06-01

Analysis and Testing of Gears with Asymmetric Involute Tooth Form and Optimized Fillet Form for Potential Application in Helicopter Main Drives

Gears with an asymmetric involute gear tooth form were analyzed to determine their bending and contact stresses relative to symmetric involute gear tooth designs, which are representative of helicopter main-drive gears.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2011-05-01

Worm Gears - Higher Energy Efficiency and Less Strain on Resources

A very direct and effective way of increasing power transmission efficiency is a changeover from mineral-oil-based lubricants to synthetic lubricants.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2011-05-01

The Global Gear Industry - Insights, Projections, Facts and Figures

A series of short reports on global manufacturing growth and the gear industry's role.
ADDENDUM | 2011-05-01

Gearheads Rejoice! The Internal Combustion Engine is Back

The opposed-piston internal combustion engine is making a comeback.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2011-03-01

Wind Standard Closer to Completion

Faithful Gear Technology readers may recall that our July 2009 issue contained an update of the deliberations provided by Bill Bradley. Now, almost two years later, there is an ISO/IEC wind turbine gearbox standard out for draft international standard ballot (ballot closes 2011-05-17).
PRODUCT NEWS | 2010-07-01

Improved Inspection Software Helps Provide Optimum Cutting Results

Klingelnberg measuring centers eliminate trial-and-error with modern analysis tools.
EVENTS | 2010-06-01

Gear Applications All the Rage at Windpower 2010

Capitalizing on a burgeoning new technology where gears are of great import, the gear community gathered en masse at the American Wind Energy Association’s Windpower Expo 2010.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2010-01-01

Sizing Up Big Gears

Quality, materials and technology continue to challenge the big gear manufacturing market.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2010-01-01

Wind Turbine Pitch and Yaw Drive Manufacturers Draw Breath as Market Slows

The global wind energy market has seen average growth rates of 28 percent over the last 10 years, according to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), creating major challenges for the component supply industry. GWEC also forecasts an average growth rate of 22 percent for the next five years, which if realized, will continue to put pressure on suppliers of turbine components.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2010-01-01

Tapping into the Wind Gearbox Supply Chain

Although typically considered a late bloomer in the call to wind energy arms, the United States is now the number one wind power producer in the world with over 25,000 MW installed by the end of 2008, according to the Global Wind Energy Council in January 2009.
ADDENDUM | 2009-11-01

Reassembling Gear Drive History

Getting rid of personal mementos is an arduous housekeeping ritual for some of us; every last gear has a memory. One man’s trash is another man’s gold, after all, or in some cases, one failed business is a forgotten piece of personal and mechanical genealogy. Such is the case of the Hill-Climber chainless bicycle, the remains of which were pulled from a family junk pile after nearly half a century.
VOICES | 2009-11-01

Green Heat Treating - No Sweat

Bob McCulley of Comprehensive Heat Treat Specialists describes how even the most energy intensive industrial processes can be made "green."
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2009-11-01

Hypoloid Gear with Small Shaft Angles and Zero-to-Large Offsets

Beveloid gears are used to accommodate a small shaft angle. The manufacturing technology used for beveloid gearing is a special setup of cylindrical gear cutting and grinding machines. A new development, the so-called Hypoloid gearing, addresses the desire of gear manufacturers for more freedoms. Hypoloid gear sets can realize shaft angles between zero and 20° and at the same time, allow a second shaft angle (or an offset) in space that provides the freedom to connect two points in space.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2009-08-01

CFD Technology for Rotorcraft Gearbox Windage Aerodynamics Simulation

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method is adapted, validated and applied to spinning gear systems with emphasis on predicting windage losses. Several spur gears and a disc are studied. The CFD simulations return good agreement with measured windage power loss.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2009-07-01

An International Wind Turbine Gearbox Standard

Industrial gear standards have been used to support reliability through the specification of requirements for design, manufacturing and verification. The consensus development of an international wind turbine gearbox standard is an example where gear products can be used in reliable mechanical systems today. This has been achieved through progressive changes in gear technology, gear design methods and the continual development and refinement of gearbox standards.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2009-06-01

