AMT Reports Increased Consumption of Manufacturing Technology in June...

(Image courtesy of Kruse Kronicle)

A recent study by the Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT) and the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association (AMTDA) has reported that the consumption of manufacturing technology processes is up nearly 36% from may and 71% from June of 2009. The gear manufacturing industry has been on a steady rise since our last article on the state of the manufacturing technology trends in America, meaning that those involved in gear manufacturing will have a lot more on their plate as we approach 2011. The data for the research was based on data reported by companies involved with the USMTC program. An article from geartechnology.com discusses the development:

"Typically, manufacturing technology order rates slow down in the months leading up to the International Manufacturing Technology Show-IMTS (Sept. 13-18, McCormick Place, Chicaco, IL), the largest production technology show in the Americas," said Douglas K. Woods, AMT president. "However, increased foreign direct investment and a doubling of orders in aerospace and construction equipment through the first half of 2010 resulted in an acceleration of USMTC order rather than the typical slow down."

As the demand for manufacturing technology continues to rise in the United States, it is likely that all of those involved in the gear manufacturing industry will have a steady stream of new clients and greater challenges on the horizon. For this reason, we at the Blog of a Gear Manufacturer, recommend paying attention to statistical changes in the manufacturing arena as soon as new information is available. By staying ahead of the curve, you are more likely to meet your customers expectation and surpass your business' capabilities.

To learn more about gear manufacturing, check out Gear Motions:

www.gearmotions.com

To read the article from geartechnology.com, click this link:

http://www.geartechnology.com/issues/0910x/industry.pdf

One of the Greatest Gear Making Tools - And it isn't What You Think!

(Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)

I found a really interesting article from around 2004 while puttering around Gear Solutions magazine's archives. It's about a "miracle tool" for producing parts from bar stock, such as gear blanks. You'd probably be really surprised (or, unsurprised, if you paid attention to the graphic at the beginning of this post) to hear that this miracle tool is the buzz saw. The author, Fritz Greulich, discusses the pros and cons of using a multiple cutting edge tool to manufacture gear parts, making note of how the stability, consistence and reliability of circular cutting tools have increased rapidly over the last few years. Here's an excerpt from the article:

"Not only is RSC a viable reality, it is also far superior to single point tooling in its capabilities. The multiple cutting edges of a circular saw eliminate the problems of high heat buildup, undesirable chip formation, and high chip load. The result is a myriad of technical advantages that increase production levels, improve quality, and lower production costs: more parts per hour, more parts per bar, better finishes, increased tool life, easier and less costly scrap handling, and increased machining capabilities. A rotating circular saw cutting through a rotating bar of stock builds up very little heat for a number of reasons. First, saws are ground with side clearance. Clearance reduces the friction between the workpiece and the cutter. Second, cutting with a rotating circular saw is an "interrupted" cut, since each tooth cuts for only a brief moment. Third, as a single saw tooth makes a cut, the chip (and heat) is immediately removed from the cutter by the strong coolant flow and the centrifugal force of the rotating saw. Finally, each cutting edge is removing only a small amount of material, keeping the chip load low."

So, what benefit does this article hold for those of us in the gear manufacturing industry? Most notably that with all of the recent advances in our engineering technology and the big expo coming up, it may be easy to only look toward the future for ways to improve our efficiency - but we also shouldn't forget the past. Articles like this one that promote ingenuity and thinking outside the box should be heralded for their ability to take a process that many think has been "perfected" and apply a new twist to it that increases quality, decreases waste and eventually will augment profit.

To learn more about the latest in gear manufacturing, visit Gear Motions:

www.gearmotions.com

To read the article from Gear Solutions Online, follow this link:

http://www.gearsolutions.com/article/detail/5622/a-super-tool-for-superior-gear-blanks

Excellence in Gear Manufacturing and the Future of the Industry

With IMTS 2010 getting closer and closer with every passing second, the gear manufacturing industry is abuzz with what will be "the next big thing". But, an article on enterprise excellence from geartechnology.com suggests that "the next big thing" might just be a different way of looking at how we in our industry do business. Things like breakdowns in communication, late delivery schedules and component available all contribute to efficiency losses in the gear manufacturing market. So what is enterprise efficiency? The article from geartechnology.com explains it this way:

"In a sense, the idea of enterprise excellence should involve a different mindset; it should transition beyond defect reduction to one of performance improvement. Its approach should be to capitalize on past successes and collectively focus on organization on its strengths. Then a company is equipped and flexible to address problems, capture opportunities, adapt to changing requirements and technologies, and evaluate associated risks."

It's likely that instead of a new technology emerging or a new type of gear being developed, that the next big evolution in the gear technology field will be our ability to anticipate and compensate for errors in different parts of the process. In the future, when new materials are discovered and processes change, it would be a good idea to have a system in place to assist in these transitions. This is likely that "next big thing" that everyone's waiting for.

