Blog of a Gear Manufacturer

Prices of Functional Fluids in 2013

2011-11-29T04:48:00.000-08:00

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 from Gear Technology Magazine, click the link below:

http://www.geartechnology.com/

AmCon Design and Manufacturing Expo 2011

2011-11-07T05:27:00.000-08:00

It’s the season for industrial expos, and the gear manufacturing industry hasn’t been left behind. The AmCon Design & Manufacturing Expo is being held in Detroit, Michigan on November 8^th and 9^th at the Suburban Collection Showplace. From Forming and Fabrication to gear making and design, the AmCon Design and Manufacturing Expo offers you the opportunity to shake hands and talk shop with leaders from nearly every aspect of the manufacturing industry.

Attendee and exhibitor registration are still open for the event, and the value of the connections and networking contacts you can make could possibly help you propel your business to the next level. By meeting and establishing relationships with other businesses that work in your arena, you can increase the available services that your company offers and make your capabilities list more appealing to potential consumers. There’s no better place to accomplish this than at an expo, and the AmCon D&M Expo is the perfect opportunity to put yourself out there and potentially grow your business.

Let us know if you plan on attending the AmCon Design and Manufacturing Expo, or just share your opinion by sounding off in the comments section below!

Gearing up for Gear Expo 2011!

2011-10-31T04:32:00.000-07:00

The Duke Energy Convention Center in Cincinatti, Ohio is going to be the place to be on November 1^st to the 3^rd if you’re in the gear-manufacturing arena. Over one-hundred distributors and manufacturers are converging to discuss every aspect of the gear industry – educational seminars discussing cutting processes, meet-and-greets with the big players in our market and even group discussions regarding customer relations will be offered.

You can find a full map and list of exhibitors on geartechnology.com to help you find your way through the incredible amount of booths that have been jam-packed into this year’s event. There’s a lot to say and a very limited time to see it all in, so we recommend taking a look at what’s happening when and where in order to plan where you’re going to be.

There are over 25 technical meeting presentations at Gear Expo 2011. While they are spread out over all three days of the event, if you plan on attending, it’s important to plan your time accordingly. There’s lots to see – but they’re well aware of this and have provided a detailed itinerary for your perusal on their website.

Let us know what exhibits you’re excited about at the Gear Expo 2011 by sounding off in the comments section below!

Keeping the next generation moving forward...

2011-09-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

There's a nice story out of the News-Gazette of Champaign, IL about youth education in engineering. The South View Middle School is stepping up its science-technical educational efforts and it seems to be a hit with the students. While students get to work in groups, brainstorm, and develop their math-science skills, they also engage in hands-on learning.

Eighth-graders Andrew Nelson and Joby Means, who have been studying mechanical gears and how they are used, build a bevel gear with materials from a kit.

"This was easy," Joby said, turning a crank to make the gears move. Soon, students will learn how to move the gears using a computer program.

Like Jelicia and Ashylee, Andrew said he didn't know whether he would like the pre-engineering activities, which he started in sixth grade. But Smith's classes quickly became his favorite, and he's looking forward to continuing them in high school and college.

Even if not every student--likely--in the program goes on to an engineering degree, the school is definitely planting the seeds for the engineers of tomorrow.

Wind turbines and the way of the future...

2011-09-07T04:43:00.000-07:00

A recent article from Renewable Energy World International Magazine holds more bad news for the gear manufacturing industry. As we discussed in our previous blog post "Some Turbulence for Gear Manufacturers", a few major players in the wind energy market are beginning to shy away from using gearboxes in their turbine offerings. This recent article confirms that as wind turbines are built larger for more output and efficiency, the reliability of gearboxes is continuing to come into question.

In their article "Wind Turbine Gearbox Reality: The Impact of Rotor Support", Jordi Puigcorbe and Alexis de-Beaumont explain that:

One of the biggest concerns remaining in the wind industry is the reliability of the gearbox. 'With our current wind turbine fleet currently going out of warranty period, we estimate that we are carrying a potential risk on gearboxes of about US$300 million. Failures are still relatively rare these days because our fleet is recent, but we expect this will change dramatically as our wind turbines approach their 5–7 years of operation. Our concern is such that we are even considering acquiring a company with gearbox servicing capabilities.'