High-Tech Risks and Rewards

Aerospace/Defense contracts offer unique challenges for gear manufacturers.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2009-06-01

Aerospace Gearing Research - An Update

A look at several American organizations doing cutting edge gear-related research for aerospace applications.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2009-06-01

Innovative Concepts for Grinding Wind Power Energy Gears

This article shows the newest developments to reduce overall cycle time in grinding wind power gears, including the use of both profile grinding and threaded wheel grinding.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2009-05-01

Repair via Isotropic Superfinishing of Aircraft Transmission Gears

The objective of this paper is to demonstrate that transmission gears of rotary-wing aircraft, which are typically scrapped due to minor foreign object damage (FOD) and grey staining, can be repaired and re-used with signifi cant cost avoidance. The isotropic superfinishing (ISF) process is used to repair the gear by removing surface damage. It has been demonstrated in this project that this surface damage can be removed while maintaining OEM specifications on gear size, geometry and metallurgy. Further, scrap CH-46 mix box spur pinions, repaired by the ISF process, were subjected to gear tooth strength and durability testing, and their performance compared with or exceeded that of new spur pinions procured from an approved Navy vendor. This clearly demonstrates the feasibility of the repair and re-use of precision transmission gears.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2009-01-01

Big Gears - High Standards, High Profits

Natural resources—minerals, coal, oil, agricultural products, etc.—are the blessings that Mother Earth confers upon the nations of the world. But it takes unnaturally large gears to extract them.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2009-01-01

Optimism in Wind Abounds

Big gears and wind turbines go together like bees and honey, peas and carrots, bread and butter and—well, you get the idea. Wind isn’t just big right now, it’s huge. The wind industry means tremendous things for the energy dependent world we live in and especially big things for gear manufacturers and other beleaguered American industries.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2009-01-01

Gear Failure Analysis Involving Grinding Burn

When gears are case-hardened, it is known that some growth and redistribution of stresses that result in geometric distortion will occur. Aerospace gears require post case-hardening grinding of the gear teeth to achieve necessary accuracy. Tempering of the case-hardened surface, commonly known as grinding burn, occurs in the manufacturing process when control of the heat generation at the surface is lost.
EVENTS | 2009-01-01

Windpower 2009 Relocates in Light of Record Growth

It’s not too often a trade show so far surpasses organizers’ expectations for size that it must be relocated. This was just the dilemma the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) faced with the Windpower 2009 Conference and Exhibition, which was originally scheduled to take place in Minneapolis, but will now be held at McCormick Place, Chicago.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2009-01-01

The Capacity of Superfinished Vehicle Components to Increase Fuel Economy, Part I

This paper will present data from both laboratory and field testing demonstrating that superfinished components exhibit lower friction, operating temperature, wear and/ or higher horsepower, all of which translate directly into increased fuel economy.
EVENTS | 2008-11-01

Events

The complete Events section from the November/December 2008 issue of Gear Technology
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2008-08-01

The Business of Going Green

Heat treatment industry reinforces environmental/energy conservation.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2008-08-01

Gearbox Speed Reducer Helps Fan Technology for "Greener" Jet Fuel Efficiency

Today’s ever-evolving global economic engine is, in many ways, a wonderful phenomenon; you know—a rising-tide-lifting-all-boats, trickle-down-theory-of-economics dynamic at work.
PUBLISHER'S PAGE | 2008-03-01

A Different Truth

Vietnam is the war Americans don’t like to talk about. Even today, many of us struggle to understand the what and the why of that war.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2008-01-01

The Future is Now for U.S. Wind Turbine Industry--But Who’s Positioned to Meet It?