To learn more about gear manufacturing, check out Gear Motions:

www.gearmotions.com

And to read the article from geartechnology.com, go here:

http://www.geartechnology.com/issues/0910x/voices.pdf

Significant Advances in Single-Pass Finishing for Gear Manufacturers

(Image Courtesy of The Energy Collective)

New techniques are opening up to those in our industry thanks to a new approach to the single-pass finishing process as it relates to the manufacturing of gears. An article in Gear Solutions magazine discusses some of the changes that have been implemented, and the potential advantages of this recently discovered technology. Diamond tooling can be expensive - the cost of materials and the upkeep of your equipment can seem taxing. The key to the single-pass process, as reported by Gear Solutions, involves following the existing centerline of the bore to be finished with as little pressure as possible. This ‘path of least resistance’ may seem like an obvious avenue of approach for many gear manufacturers- but there are many in our industry who have lost time and money on something so simple. The article relates the information in this way:

“The key to the single-pass process is to allow the diamond tooling to follow the existing centerline of the bore to be finished with as little pressure as possible. This is normally done by allowing the tool, part, or both to float. Depending on many other variables, bore geometry to better than 0.2µm (.000008”) is possible. Sine all of the diamond tools are set to specifice sizes and do not require expansion during each cyle, the single-pass process is able to achieve unsurpassed size control in production (1 µm with near perfect repeatability). These results are very predictable and repeatable, thus lend perfectly to Statistical Process Control.”

It seems like a no-brainer that this process would be successful, but by constantly trying to augment tools, assembly fixtures and machine augmentations, gear manufacturers have been able to steadily increase their production rates while improving the precision with which they bore. According to the article- fuel pumps, power-steering pumps, hydraulic timing components, connecting rods, cylindrical bores, diesel rollers and most importantly, gears can all benefit from these newly developed approaches to the single bore process.

To learn more about advances in gear manufacturing technology, check out Gear Motions:

www.gearmotions.com

To read the article from Gear Solutions Magazine, follow this link:

http://www.gearsolutions.com/article/detail/5459/advances-in-single-pass-bore-finishing

Pete and Repeat Build a Gear: Whose Client Calls Them Back?

Geartechnology.com has an interesting article this month regarding the recent economic downturn as it relates to gear manufacturers, and how those in our industry can meet and exceed our buyer's expectations with greater efficiency. The article, by associate editor Matthew Jaster, discusses the future of the gear manufacturing industry and what aspects of the business will come to the forefront as America begins to climb its way back from the recent recession. Among the areas of focus listed were quality of gears produced, the timeliness in which they are delivered to consumers, and the value of the actual product as it relates to customer satisfaction. According to the article, with more potential buyers shopping around for better deals and with less repeat business due to the recession, gear manufacturers should take heed to make sure that the people that come to them keep coming back:

"Customer service plays a large role in delivery as well. The medical manufacturing rep has received countless phone calls from customer service agents in the gear industry. "They just state the same thing over and over again. 'We'll have it in another three weeks,' 'Give us three more weeks,' 'It's going to be about three more weeks.' Sure, they were polite enough to keep us informed on where the order stood, but this wasn't exactly the kind of customer service we were looking for."

Warren Buffet, investment guru and philanthropist, summed it up when saying, "Price is what you pay; value is what you get." Whether your'e purchasing automobiles, heavy industrial equipment or a bulk order of gears, the same rules apply. The gear industry remains an area of manufacturing where complex components need to perform consistently and without failure. In the gear industry, companies tend to pay for what they get."

The article makes several solid points regarding the future of the gear manufacturing industry, particularly as it relates to producer/consumer relationships. Customer service is mentioned often as the main reason that customers may not come back to a manufacturer. For those of us in the gear manufacturing industry, the lesson we should take from this article is that customer support can sometimes have more of an effect on our business than the quality of the gears we produce. For next quarter, manufacturers should focus more on their bedside manner if they want to keep their clients coming back.

To learn more about the gear manufacturing process, check out Gear Motions:

http://www.gearmotions.com/

To read the article from geartechnology.com, follow this link:

http://www.geartechnology.com/issues/0810x/gearbuyers.pdf

Are you Ready for IMTS 2010?