The article goes on to say that an average gearbox will last seven to eleven years, while the wind turbines themselves have a life-expectancy of roughly twenty years. The reason gearboxes have such a large reputation for failure in wind turbines is because of the difficulty in properly assessing the amount of force that the gears and bearings will be able to tolerate. Many companies have decided to switch over to direct drive in order to reduce the number of moving parts that are exposed to the elements in order to increase resistance to wear.

While this seems like all bad news for gear manufacturing companies, there is a silver lining. Many major corporations that deal in wind turbine-based renewable energy will be hiring more engineers to perform maintenance on these gearboxes. In addition, there are several opportunities for engineers to design and implement new gearbox technologies before RE companies make direct drive the new standard for wind turbines.

Romans, Countryman, lend me your... Well, you know the rest...

2011-08-31T08:00:00.000-07:00

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.

2011-08-24T05:21:00.000-07:00

(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.

Check out one of our top-rated sites at www.unitedvacuum.com for more information.

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

Manufacturing and the Mis-steps that go with it...

2011-07-25T04:40:00.001-07:00

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. Companies that work in large scale industrial settings, like vacuum pump part manufacturer United Vacuum will also get a boost from the reduced set up time as well. As gears become more complex, but smaller, supporting businesses that produce conducive products (such as vacuum pumps used in industrial workspaces) will continue to grow, leaving several opportunities for our industries to cross over (for everyone's benefit!). 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.

Visit United Vacuum to learn more about setup time and issue resolution when working in an industrial environment! www.unitedvacuum.com

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/

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

2010-10-18T05:08:00.000-07:00

(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

New Developments in Precision Turning

2010-09-27T12:49:00.000-07:00

If you're looking at the graphic we've chosen for today, don't think we've lost our minds. We're definitely talking about a different kind of "turning" than just the standard action that gears take in their function. We're talking about cutting data and tool specifications and how they effect several industrial processes, including setups, cutting time and tool life. Gear Solutions has a recent article regarding precision turning that discusses several aspects, including machine stability, setup stability, tool holding stability, tool stability, and technology regarding cutting edges. Here is an excerpt from the article:

An important success factor in turning to hold tight tolerances is the stat of the workpiece after the rough and semi-finish cuts. To adapt to this may be a trial and error procedure in some cases, but in most cases the right rough-turning operation, followed by the right semi-finishing operation according to recommendations is essential. In every cut some signs of vibrations - however small - can be traced, especially after internal cuts.

The article goes on to discuss technological breakthroughs for precision turning, the importance of overcoming challenges and finding balance in our industry, as well as the importance of delivering highly efficient products in timely manners to our customers. This article is definitely recommended by the gear manufacturing blog, and if you're in this industry, you should definitely give it a look.

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

www.gearmotions.com

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

http://www.gearsolutions.com/article/detail/6018/improvements-in-precision-turning

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

2010-09-20T10:28:00.000-07:00

(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

2010-09-08T05:34:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-30T05:48:00.000-07:00

(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?

2010-08-24T05:20:00.000-07:00

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?

2010-08-16T06:18:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-08-11T05:48:00.001-07:00

(Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)

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

2010-08-02T05:42:00.000-07:00

(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:

To read the article form Gear Technology Magazine:

http://www.geartechnology.com/

Measuring Roughness and Surface Finish in Gears...

2010-07-26T05:57:00.000-07:00

(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

2010-07-19T06:11:00.000-07:00

(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

2010-07-12T05:07:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-08T07:30:00.000-07:00

Image courtesy of Gleason.com

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

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...

2010-06-28T05:26:00.000-07:00

(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

2010-06-21T05:31:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-14T05:15:00.000-07:00

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

More Turbulence for Gear Manufacturers

2010-06-07T06:06:00.000-07:00

In their article "Wind Turbine Gearbox Reality: The Impact of Rotor Support", Jordi Puigcorbe and Alexis de-Beaumont explain that:

Kubota's Latest Has Low Horsepower, Lots of Heart

2010-05-25T13:03:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-14T10:39:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-27T07:27:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

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.