The United States’ long-held dream of energy independence—as in cheap, clean, free of overseas extortion and renewable energy—could very well be realized in part by the country-wide development of wind turbines...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2008-01-01

Well-Paying Manufacturing Jobs Are Blowing in the Wind--And State Governments are Racing to Harness Them

Lamentations continue—legitimately so—over the second-citizen status of manufacturing in the United States. The need undoubtedly continues for renewed support by government and educators for making things here once again...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2008-01-01

Winds of Change

It seems that nothing can hold back the power of the wind—unless, of course, it's the availability of rugged, reliable, specially designed gearboxes. How Gleason is Keeping up with Demand.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2008-01-01

The New Power Generation--With All Eyes on Washington, U.S. Wind Industry Seeks Expansion

Long before oil, climate change and energy demand were making headlines in Washington, Minnesota State Auditor Rebecca Otto and her husband installed a wind energy system on their property in Minnesota.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2007-09-01

High Speed Gears

Above all, a gear is not just a mechanical transmission, but is developed to a system fulfilling multiple demands, such as clutch integration, selectable output speeds, and controls of highest electronic standards. This paper shows the basics for high-speed gear design and a selection of numerous applications in detailed design and operational needs.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2007-08-30

Ford Announces Sale of Automotive Components Holdings' PTU Business

Ford Motor Co. and Linamar Corp. announced the signing of definitive agreements for the sale of the Automotive Components Holdings’...
ADDENDUM | 2007-08-01

Wind Energy, Old School Style

The Fabyan Windmill in Geneva, IL
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2007-06-01

Wind Turbine Market Leads Hansen Transmissions to India

When Belgium-based Hansen Transmissions was under the ownership of Invensys plc in the late 1990s, the parent company was dropping not-so-subtle hints that the industrial gearbox manufacturer was not part of its long-term plans. Yet Hansen’s CEO Ivan Brems never dreamed that, less than a decade later, he would be working for an Indian company.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2007-05-24

Northstar Aerospace Announces Executive Appointments to Accelerate Manufacturing Ramp-Up

Northstar Aerospace announced several executive management changes in accordance with the company's plans to drastically accelerate i...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2007-05-24

Maag Sells Marine and Turbo Gear Activities

Maag Gear AG divested its marine and turbo gear business units, effective May 1, 2007. Renk AG bought the business unit and plans to cont...
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2007-05-01

Thermal Behavior of Helical Gears

An experimental effort has been conducted on an aerospace-quality helical gear train to investigate the thermal behavior of the gear system as many important operational conditions were varied.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2007-02-08

KBE+ Provides Consulting Service with Chinese Automotive Manufacturer

KBE+ Inc. recently was awarded a contract with Nanjing Automobile (Group) Corp., located in Nanjing, China. According to the company...
PRODUCT NEWS | 2006-09-01

Product News

The complete Product News section from September/October 2006.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2006-05-01

Marine Gears: Special Aspects for High Performance

A gearbox that absorbs 30 percent of external forces, transmits power from two engines operating at different speeds, and uses gears that meet several design and specification standards at the same time...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2006-04-27

Northstar Aerospace and Rolls Royce Sign Long Term Agreement

Northstar Aeropsace was awarded a seven-year contract by Rolls-Royce Corp. to provide machining for gearboxes and related parts used in c...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2006-04-22

Cloyes Gear Acquired by KPS Funds

KPS Special Situations Funds announced their acquisition of Cloyes Gear and Products. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclo...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2006-04-14

Northstar Aerospace Reports Increased Revenue

Northstar Aerospace reported revenue totaling $36.8 million for the three months ending June 30, 2006, an increase of $3.6 million when c...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2006-04-13

Tool Maker Expands to Meet Automotive Demand

Engineered Tools Corp., a manufacturer of carbide cutting tools used in production of spiral bevel ring gears and pinions, announced the ...
PRODUCT NEWS | 2006-03-01

Shorter Cycle Times for Carburizing

Dana Corp. is developing a process that carburizes a straight bevel gear to a carbon content of 0.8% in 60 fewer minutes than atmosphere carburizing did with an identical straight bevel.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2006-03-01

Blue Skies for Aerospace Parts Manufacturing

Aerospace manufacturing has seen quite a turnaround in the past few years. The world's manufacturers of airplanes, helicopters, missiles, space vehicles and satellites are all extremely busy right now--and that's keeping quite a few gear manufacturers busy as well.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2006-03-01