At this years Industry and Technology Conference in Chicago, there will be over fifty gear manufacturers putting on exhibitions regarding the latest technology in the industry. They’ll also be there to rub elbows with fellow gear producers and discuss upcoming changes in the market (some of which have been detailed in previous posts on this blog). So, if you’re one of the many who were not able to get a spot in the Gear Technology pavilion and haven’t planned ahead on attending, what can the 2010 Industry and Technology Conference do for you? Gear Technology Magazine, who ran an article about the conference in this month’s issue, had this to say for non-attendees:

“It may take months of preparation to get the most out of the IMTS experience, and both exhibitors and the show management have abundant Internet resources available in advance. One such resource is through social networks online. IMTS insider news can be found on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, as well as the IMTS technology e-newsletter. The IMTS group on YouTube features 60-second ehibitor submissions about why visitors should come to their booths. Visitors can vote to rate the video, and the highest rated one will have theirs posted prominently on imts.com.”

So, even if you can’t make the show itself, you can still get the gist of what each exhibitor will be discussing at their individual booths. Beyond that, each of the videos links to the exhibitors homepage, where you generally find a more developed discussion of the points made in their youtube videos. You also have the opportunity to decide which ones are the most relevant to gear manufacturing as an industry. The more manufacturers that vote for certain videos, the more likely it is that it will show as an indicator of how the industry is trending once the selected videos are permanently posted. So, even if you can’t make the show, you can at least swing over to their youtube channel and voice your opinion regarding what’s important in the gear manufacturing industry.

To learn more about Gear Manufacturing, check out Gear Motions:

www.gearmotions.com

To submit a video for the youtube competition, click on the IMTS website:

www.imts.com/60seconds

To read the article from Gear Technology magazine, click here:

http://www.geartechnology.com/issues/0810x/imts2010.pdf

Manufacturing Technology Consumption on the Rise...

(Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)

A recent article from GearTechnology Magazine discusses the increase in consumption of manufactured technology in the United States, referred to as the USMTC or US Manufacturing Technology Consumption. The article states that according to the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association and the Association for Manufacturing Technology, May saw a consumption total of $178.34 million. The number was reached based on data supplied by companies that participate in the USMTC program, which, while showing a decrease from April of this year, is up almost sixty percent from May of 2009. The article quotes the president of the Association for Manufacturing Technology:

"While we would like to see the first quarter growth rates continue, we are not surprised by the typical second quarter ebb and flow in capital spending," says Peter Borden, AMTDA president. "We have seen an additional month of substantial orders, which helps to confirm that a sustainable recovery is taking place despite the buzz of those forecasting a W-shaped rebound. Industry forecasts for the year have been revised slightly upward by many sources, and if Congress passes the bonus depreciation allowance, this could accelerate growth even further."

The full report, which is available at www.amtonline.org, also contains a geographical breakdown of the Northeast, South, Midwest, Central and Western regions as they relate to this uptrend in manufacturing technology consumption. Essentially, this report is important to gear manufacturers because it could signal a boom in our industry that has already begun and may become more apparent by the end of the year. It would probably be a good idea, if you belong to this industry to read the full article.

To learn more about Gear Manufacturing technologies visit GearMotions:

http://www.gearmotions.com/

To read the full report from amtonline, visit this link:

www.amtonline.org

To read the article from GearTechnology magazine:

http://www.geartechnology.com/news.php?in=2530

The Race to $5 Billion: Functional Fluids in 2013

(Image Source: ExxonMobil.com)

One of our recent blog posts dealt with the likelihood of a breakdown in an assembly being related to insufficient or incorrect lubrication. The July 2010 issue of Gear Technology magazine had an article which reports that the demand for synthetic lubricant and functional fluid will reach around $4.8 billion by the year 2013. According to the article, this estimation would require a three percent raise in demand over the next three years to be correct. This means a lot for those in the market of lubricant distribution, but also serves as a prediction for those in the gear manufacturing industry. As the article reports regarding trends in industries related to function fluids:

"While engine oils and hydraulic and transmission fluids will achieve relatively strong growth going forward, other types of synthetic lubricants and fluids are expected to realize a slow decline in demand through 2013, largely as a result of falling average fluid prices. The largest market for synthetic lubricants and function fluids is light vehicles. This reflects not only consumer uptake of engine oils and transmission fluids, but also the universally synthetic nature of antifreeze, break and de-icing (windshield wiper) fluids."

It is clear from this article and other articles recently discussed in this blog that synthetic lubricants and functional fluids will play a large role in many industrial arenas over the next few years. As gear manufacturers, it is likely that our relationship to the fluid and lubrication market will change as a result of this. It is always a good idea to try to anticipate changes in your market before they effect your business, but this article stands as a shining example of how paying attention to related markets may hold some benefit in projecting the future of your market.

To read the article form Gear Technology Magazine:

http://www.geartechnology.com/

Measuring Roughness and Surface Finish in Gears...