Printed Gears... What?!

2010-03-16T06:34:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-10T05:22:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-26T05:10:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-19T08:47:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-05T04:52:00.000-08:00

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?

2010-01-27T10:58:00.000-08:00

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?

2010-01-21T10:06:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-08T07:28:00.000-08:00

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.

Some Deep Thinking on Gear Grinding

2009-12-23T11:37:00.000-08:00

We stumbled across a paper online, titled "Optimization of the Gear Profile Grinding Process Utilizing an Analogy Process," by Christof Gorgels, Heiko Schlattmeier, and Fritz Klocke. The paper goes into the novel problems posed by the improving gearing materials and the need by gear manufacturers to cut costs in gear grinding.

In order to grind gears burn-free and as productively as possible, a better understanding of the process is required. This is especially important for gear profile grinding, due to the complex contact conditions between workpiece and grinding wheel. In this article, an analogy process and a process model will be presented in order to gain a closer look into the process. Finally, different process strategies will be analyzed using the presented process model in order to give examples for the use of the described calculations.

The paper goes into reasonably great detail in explaining and describing the process model in order to increase gear grinding efficiency and effectiveness. You can find the .pdf of the paper here.

Are You A Fan of 'How It's Made?'

2009-12-16T13:21:00.000-08:00

If you are, then you should check out this video, from Machine Tool Systems. It's about CNC gear grinding. It even sports a cheesy/retro soundtrack to keep you enthused. It's definitely worth checking out.

AGMA Training Coming Next March

2009-12-11T12:06:00.000-08:00

Don't forget to register for the annual Basic Training for Gear Manufacturing taking place March 10 through 14 at Daley College in Chicago. The training session is meant to help everyone the knowledge and productivity of everyone training. There will be classes offered in many fields of gearing:

Gearing and nomenclature
Principles of inspection
Gear manufacturing methods
Hobbing and shaping

The conference is aimed at gearing professionals with at least six month's experience. If you are a gear manufacturer, this is a great opportunity to get your employees trained to a high, uniform standard. The conference will cost $999 for American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) members and $1,099 for non-members. Visit the AGMA website for more information.

A Tiny Transmission

2009-12-04T11:59:00.000-08:00

We know that spur gears (also known as straight cut gears) are used in a variety of applications. They're not often used in auto transmissions, though. So check out this application of spur gearing: A two-speed transmission of the XRAY NT1 Raycer 1/10th Nitro Race Car. This radio-controlled car features precision spur gear for a two-speed power transmission.

The 2-speed transmission parts are installed on a precision-manufactured super-smooth 2-speed middle layshaft made from tough HUDY shaft steel, additionally heat treated for extra strength and long lifespan. The 2-speed gear adapter is CNC-machined from Swiss 7075 T6 for precise fitting of the 1-way bearing, allowing super-precise and wobble-free installation of spur gears. The high-quality German 1-way bearing is hand-ground before installation for maximum running precision and strength. The 2-speed adapter is manufactured from hardened steel.

It sounds like a pretty sweet radio car. I know I wouldn't mind getting one for Christmas this year.

How do you make a wooden router lift?

2009-11-13T04:46:00.000-08:00

Here’s a “neat” post for a Friday. I found a really interesting How-To guide on building a wooden router lift. An enterprising fellow up in Canada had some specific design constraints for building his router lift and he decided on using wood. You might be wondering at this point, how does this relate to gearing? Well, part of the router lift apparatus involves creating a crank, which calls for some gearing solution, which had to be made from wood, obviously.

The whole process (he’s provided step by step descriptions and photos) is really cool, but seeing how he fabricated the wooden gears is extremely interesting. You should check it out!

Gearp Application Chart

2009-11-11T06:23:00.000-08:00

We stumbled upon a pretty basic--but definitely useful--gear application chart that helps you determine, depending on your application, which kind of gear you should use. Here's what it says under Bevel Gears,

Suitable for 1:1 and higher velocity ratios and for right-angle meshes (and other angles)...