Wind Energy: An Established Industry with Emerging Opportunities

"An industrial business with a very important growth potential for the next decade." That's the wind energy as described by Ivan Brems of gear manufacturer Hansen Transmissions International.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2006-02-06

HD Systems Merges with Harmonic Drive Technologies

HD Systems Inc. and Harmonic Drive Technologies, Nabtesco Inc. have merged, effective Jan. 1, 2006. The newly formed joint companny wi...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2005-09-01

The Unofficial Guide to Gear Expo 2005

Booth Listings for Gear Expo 2005 in Detroit.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2005-09-01

Determining Power Losses in the Helical Gear Mesh

This article reviews mathematical models for individual components associated with power losses, such as windage, churning, sliding and rolling friction losses.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2005-07-01

Systematic Investigations on the Influence of Case Depth on the Pitting and Bending Strength of Case Carburized Gears

The gear designer needs to know how to determine an appropriate case depth for a gear application in order to guarantee the required load capacity.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2005-04-13

Bonfiglioli Acquires Tecnoingranaggi

Bonfiglioli acquired Tecnoingranaggi, a Bologna-based supplier of planetary gear units. According to the company's press release, ...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2005-02-26

Thornycroft Acquires Newage Transmissions

Thornycraft Ltd., an automotive and off-highway equipment company, has acquired Newage Transmissions Ltd. Effective immediatly, Newage...
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2004-07-01

Greener Gears

Companies around the world are learning to embrace the environment, and the gear industry is no exception. This special section takes a look at how some gear manufacturers are doing their part to conserve resources, preserve and protect the environment, and give back to the land. What we’ve found is that adopting environmental measures is far more than just good corporate citizenship. For many gear industry companies, good environmental practices also turn out to be good for the bottom line.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2004-05-01

Winds of Change in Profile Grinding

Recent breakthroughs in profile grinding software are helping Anderson Precision Gears and others meet wind power’s insatiable appetite for faster production of large, high-quality gears.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2004-03-01

Hobbing Precise, Uniform End Chamfers

The seemingly simple process of placing a uniform chamfer on the face ends of spur and helical gears, at least for the aerospace industry, has never been a satisfactory or cost effective process.
PRODUCT NEWS | 2003-07-01

Product News

Complete Product News for July/August 2003.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2003-01-01

The Alignment of High Speed Gears

This paper reviews the necessity for detailed specification, design and manufacture to achieve required performance in service. The precise definition of duty rating and a thorough understanding of the environmental conditions, whether it is in a marine or industrial application, is required to predict reliable performance of a gearbox through its service life. A case study relating to complex marine gears and other general practice is presented to review the techniques used by Allen Gears to design and develop a gearbox that integrates with the requirements of the whole machinery installation. Allen Gears has considerable experience in the design of a variety of industrial and marine gears(Ref. 1,2).
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2002-07-01

Minimization of In-Process Corrosion of Aerospace Gears

Carbon steels have primarily been used to manufacture aerospace gears due to the steels' mechanical characteristics. An alloyed low carbon steel is easily case-hardened to obtain a hard wear surface while maintaining the ductile core characteristics. The microstructure achieved will accept the heavy loading, shocks, and elevated temperatures that gears typically experience in applications. The carbon steel machinability allows for general machining practices to be employed when producing aerospace gears versus the more advanced metal removal processes required by stainless and nickel-based alloys.
PUBLISHER'S PAGE | 2001-07-01

Eyes on Detroit

If you think of Gear Expo as only a machine tool show, you're not seeing all of its potential. You may be tempted to skip it this year, especially if you're struggling to fill your current capacity. I've heard too many stories of canceled orders, falling profits and slashed budgets to believe that great numbers of you will be attending Gear Expo with buying new machines as your No. 1 priority.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2000-03-01

Reducing Production Costs in Cylindrical Gear Hobbing and Shaping

Increased productivity in roughing operations for gear cutting depends mainly on lower production costs in the hobbing process. In addition, certain gears can be manufactured by shaping, which also needs to be taken into account in the search for a more cost-effective form of production.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 1999-01-01