(Image Source: vibanalysis.co.uk)

If, like me, you read Gear Solutions magazine regularly, then you probably have read the "Tooth Tips" section before, and are probably aware of how smart of a guy William Crosher is. The reason I like his articles is because he doesn't dumb down the language for non-engineers. If you want to follow his articles, you have to be part of the industry, and that's just fine by me. The recent issue of Gear Solutions' "Tooth Tips" article is about the importance of roughness and surface finish as they relate to the longevity and effectiveness of a gear assembly. Without getting into great detail (he does, you can read the article if you want to get the full scoop), his basic point, in his own words, is as follows:

"There is no relationship between gear quality and surface finish in AGMA standards. An AGMA document on gear tooth surface texture (AGMA906A94) is a guide to surface finish. Unfortunately, there are still many who do not realize the significance of the surface finish on tooth flanks and believe -quite incorrectly- that it will be a self-correcting condition. Tests have indicated that the rubbing of any two surfaces reduces the initial roughness by no more than 25 percent."

Another point Crosher makes is that in order to achieve more accurate results, one must be aware of the "cutoff". There are several types of gears that have surfaces with many deep valleys, and its important to remember that flank surfaces should be measured in one direction, going from the tip to the root. Crosher's article is important because it discusses the need for standardization of further processes by AGMA while giving logical assessments of the importance of measuring roughness and surface finish. I always like an article that can make a process more efficient - they always end up saving me money.

To read Crosher's article, click here:

http://gearsolutions.com/article/detail/6001/title/william-crosher-tooth-tips

To find out more about recent developments in gear manufacturing technology, check out Gear Motions:

http://www.gearmotions.com/capabilities/ground-gears.php

Turning Bearing Failure into Bearing Success

(Image courtesy of toyotaoffroad.com)

There's an interesting article in Gear Solutions magazine this month regarding the identification and analysis of failed bearings. The article discusses how important it is for engineers to dissect bearings that have failed prematurely on a visual level, as well as taking the time to fix the causes of the failure as opposed to trying to re-invent their whole process. It is common in the gear industry for someone to say "Well, this bearing arrangement didn't withstand the amount of stress it was supposed to, we either need to implement a new set-up or at least the same process with a new material." The article discusses the problems and causes thusly:

"Most bearing failures such as flaking and pitting, spalling unusual wear patterns, rust and corrosion, creeping, skewing and others are usually attributed to a relatively small group of causes that are often inter-related and correctable. These causes include lubrication, mounting, operational stress, bearing selection, and environmental influence."

The article then gives a breakdown of the likelihood of each of the causes of bearing failure. Lubrication issues, including unsuitable, insufficient or aged lubricant, total fifty-five percent of bearing failures. Around thirty percent of failures were attributed to solid and liquid contamination, leaving only fifteen percent for errors such as "wrong bearing chosen" or "errors while mounting". Using these statistics, one can see that the majority of bearing failures are the result of miscalculations regarding lubrication, whereas only 1/3 of failures are due to standard wear and tear, and less than 1/5 of failures are the result of incorrect bearing selection or implementation. Keep these figures in mind the next time one of your bearings fails, you might save yourself some money by fixing something as simple as lubricant distribution, rather than replacing an entire arrangement.

To read the article from Gear Solutions magazine, you can download the entire issue from the link below:

http://gearsolutions.com/magazine/currentIssue

Gear Expo 2011 - Why You Should Go

The Duke Energy Center, home to this years Gear Expo

Every year, manufacturers and engineers from all across our industry get together to discuss the latest trends, technologies and strategies that are helping the evolution of the gear industry. The expo will run from November 1st to the 3rd at the Duke Energy Center in Cincinatti, Ohio. While registration for exhibitors and attendees are currently restricted, it is of interest that the website of the expo went live last week at www.gearexpo.com.

The article lists several powerful reasons for attending, the most notable being:

1. Make a more educated purchasing decision - Your sales reps can't travel around the country with their heavy machinery, so Gear Expo is your best opportunity to see the equipment in person before you make a large acquisition. You'll easily make up the time out of the office by holding a year's worth of business meetings in just three short days.

2. Stay ahead of the business cycle - Gear Expo only happens once every two years, you can't afford to miss it or you will be left behind as the industry moves forward.

3. Take a trip around the world of gearing all under one roof - Exhibitors and attendees travel from 30 countries and 30 states to meet at Gear Expo. Hear what's working across town or around the globe, and learn from your peers who stand in your shoes everyday.

4. Get out of your office or plant and discover your next "big idea" - Engineers, managers, and executives often spend too much time in an office. Don't miss the innovation that will drive your company and careers forward.

This list from the website covers the main reasons you'd want to go, but it does omit one large important benefit of attendance: Networking. The connections you make at an expo like Gear Expo 2011 can help propel your business to the front of the line in the gear manufacturing game. By establishing relationships with others in your field, you can decrease your own costs, find opportunities to work in tandem with other manufacturers and improve the overall efficiency of not only your institution, but the industry as a whole. So, plan to take the first three days of November off and come down to Gear Expo 2011!