Good choice for right-angle drive particularly low ratios. However, complicated tooth form and fabrication limits achievement or precision. Should be located at one of the less critical meshes of the train.

The entire chart is worth checking out. Even if presently, you only use one type of gear (a worm gear, say) it's good to know what other sorts of engineered solutions are out there.

Teaching Gears Young

2009-11-05T12:43:00.000-08:00

Eighth-graders Andrew Nelson and Joby Means, who have been studying mechanical gears and how they are used, build a bevel gear with materials from a kit.

"This was easy," Joby said, turning a crank to make the gears move. Soon, students will learn how to move the gears using a computer program.

Like Jelicia and Ashylee, Andrew said he didn't know whether he would like the pre-engineering activities, which he started in sixth grade. But Smith's classes quickly became his favorite, and he's looking forward to continuing them in high school and college.

Even if not every student--likely--in the program goes on to an engineering degree, the school is definitely planting the seeds for the engineers of tomorrow.

How To Make A Clock From Gears

2009-10-30T06:29:00.000-07:00

Here's a fun video for a Friday! An engineer named Alan Parekh has uploaded to YouTube his method for creating a cool-looking clock out of CNC-cut gears. It's pretty impressive. I know I want one in my shop, now.

Via Crunch Gear

Gearbox Failure Common in Subaru Impreza WRX?

2009-10-19T08:23:00.000-07:00

AutoSpeed has a really awesome breakdown of a widely known problem with the Subaru Impreza WRX and Liberty RS: Namely, that the five-speed manual gearbox is prone to failure. They note,

Keenly driven WRX/RSs with engine mods are likely to experience gearbox failure. This is largely due to the immense traction of the Subaru all-wheel-drive system, which (on a dry road) doesn't allow engine torque to be dissipated into wheelspin. Furthermore, those mechanically tweaked Subarus with an aftermarket (ie non-slipping) clutch will trap even larger stresses in the driveline. Without doubt, an up-rated clutch is a big contributing factor to gearbox problems.

They go on to note that the gearbox has a common point of failure; the teeth are stripped from the first and second drive gears. The article poses a few possible reasons for this failure, and suggest an aftermarket product, the Middleton Rally Team’s heavy-duty dog gearset. The only major downside to the MRT gearset is its noise-level, which is somewhat fierce.

Until a helical cut dog box comes along, we'd have to say that the MRT gearset is only for those drivers that like to play on weekends - there's no way you could put up with the noise of a dog box in an everyday vehicle. Motorsport - such as rally, circuit and drag racing - is this product's biggest outlet. Apparently 80% of MRT's present dog box sales are for rally cars - where, obviously, gearbox noise is of no importance.

The whole article is worth a read.

Bevel-Helical Gears Drive Huge Floating Conveyor In Hungary

2009-10-07T07:46:00.000-07:00

At a mining plant in Hungary, SEW-Eurodrive has constructed a huge floating conveyor belt powered by parallel shaft helical and helical-bevel gear units. The plant floats on a lake in Hungary, about two hours from Budapest. It is over 200 meters long and descends to depths of up to 50 meters in the 40,000 square meter lake. The conveyor-plant apparatus transports gravel across eight stages to a nearby plant at a rate of up to 200 tons per hour.

Even though there is no ground beneath the conveyor, it is completely stable and rigid as it floats on pontoons. The bevel-helical gear-driven belts start and stop jerk-free with a 30% excess of power. The whole rig was completed after a very brief six-week construction period. It now supplies construction and filling material from the lake.

How do they make wind turbines?

2009-09-28T09:37:00.000-07:00

There is a nice article in American Machinist this week about the production of wind turbines for wind-power machines. It goes into detail about all the work that goes into creating a wind machine, from fabrication to milling.

Many wind turbine component shops process such parts as gear case assemblies, planetary carriers and hubs on horizontal boring mills. These machines, with contouring heads and programmable boring bars, can reduce the number of tools, and tool changes, required to complete parts.