Selection of the Optimal Parameters of the Rack-Tool to Ensure the Maximum Gear Tooth Profile Accuracy

An analysis of possibilities for the selection of tool geometry parameters was made in order to reduce tooth profile errors during the grinding of gears by different methods. The selection of parameters was based on the analysis of he grid diagram of a gear and a rack. Some formulas and graphs are presented for the selection of the pressure angle, module and addendum of the rack-tool. The results from the grinding experimental gears confirm the theoretical analysis.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 1998-05-01

New Guidelines For Wind Turbine Gearboxes

The wind turbine industry has been plagued with gearbox failures, which cause repair costs, legal expenses, lost energy production and environmental pollution.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 1998-01-01

Influence of Gear Design on Gearbox Radiated Noise

A major source of helicopter cabin noise (which has been measured at over 100 decibels sound pressure level) is the gearbox. Reduction of this noise is a NASA and U.S. Army goal. A requirement for the Army/NASA Advanced Rotorcraft Transmission project was a 10 dB noise reduction compared to current designs.
PUBLISHER'S PAGE | 1997-11-01

Good - Bye, Dad

I sat down to write this editorial about my father, Harold Goldstein, as he approached his 80th birthday in October. I had meant it to be a celebration of his nearly 65 years in the machine tool business. Unfortunately, on August 26, as I was working on it, my father passed away after a long battle with emphysema. This editorial has now become a memorial as well as a celebration.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 1997-09-01

Who's Who and What's What At Gear Expo '97

Below are listed the Gear Technology advertisers exhibiting at Gear Expo 97.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 1996-09-01

Tooth Modification and Spur Gear Tooth Strain

A major source of helicopter cabin noise (which has been measured at over 100 decibels sound pressure level) is the gear box. Reduction of this noise is a NASA and U.S. Army goal.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 1996-09-01

Alternative Lubrication Methods for Large Open Gear Drives

The type of lubricant and the method of applying it to the tooth flanks of large open gears is very important from the point of view of lubrication technology and maintenance. When selecting the type of lubricant and the application method, it is important to check whether it is possible to feed the required lubricant quantity to the load-carrying tooth flanks, This is necessary to avoid deficient lubrication, damage to the gear and operational malfunctions. It is important to determine the type of lubricant, which may be fluid or grease-like. The consistency of the lubricant will have a direct impact on the ability of the lubrication system to feed adequately the lubricant to the gear. The interactions between the common types of lubricant and the lubrication application methods for open gear drives are shown in Fig. 1.
PUBLISHER'S PAGE | 1996-07-01

geartechnology.com And Other Adventures

You've been reading about it, talking about it, maybe even trying it. Gear Technology has jumped aboard it feet first and begun a voyage on the World Wide Web. Beginning with this issue, an electronic version of the magazine will be online. For those of us who still find the fax machine amazing technology, this is a great leap.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 1995-11-01

QS - 9000 Rules

Ready or not, QS-9000 is here. If you are a first-tier supplier to one of the Big Three automotive companies, you've already heard that compliance with this new quality standard is now an entry-level requirement for doing business with Ford, General Motors and Chrysler. If you're a second-or third-tier supplier, you can expect the ripple effect of this new standard to hit your company one way or another.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 1994-05-01

Carbide Rehobbing A New Technology That Works!

Many people in the gear industry have heard of skiving, a process wherein solid carbide or inserted carbide blade hobs with 15 - 60 degrees of negative rake are used to recut gears to 62 Rc. The topic of this article is the use of neutral (zero) rake solid carbide hobs to remove heat treat distortion, achieving accuracies of AGMA 8 to AGMA 14, DIN 10-5 and improving surface finish on gears from 8 DP - 96 DP (.3 module - .26 m.).
PUBLISHER'S PAGE | 1993-07-01

Gear Expo '93 - A Wise Investment

Gear Expo '93 - another trade show, another plea to send people and/or equipment out of town, away from the office or plant. Another bid to spend time, money, and effort. Oh, please! Hasn't anybody heard that these are the "lean and mean" '90s?
INDUSTRY NEWS | 1993-07-01