New Combined Process Machine out of Rochester, NY

Image courtesy of Gleason.com

A new combined process machine by Gleason is setting the standard for multiple-function machines for gear manufacturers that require drilling, milling, chamfering/deburring, hobbing and turning all in a single operation. As modern gear manufacturers are aware, the industry is propelled forward by developing more intricate and complex gear designs that can handle larger loads with increased durability and efficiency. A machine like the AGILUS® 180TH represents the next generation of gear-manufacturing hardware, allowing several tasks to be completed in unison, saving the user time and resources.

An article on the new machine by Thomasnet News says of the AGILUS 180TH:

"As compared to typical production of cylindrical gears requiring hobbing, the AGILUS 180TH greatly reduces the number of machines, setups and overall through-put times for the complete processing of the gear, thus reducing both the capital investment and cost per workpiece for the user. AGILUS' ability to perform, in a single setup, complete machining of a wide range of shaft- and disc-type cylindrical gears also gives the user a greater degree of flexibility, higher machine availability, and optimized throughput as compared to the typical process where multiple single-purpose machines are used, requiring time-consuming changeover from part to part."

As the gear manufacturing industry continues to evolve, it is likely that machines with similar capabilities to the 180TH will continue to drive the evolution of the gear market. As lower batch sizes, increasingly complex gear applications and reduced inessential setup times become issues that relate to a business' bottom line, more gear manufacturers will be drawn to do-all machines like the AGILUS 180TH. In the next few years, these machines will continue to be instrumental in the development of our industry, meaning more jobs for qualified operators, less money wasted on inefficient operations and more options for gear manufacturers and their clients.

To read the article from Thomasnet News, click the link:

http://news.thomasnet.com/fullstory/Multifunction-System-offers-complete-cylindrical-gear-machining-574577

For more information on complex gear-machining processes, check out Gear Motions:

http://www.gearmotions.com/gearing-news/

Winds Continue to Blow in the Favor of Gear Manufacturers...

(Image Courtesy of the Site Selection Energy Report at siteselection.com)

Several of our more recent posts have dealt with developments in gear manufacturing as it relates to renewable energy, most notably in the field of wind energy. It is likely that these two technologies will continue to walk hand-in-hand into the future in which both industries will develop a symbiotic relationship. The Windpower 2010 conference was recently held in Dallas, Texas where several burgeoning new technologies were revealed, and the importance of the evolution of gear technology was evident in the demonstrations that were displayed. Of particular interest is the development of a new lubricant from Kluber Lubrications which can handle the varying lubrication requirements of individual bearing applications within a wind power station. As is quoted in the article from Gear Technology Magazine:

"The Klüberplex BEM 41-141 is a beige grease that features a special blend of base oil and additives to cover the varying lubrication requirements of the individual bearing applications within wind power stations. These include pitch and yaw bearings (high stresses, oscillations, vibrations), main bearings (low rpm, high stresses, vibrations), and generator bearings (high rpm and temperatures). Also on display was the Klüberplex AG 11-462, which is a gear grease that provides adhesion and protection against high loads and corrosion. The white grease lubricates the control gears for pitch and yaw systems while reducing the risk of migration inside the nacelle and onto the tower."

These new developments in lubrication technology will serve as a huge boon to the gear manufacturing industry, in which the varying thresholds and strength requirements for individual applications can sometimes lead to inaccurate calculations regarding the amount of stress a material will have to withstand. By anticipating developments in complimentary technologies, gear manufacturers will be able to assess strength requirements with improved accuracy, as adapting lubricants will allow them to cover a broader spectrum of applications. In an era where gear and wind power technologies are rapidly advancing alongside each other, it is always good news to hear about a new process which can allow all parties involve to achieve their goals in a more fluid manner.

To read the article from Gear Technology Magazine, follow the link:

http://www.geartechnology.com/issues/0610x/windpower.pdf

Poly want a cracker?: Polymer Gears at the PEEK of Gear Technology

By now we've all read the June issue of Gear Technology Magazine, and we've all probably stumbled upon the article by Lindsey Snyder entitled At the "PEEK" of the Polymer Food Chain regarding the latest advancements in polymer gears by Victrex. Will PEEK and related technologies soon become the standard in gear manufacturing technologies? How do the benefits of reduced mass and inertia weigh against the loss of durability when switching from a metal to a polymer?

The following statistics are provided by the article from Gear Technologies Magazine:

“By switching from current iron gear to PEEK, we can save roughly 70 percent reduction in mass and almost 80 percent reduction in inertia. The combination results in a three to nine percent power consumption reduction.”