One tool can bore multiple diameters and produce complex part geometries. A contouring head combined with a programmable boring bar can perform as many as nine to ten different operations – atypical for a boring mill. Operations include threading, grooving, turning, contouring, taper turning and more, internally and externally, and rightangle heads and precision rotary tables add capabilities for five-sided part processing in single setups.

The whole article is worth checking out if you're interested in the process of industrial design, fabrication, and milling.

And now... an informative video!

2009-09-22T12:09:00.000-07:00

Gearing Advances Drive Air Jellyfish Robot

2009-09-16T10:31:00.000-07:00

That's a heck of a title, but I just read an article that lives up to it. It's about how the United States Navy is developing robotic jellyfish that use energy harvesting technology to travel and surveil the oceans for time measured in years. The first prototype--designed by a consortium of universities from around the country--is called AquaJelly.

AquaJelly is an artificial autonomous jellyfish which consists of a translucent hemisphere and eight tentacles for propulsion. AquaJelly's translucent dome houses an annular control board with integrated pressure, light and radio sensors. AquaJelly has a watertight laser-sintered body that houses a central electric motor, two lithium-ion polymer accumulator batteries, the charging control unit and the actuators for the swash plate.

Engineers are currently working on developing actuators that would convert energy from the surrounding ocean into usable energy to power the AquaJelly. I'm a little dubious of how effectively they can carry off such a project since it seems like they're trying to build a sort of perpetual (or very, very long-lasting) motion machine.

University engineers are also working on a similar creature for use in the sky rather the sea. It's called the AirJelly, and its

sole source of power is two lithium-ion polymer accumulator batteries rated at 8V and 400 mA, which can be completely charged in half an hour. It transmits the force to a bevel gear and from there to a succession of eight spur gears, which move the eight tentacles of the jellyfish via cranks. Each tentacle is designed as a structure with Fin Ray Effect. AirJelly is the first indoor flight object with peristaltic drive.

The creature is fairly impressive (if impractical-seeming). I don't know how effective an eight-legged air jellyfish will be at surveying and obtaining information, but I do know that this is one of the most novel applications of gearing technology I've seen yet.

Want to know more about metal casting?

2009-09-15T12:06:00.000-07:00

There’s a good piece in the latest Gear Solutions Magazine about metal casting and different types of metals, which is something that’s not solely related to gear manufacturing, but it’s something that underlies just about the entire industry. It’s worth a read.

Sand Casting: This is the oldest known method of producing an intricate casting. Molten metal is poured into a non-permanent sand mold that has been prepared with a pattern. Green sand molds use synthetic sand or sand in its natural or green state, i.e. damp sand still containing moisture. The sand must be cohesive and refractory (withstand heat without fusing), permeable (porous enough to let gases escape), and strong enough to support the weight and cores. Such a cast gear, even with extra care, can only achieve a quality level of A14.

Did someone else think of it first?

2009-09-09T10:32:00.000-07:00

Did you know that (among the rest of its apparent plans for World Domination) Google has created a service called Google Patents? With it you can search the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) library of over 7 million patents and 1 million patent applications.

Google is using the same technology as it uses for Google Book Search; it has converted the entire image database of the USPTO into a text-searchable database. It is, to say the least, a diverting pastime to browse this extensive service. Here are a few interesting gearing patents.

Improvements in gears and gear teeth structures for use in driving assemblies, such as machines, vehicles and the like, wherein the teeth portions of the gears and, in certain instances, other portions thereof, are coated with a hard synthetic diamond material deposited thereagainst as carbon...

A gear-shaped tool (30) having stock removing surfaces (38) is rotated together with a bevel or hypoid work gear (32) in accordance with their respective number of teeth, and the gear-shaped tool 30 is also moved relative to the work gear (32) in the manner of a theoretical generating gear (46)...

A method is disclosed wherein standard generating motions for the production of bevel and hypoid gears are modified by the substantially simultaneous inclusion of additional controlled motions which enable a desired tooth surface geometry to be produced on the gears.

If you're interested in gears specifically or any other manner of thing, Google Patents is a neat resource--for both professional research and recreational browsing.