Gear Tip Chamfer and Gear Noise; Surface Measurement of Spiral Bevel Gear Teeth

Could the tip chamfer that manufacturing people usually use on the tips of gear teeth be the cause of vibration in the gear set? The set in question is spur, of 2.25 DP, with 20 degrees pressure angle. The pinion has 14 teeth and the mating gear, 63 teeth. The pinion turns at 535 rpm maximum. Could a chamfer a little over 1/64" cause a vibration problem?
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 1993-03-01

Frozen Gears

Durability is the most important criterion used to define the quality of a gear. The freezing of metals has been acknowledged for almost thirty years as an effective method for increasing durability, or "wear life," and decreasing residual stress in tool steels. The recent field of deep cryogenics (below -300 degrees F) has brought us high temperature superconductors, the superconducting super collider, cryo-biology, and magnotehydrodynamic drive systems. It has also brought many additional durability benefits to metals.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 1992-11-01

Tooth Contact Shift in Loaded Spiral Bevel Gears

An analytical method is presented to predict the shifts of the contact ellipses on spiral bevel gear teeth under load. The contact ellipse shift is the motion of the point to its location under load. The shifts are due to the elastic motions of the gear and pinion supporting shafts and bearings. The calculations include the elastic deflections of the gear shafts and the deflections of the four shaft bearings. The method assumes that the surface curvature of each tooth is constant near the unloaded pitch point. Results from these calculations will help designers reduce transmission weight without seriously reducing transmission performance.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 1992-09-01

Investigation of Gear Rattle Phenomena

The acceptance by discerning customers of passenger cars is dependent upon both the actual noise lever and the subjective noise character. The subjective noise character itself can contain, among other features, undesirable noise phenomena which become apparent at certain points in the vehicle operating range. One such critical phenomenon is gear rattle, which is mainly present under low speed, high load conditions. Due to changes in the angular velocity of the crankshaft, gear rattle under driving conditions occurs at the unloaded gears and splines.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 1992-07-01

Gear Inspection and Measurement

The purpose of gear inspection is to: Assure required accuracy and quality, Lower overall cost of manufacture by controlling rejects and scrap, Control machines and machining practices and maintain produced accuracy as machines and tools wear, Determine hear treat distortions to make necessary corrections.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 1992-01-01

Design Guidelines for High-Capacity Bevel Gear Systems

The design of any gearing system is a difficult, multifaceted process. When the system includes bevel gearing, the process is further complicated by the complex nature of the bevel gears themselves. In most cases, the design is based on an evaluation of the ratio required for the gear set, the overall envelope geometry, and the calculation of bending and contact stresses for the gear set to determine its load capacity. There are, however, a great many other parameters which must be addressed if the resultant gear system is to be truly optimum. A considerable body of data related to the optimal design of bevel gears has been developed by the aerospace gear design community in general and by the helicopter community in particular. This article provides a summary of just a few design guidelines based on these data in an effort to provide some guidance in the design of bevel gearing so that maximum capacity may be obtained. The following factors, which may not normally be considered in the usual design practice, are presented and discussed in outline form: Integrated gear/shaft/bearing systems Effects of rim thickness on gear tooth stresses Resonant response
VOICES | 1991-11-01

Viewpoint

Dear Editor: In Mr. Yefim Kotlyar's article "Reverse Engineering" in the July/August issue, I found an error in the formula used to calculate the ACL = Actual lead from the ASL = Assumed lead.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 1991-05-01