“PEEK features dynamic fatigue resistance at temperatures above 120 degrees Celsius (248 degrees Fahrenheit). “

Basically, the polymer gears are preferable in low-heat scenarios in which it is unlikely for the gear to endure enough heat that it would lose strength or stiffness. In most balance shaft modules working in tandem with engines, the temperatures can reach in excess of 155 degrees Celsius, or 311 degrees Fahrenheit, making iron gears still more preferable in most of these engine applications. While the range of applications of polymers in gear manufacturing continues to expand, it is unlikely that they will be taking over the industry any time soon. Although reduced mass and inertia make for higher efficiency systems, the costs to repair or replace polymer gears in most higher-temperature applications is still far too great to warrant serious consideration.

To read the article from Gear Technology Magazine, follow the link:

http://www.geartechnology.com/issues/0610x/victrex.pdf

Or, head to the comments section to voice your opinion!

Standards, Practices and the Future of the Gear Industry

The Chief Operations Officer at Romax Technologies, Graeme Walford has recently written an article for Gear Technology Magazine in which he discusses the future of standards and practices in the gear industry. While it rehashes a lot of the information that we are all already aware of (hybrid vehicles will require quieter and more efficient gearboxes, wind turbine technology is evolving with the need for more durable gear mechanisms) he makes several good points regarding the new generation of opportunities awaiting gear manufacturers.

Most notably is his concise (however brief) discussion of prototype efficiency and the need to derive quality and quantity components from the same resources while ensuring that parts manufactured will endure harsher environments. Walford is aware of the challenge that this presents to gear manufacturers, and of these changes on the horizon, he remarks:

"As we move into the future, a new generation of opportunities awaits the gear industry. Going forward, the gear industry will need to utilize and embrace new and developing technologies to ensure that it remains as competitive as possible. The gear industry has a bright future, one that will carve out new practices and standards as we seek to meet the challenges this future brings with it."

As gear technology becomes more essential to the evolution of the automobile and renewable energy industries, it is important for gear manufacturers to focus on optimization and efficiency with their products. This means further educating employees and prepping engineers to do more work with the same, or even less starting materials. As our industry becomes more frequently tapped for innovation and reliability, we must strive to meet the challenges we are faced with head on.

The May issue of Gear Technology Magazine is available as a .pdf here:

http://www.geartechnology.com/issues/0510x/gt0510.pdf

Kubota's Latest Has Low Horsepower, Lots of Heart

Kubota, a leading Japanese tractor manufacturer, is introducing its latest yardmonster, the M130X. It sports 140 horsepower engine, which doesn't sound like much. However, its torque figure of 570Nm at a miniscule 1,200rpm is pretty impressive. Also impressive is the fact that every component of the tractor is made in-house.

One very interesting feature of the M130X is its proprietary 16 forward/16 reverse Intelli-Shift transmission, which reaches 40kph and includes the option of eight creep speeds. The gearbox offers eight clutchless powershift steps in each of the two ranges, operated with buttons on the single transmission lever. ‘Auto’ mode is activated by a single switch alongside, and this gives two options. ‘Travel’ mode gives the driver three programmable gear changes according to road gradient and acceleration, while ‘Field’ gives a downshift of two gears upon the rear hitch being raised. A basic headland management sequence if you will, to add to the Dual Memory system. Beside its Intelli-Shift transmission the M130X features a bevel gear drive as part of Kubota's 4wd package, which presents the advantage of no differential to get caught and no UV joints to maintain.

Gear Application Friday: Positive Displacement Meters

Engineer Live has a great article about positive displacement meters. Positive displacement meters measure the volume of a fluid or gas by measuring the flow of the fluid or gas as it passes from a chamber, pushing a rotor. Positive displacement meters are also a common application of gearing technology. Depending on the type of gear used, the positive displacement meter will be different. Engineer Live breaks down the differences very well.

- Rotary Piston: As mentioned above these form the basis of domestic water measurement but the design of the rotary piston that oscillates in a circular chamber with a fixed web has been modified and extended to ultra low flows and high flows, as well as high pressures and for food applications. A good all-rounder.

- Spur gear: The fluid rotates two gears and is forced around the outside of the gears and the inside of the chamber. Depending on the location of the sensor these can yield very high pulses per litre values useful in batching and fast acting processes.

- Diaphragm (or bellows meter): These are common in many people's home as their domestic gas meters. When the gas flows through it alternately fills and empties bellows causing levers to crank a shaft providing an output. Very useful for wide-ranging gas totalisation.

- Oval Gear: Quite similar to the spur gear where two oval gears mesh together and sweep the chamber. The volume displaced is much larger than the round gear. Fairly low cost and some designs available in plastic.

- Nutating Disc: This meter is the hardest to understand but is effective. The rotor is a circular disc attached to a ball. The shaft on the ball is inclined. As the disc rotates in a spherically sided chamber the disc and therefore the shaft wobble creating an output.