Gears! What are they good for?

2009-09-08T10:25:00.000-07:00

We talk a lot on this blog about gears, and we take for granted that our readers know all about the subject matter. But since we’re getting some new readers, we thought it would be a good idea to cover some gear basics. To start out, a gear is just a part of a transmission device; it helps transmit rotational torque by applying force to another gear or toothed piece of equipment. Gears are found, for instance, in the transmission of your car and, of course, on your bicycle. They allow you to multiply your force or to change the rotational speed or direction of a force.

Gears are extremely useful because of this force multiplication. Since the rotational speed of a gear is in proportion to its circumference and speed of rotation, a larger gear will turn more slowly than a smaller gear with which it’s meshed. Think of bicycle tire spinning: The outside edge of the tire is spinning slower than the inside edge, but both edges are making the same number of rotations. A larger gear has more teeth than a smaller gear, so when the two meshed gears are turning, the smaller gear will have made more revolutions than the larger gear. This relationship is called the “gear ratio,” and it generates the mechanical advantage of gears.

Gear ratio is the relation between the number of teeth on two gears that are meshed.
You can express this relation mathematically. For example, if one gear with 26 teeth is driven by a gear with 14 teeth, the gear ratio is 1/1.86, or 1:1.86. (That is, the mathematical expression of gear ratio is the number of teeth on one gear divided by the number of teeth on the other gear, basically.) A piece of equipment’s gear ratio is used to determine its performance and capability.

(An automobile transmission: Look a those gears!)

Gear ratios are specifically determined by manufacturers of engines and other equipment to achieve a certain result. In some contexts--such as in automobile transmissions--gear ratios can be varied to adapt to the car’s needs at different rates of speed. The lowest gear in a car’s transmission will have a high gear ratio, such as 2:1 or 3:1, which allows the car to achieve a smooth start from a full stop. However, since the engine has to make two or three revolutions for every revolution of the transmission the engine cannot make the car in low gear go very fast in first gear. In second gear, the gear ratio is lower, meaning that the engine does not have to work as hard to give the car additional acceleration. In the higher gears, the gear ratios get progressively lower. These are good for moderate acceleration and reducing the number of engine revolutions needed to keep the car at a comfortable cruising speed. The gears in a transmission, therefore, serve to either magnify or reduce the output of an engine, based on the car’s speed at the time.

We hope that this little post helped to clear up some questions about what exactly gears are and how they function in a practical, day-to-day capacity!

Have you ever wondered how four-wheel drive works?

2009-08-26T05:57:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week I covered how helical gears are found in the latest video game equipment. Today, I found a post on Pitchcare Magazine's website about how the new Kubota tractor is gaining traction from its bevel gear-driven 4WD system,

The operator can enjoy many hours of use without fatigue, as Kubota have, as always, put a lot of emphasis on driver comfort. The full hydrostatic power steering, matched with Kubota's bevel gear 4WD system means light, responsive, tighter turning for maximum productivity.

Really, bevel gears are ideal for applications like this. In a four-wheel drive system, all four wheels need to be driven simultaneously (obviously). Therefore, the drivetrain needs to turn both axles. The way a bevel gear works is by connecting shafts at 90 degree angles (generally, although they can connect shafts at different angles). Therefore, since the driveshaft is perpendicular to the wheel axles, all four wheels can be turned simultaneously. The same principle applies to four-wheel drive automobiles.

I hope this post helped illustrate how something we take for granted--four-wheel drive--is actually the result of a fairly elegant engineering element.

$300 for a video game controller? Must be the helical gears!

2009-08-24T11:54:00.000-07:00

I noticed some gear news tucked into a press release for a new Logitech video game steering wheel:

Logitech (SIX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI) today announced the Logitech® G27 Racing Wheel. Designed to deliver the definitive sim racing experience for the PC and PLAYSTATION®3, the G27 features a powerful, dual-motor force feedback mechanism that smoothly and accurately delivers high-fidelity force effects to the hand-stitched leather wheel, so you can feel traction loss, weight shift, and the surface of the road. The helical gears deliver exceptionally quiet steering action, virtually eliminating noise and unwanted vibration.