Surface Pitting Fatigue Life of Noninvolute Low-Contact-Ratio Gears

Spur gear endurance tests were conducted to investigate the surface pitting fatigue life of noninvolute gears with low numbers of teeth and low contact ratios for the use in advanced application. The results were compared with those for a standard involute design with a low number of teeth. The gear pitch diameter was 8.89 cm (3.50 in.) with 12 teeth on both gear designs. Test conditions were an oil inlet temperature of 320 K (116 degrees F), a maximum Hertz stress of 1.49 GPa (216 ksi), and a speed of 10,000 rpm. The following results were obtained: The noninvolute gear had a surface pitting fatigue life approximately 1.6 times that of the standard involute gear of a similar design. The surface pitting fatigue life of the 3.43-pitch AISI 8620 noninvolute gear was approximately equal to the surface pitting fatigue life of an 8-pitch, 28-tooth AISI 9310 gear at the same load, but at a considerably higher maximum Hertz stress.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 1990-07-01

Efficient Methods for the Synthesis of Compound Planetary Differential Gear Trains for Multiple Speed Ratio Generation

This article presents an efficient and direct method for the synthesis of compound planetary differential gear trains for the generation of specified multiple speed ratios. It is a train-value method that utilizes the train values of the integrated train components of the systems to form design equations which are solved for the tooth numbers of the gears, the number of mating gear sets and the number of external contacts in the system. Application examples, including vehicle differential transmission units, rear-end differentials with unit and fractional speed ratios, multi-input functions generators and robot wrist joints are given.
PUBLISHER'S PAGE | 1990-07-01

Of Trees, Whales & Practicality

One of the hot items on the public agenda these days is "The Environment." Suddenly everyone wants to save the whales and the rain forest. Politicians, rock stars, and big business have all discovered that you can't get anything but good press for saying that you're in favor of trees and marine mammals.
EVENTS | 1989-01-01

Technical Calendar

March 19-22, 1989. First International Applied Mechanical Systems Design Conference. Convention Center, Nashville, TN. April 25-27, 1989. ASME 5th Annual Power Transmission & Gearing Conference, Chicago, IL
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 1988-09-01

Crowned Spur Gears: Optimal Geometry and Generation

Involute spur gears are very sensitive to gear misalignment. Misalignment will cause the shift of the bearing contact toward the edge of the gear tooth surfaces and transmission errors that increase gear noise. Many efforts have been made to improve the bearing contact of misaligned spur gears by crowning the pinion tooth surface. Wildhaber(1) had proposed various methods of crowning that can be achieved in the process of gear generation. Maag engineers have used crowning for making longitudinal corrections (Fig. 1a); modifying involute tooth profile uniformly across the face width (Fig. 1b); combining these two functions in Fig. 1c and performing topological modification (Fig. 1d) that can provide any deviation of the crowned tooth surface from a regular involute surface. (2)
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 1987-03-01

The Effect of Reverse Hobbing at a High Speed

Today it is common practice when climb hobbing to keep the direction of the hob thread the same as that of the helical gear. The same generalization holds true for the mass production of gears for automobiles. It is the authors' opinion, however, that conventional hobbing with a reverse-handed hob is more effective for the high-speed manufacture of comparatively small module gears for automobiles. The authors have proven both experimentally and theoretically that reverse-handed conventional hobbing, using a multi-thread hob with a smaller diameter is very effective for lengthening the life of the hob and for increasing cutting efficiency at high speeds.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 1986-11-01

Curvic Coupling Design

Curvic Couplings were first introduced in 1942 to meet the need for permanent couplings and releasing couplings (clutches), requiring extreme accuracy and maximum load carrying capacity, together with a fast rate of production. The development of the Curvic Coupling stems directly from the manufacture of Zerol and spiral bevel gears since it is made on basically similar machines and also uses similar production methods. The Curvic Coupling can therefore lay claim to the same production advantages and high precision associated with bevel gears.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 1986-05-01

Viewpoint

Sub: 'Finding Tooth Ratios' article published in Nov/Dec 1985 issue Let us congratulate you and Orthwein, W.C. for publishing this superb article in Gear Technology Journal. We liked the article very much and wish to impliment it in our regular practice.
EVENTS | 1984-10-01

Technical Calendar

The complete Technical Calendar from the October/November 1984 issue of Gear Technology
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 1984-08-01

Determination of Gear Ratios

Selection of the number of teeth for each gear in a gear train such that the output to input angular velocity ratio is a specified value is a problem considered by relatively few published works on gear design.
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