- Helical Screw: Possibly the most accurate PD: meter two intersecting cylindrical bores are fitted with 2 interlocking helical screws. As the fluid passes through they rotate. On standard applications the author has observed differences of just +/-0.37 per cent of reading over 50:1 turndown over annual recalibrations over 10 years - quite an achievement. Also common nowadays fitted on petrol pumps.

Positive displacement meters are a great application for industrial gear manufacturers. They leverage the force multiplying aspects of gearing with chemical engineering ingenuity.

Some Turbulence for Gear Manufacturers

MIT's Technology Review has a story that is bad news for some gear manufacturers. Two of the largest manufacturers of wind turbines--Siemens and GE--are going away from using gearboxes in their wind turbine offerings. In the face of problems associated with using gearboxes in wind turbine builds, Siemens and GE both are turning to a direct-drive system. Last month, GE announced it would invest $451.8 million in facilities to manufacture direct drive wind turbines rather than gearbox driven ones.

The new Siemens direct drive turbine is supposed to weigh 12 tons less than a gearbox-driven build due in part to developments in the build of the electromagnetic power generating portion of the turbine.

Stiesdal [the Chief Technology Officer of Siemens] says Siemens reduced weight further by inverting its generator's design. Rather than a steel rotor covered with permanent magnets spinning inside a stationary doughnut-shaped stator (the design GE is using in its four-megawatt direct-drive turbine) Siemens's rotor is a steel cylinder with permanent magnets on the inside, and this rotor spins around a column-like stator.

The company expects to have direct-drive turbines commercialized in Norway by 2012. Siemens has not experience any significant failure of its gearbox-driven turbines. The major advantage of the direct-drive turbines seems to be that they have about half as many parts as their gearbox analogues. The only significant downside to the direct-drive turbines is the relative scarcity of the rare earth metals used to make their magnets.

A Shift in Ford's Transmissions

Ford Motor Company looks to be doing something original with its research and development: It has designed and engineered an automatic transmission that will deliver better fuel economy to a car than a manual transmission would. The gain seems to be about 11%, presently. The company calls its new transmission technology PowerShift.

The dual dry-clutch PowerShift automatic transmission is based on efficient manual transmission technology, eliminating the additional weight and complexity of a torque converter, planetary gears and the fluid pumps employed in traditional automatics. Electronically controlled, twin internal clutches shift gears quickly and smoothly, providing a seamless flow of torque with the refinement and ease customers expect from a premium automatic transmission.

Ford will equip PowerShift in this year's Ford Fiesta. By the end of the year, it expects to have 85% of its automobiles with PowerShift capability. And by 2013, it hopes to offer PowerShift in all its vehicles.

PowerShift is an interesting technology. It's a dual-clutch in order to reap many of the benefits of manual transmissions. And using new technology, it results in better mileage. This is the sort of innovation that's been sorely lacking in American automobile design. We're frankly thrilled to see it developing--finally.

Printed Gears... What?!

RepRap is undertaking a fairly mindblowing project: They're trying to make a self-copying, open-source 3D printer. (And you thought Avatar in 3D was impressive!) Think about that for a moment. They're trying to construct a 3D printer than can reprint itself. Endless self-iterations. Amazing.

RepRap's blog is documenting their progress, and they've just gotten their printer to print gears that it can use:

I have finally managed to print tiny little ball-chain gears that work with 3.3mm and 3.5mm diameter ball-chain and still fit on the NEMA17's 5mm output shaft. The trick is to print the gears in two pieces.

As you can see in the photograph, I print two 4mm thick sections of gear and put them on the shaft with an M5 washer sandwiched in between. Make sure the teeth are lined up on both gears. This gives a channel to guide the ball-chain down the centre of the gear, and grips the sides of the balls adequately. As the gears age, it will also stop the balls grinding their way too far through the PLA, though I must admit that my experience with ball-chain Z axis gears suggests this will not be a major issue.

This is a really cool project that we'll be sure to follow along with. Good luck, guys!

Google Adds Bike Paths to Google Maps

If you've been a reader of the Gear Manufacturer Blog, you know that we love bicycles. They're the most transparent example of gearing application in everyday life. In fact, we think often of the famous HG Wells quote, "Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future." It's true: Bicycling is good exercise, doesn't pollute the environment, and it's just fun.

There's good news, recently, for bicyclists. Google Maps is adding bicycle routes to its great mapping website. Wired reports,

“This has been a top-requested feature from Google Maps users for the last couple years,” says Shannon Guymon, product manager for Google Maps. “There are over 50,000 signatures on a petition.”

The news thrilled bike advocates, who have for years been pushing — and petitioning — the search giant to include bike routes on Google Maps. No longer do they have to rely upon paper maps or open-source DIY map hacking or crazy-cool helmet-mounted heads up iPhones.