It is neat to see the peripherals manufacturer giving some credit to the inner components that make its products actually work well. For the record, helical gears are types of gears whose teeth are not set parallel to the axis; that is, they're set to an angle (which makes them appear in the shape of a helix, from the outside). They run more quietly and smoother than the more common spur gear.

On the Car that Saved BMW

2009-08-20T10:50:00.000-07:00

There's an interesting article about the BMW 700--ie, the Car That Saved BMW--in the Sydney Central. Apparently, back in the 50s, BMW was not the cultural icon that it is today. At the time, it was a motorcycle manufacturer, but the motorcycle business was going south pretty rapidly. The company's automobile manufacturing business was also tanking, and things looked fairly bleak.

Enter the BMW 700. By using as much of the previous model--the 600--as possible and redesigning where necessary, BMW was able to come up with a unique, compelling car. And in the center of it all, we find--a bevel gear differential:

Further features carried over from the BMW 600 were the all-synchromesh four-speed transmission as well as the bevel gear differential and, the flat-twin power unit originally used on BMW motorcycles and now increased in size from 600 to 700cc.

The newly introduced 700 was a success, and the now-legendary automaker got a second chance at life.

When (Gear) Worlds Collide

2009-08-13T10:10:00.000-07:00

There's some recent news from Engineerlive.com about a new gear design from Rotalink. Apparently, the company has created a new design that combines spur and planetary gear stages within a standard ovoid gearbox. The company claims the design results in a 400% torque increase.

Gear Manufacturer News Flying Under the Radar

2009-08-06T05:19:00.000-07:00

Here's a little bit of gear manufacturer news that flew under the radar. Gear Technology, a California-based gear manufacturer that specializes in manufacturing gears for the aerospace, military, and commercial industries agreed to provide its services to Triumph Aerospace Systems. The deal reached agreement at the beginning of July 2009. The deal is expected to last five years with Gear Technology manufacturing precision machine gear equipment, including shafts, splined rings, and splined spacers for the military's V-22 Osprey Tilt-Rotor Aircraft.

How Much Sugar Can Thirty-Eight Tons of Gear Process?

2009-08-04T11:48:00.000-07:00

On Monday it was announced that the industrial supplies giant Bearing Man Group commissioned two sugarcane mill drives at its Zambia-based Nakambala sugar mill. The gear units are capable of a peak output of 4 million Newton meters of torque, which should add quite a bit of crushing force to the mill, to say the least.

The gears' design consists of a primary helical gear stage, a secondary planetary stage, and a main load distribution stage at which power is split and distributed into the final-stage gear sets. Driving the gears is are 850 kilowatt, six-pole electric motors. The gears were manufactured , assembled, and tested in Germany; they were then disassembled and shipped to Zambia. If it's true that you can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs, it's equally true that you can't make something sweet without crushing some sugarcane. Assuredly, the world will be a sweeter place.

More Gear News Out of India

2009-08-04T11:38:00.000-07:00

In other news, Shanthi Gears, a Coimbatore, India-based gear manufacturer, recently announced the end of a lock-out in its six manufacturing plants. On 20 July 2009, the company had announced a scheduled lock-out that seems to have been incited by its firing approximately 200 apprentice workers. Fired workers retaliated by gathering in protest in front of Centre of Indian Trade Unions and throwing stones at a company bus. The company stated that the firings were due to the recent economic slowdown.

Roller Chain Manufacturer Acquires Gear Manufacturer

2009-08-04T08:20:00.000-07:00

In a bit of horizontal building, LG Balakrishnan & Bros Limited, a Coimbatore, India-based roller chain manufacturer has recently acquired MM Gears Pvt Limited, which is also based in Coimbatore. MM Gears is known for manufacturing worm gearboxes, helical gearboxes, geared motors, and non-standard gearboxes.

Coimbatore is situated on the banks of the Noyyal River and is the second-largest city in the state of Tamil Nadu. Its primary industries are engineering and textiles. Coimbatore also houses the majority of India's hosiery and poultry industries.