“This new tool will open people’s eyes to the possibility and practicality of hopping on a bike and riding,” says Andy Clarke, president of the League of American Bicyclists. “We know people want to ride more, we know it’s good for people and communities when they do ride more — this makes it possible. It is a game-changer, especially for those short trips that are the most polluting.”

It is great news, and we can't wait to get out there and try out the new Google Maps functionality.

Lord of the (Gear) Ring

New York City-based design company Kinekt Design has come up with an ingenious item, that is "complex enough to play with, yet simple enough to wear," as they say. They call it the Gear Ring, and as you can see in the video below, it is something you can both wear and play with.

The Gear Ring is made from high quality matte stainless steel. It has six small gears that turn in unison when the outerparts of the ring are spun (as can be seen in the video). If you have a gearing engineer--or just a gearhead--in your life, this could be a cool gift. (We're almost tempted to give this gift to ourselves!)

New Helical Gear System in the Shimano Alfine 11 Speed

Shimano has released a new iteration of its Alfine 11-speed internal gear hub. I know some of us at here are cyclists, and so we thought we'd share some news about this exceptional new hub (it's lighter than the previous iteration's 8-speed version!) If you think about it, bicycles are really one of the most pure, commonly known examples of gearing.

Singletrack, a mountain bike blog, does a good job breaking down the Alfine 11-speed hub,

This hub gear will run super smooth thanks to the use of a completely new helical gear system. Helical gears feature an angled teeth profile that engage more gradually compared to spur (or straight-cut) profiles, resulting in a more smooth and quiet shift. This hub gear also features an improved durability by the use of an oil lubricant instead of grease.

It's interesting (to say the least) to see helical gears used in bicycle gearing. You're so used to seeing spur gears that it's disorienting. But since there's increased surface area in a helical gear set-up, you would expect a smoother, less slippery shifting profile. I'm excited to see helical gears used more often in bicycles (and everywhere).

Gearing up for Valentine's Day

Just in time for Valentine's Day, build your sweetie something that shows your love (and your love for gears). This admittedly odd video from Japan shows a heart someone has made--out of gears. Whether you enjoy its technical ingenuity or ponder its deeper implications about romance and relationships, it's an undeniably cool creation.

Gear Cutting Machines... in the White House?

When President Obama redecorated the Oval Office, he kept some old things and some new things. He kept the Resolute desk, a gift from Queen Victoria in 1880, which has been used by nearly every president since Rutherford B. Hayes. He has added some things, though. With an eye on the American spirit of invention, he has three mechanical items on his bookshelves, on loan from the National Museum of American History's patent collection. President Obama now has before his eyes models for

• Samuel Morse's 1849 telegraph register
  
• John Peer's 1874 gear-cutting machine
  
• Henry Williams' 1877 feathering paddle wheel for steamboats

We thought it was pretty cool that the President has a (model of a) gear-cutting machine. Let's hope his decorative tastes presage a move to help American manufacturing and technology, industries that could really use some support.

Plagued by gear noise and misalignment?

Every gear manufacturer knows that noise is often a big problem. As smaller, more powerful gearboxes are designed and built, reducing the noise of power transmission becomes nearly as big a problem as the transmission itself. Whether you enlarge the pinion, add noise-reducing materials, increase gear quality, or tinker with the gear ratio--many solutions have notable but varying effects. Design World, however, offers another solution for gear noise: Crowning.

Crowning, also known as barreling (the teeth of the gears) Design World says,

This technique involves changing the chordal thickness of the tooth along its axis. This modification eliminates end bearing by offering a contact bearing in the center of the gear.

Aside from reducing gearbox noise, crowning your gears also helps prevent misalignment caused by inaccurate machining of the casting, housing, or shafting. Crowning helps prevent uneven wear in your gearbox. It can be done during the gear cutting processes, reducing the amount of time for a complete effort.

The Design World article is very interesting, and worth a look if you've been faced with some recent gearbox noise and misalignment problems.

Origins of the Ducati L-Twin

Ultimate Motorcycling has a brief history of Ducati's most coveted speed machine, the 1970s L-Twin. The motorcycle owes its distinctive shape to the bevel gear-driven two cylinder engine.

The Ducati bevel-gear twin-cylinder with a 90° V configuration (the "L-twin") was born and bred on the last day of winter in 1970. On that very day, the famous Ducati engineer Fabio Taglioni drew the design that would turn the tide from the single-cylinder Desmodromic engine to the L-twin Desmodromic configuration. Ducati, with Taglioni's help, had set the path forward for the engine platform would later be responsible for the Italian National Anthem being the most well recognized song at Superbike racetracks around the world.

Hit the link above for more about the Italian superbike.