During the 2011 AGMA/ABMA Annual Meeting, I began my three-year term as chairman of the AGMA Foundation. As we move forward I would like to share some of my thoughts on what I feel our foundation is, and where it should be going.
The AGMA Foundation was originally organized in 1994 as a non-profit 501(c) (3) charity. The foundation’s legal structure allows companies and individuals to make fully tax-deductible contributions. The original mission of the foundation was to facilitate special financial funding of AGMA’s ISO standards work. The mission was later broadened to include funding of educational and research projects in addition to the ISO and standards work.
The current vision statement for our foundation is: “Excellence in gearing through the advancement of gear science, standards and education,” and our current mission statement is: “To support the establishment of global gear standards, research to strengthen those standards and training and education to ensure their effective use.” Some of the recent projects that the AGMA Foundation has supported include:
• Creation of a web-based version of AGMA’s “Detailed Gear Design” program.
• Establishment of a scholarship program to financially assist graduate level engineering students whose programs focus on gear technology or gear research. Funding of a research program at Ohio State University on “Prediction of Micropitting.”
• Funding of research at the Gear Research Institute on “Gear Noise and Vibration Documentation.”
This summer the foundation board of trustees will meet at the AGMA headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, to conduct a strategic planning session. Our goal will be to organize our vision and priorities in response to both our dynamic global environment and the changing desires of our donor base. Our strategic planning process will lead us to specific priorities, the building of a commitment to those priorities, and the planning for allocation of resources. In its final form the strategic plan will provide a blueprint for annual and future actions. We will ensure that our donors—who are mostly AGMA members—will be effectively represented and served.
Prior to this important strategic planning session, trustees from your AGMA Foundation board will be contacting selected individuals for a brief telephone interview. We hope to build a closer relationship with our supporters and learn your specific interests and needs. We look forward to receiving your input and suggestions.
Beginning this summer, the foundation trustees and other volunteers will begin our annual fund-raising drive. They will be contacting both you and your companies to ask for financial contributions. It is important to note that these funds are used for foundation purposes, either with current or future projects, as well as building a permanent endowment fund. Also, you as a member have the opportunity to submit ideas for worthy projects as well as to participate in the scholarship program.
Detailed Gear Design… Online!
AGMA has taken one of its most popular courses out of the classroom. Detailed Gear Design: Beyond Simple Service Factors is now available online in a course offering of 15 one-hour video segments. Get the same great lectures and course materials from renowned gear educator Raymond Drago at the convenience and privacy of your own personal computer.
AGMA recognizes that its members need high quality advanced gear education, but the organization also recognizes that schedules, transportation costs, time out of the office, and learning styles may hamper students from attending the classroom versions of courses. In providing Web alternative learning opportunities—digital courses and webinars—AGMA hopes to fulfill needs of members on a more-broad basis.
Detailed Gear Design: Beyond Simple Service Factors begins with a discussion of the true aim of gear design and brings into focus many of the often-conflicting considerations of designing gears to meet specific customer’s expectations. Cost, reliability, safety, liability, and the possible consequences of failure are just some of the factors that are covered in this course. How do we optimize a gear? How do we get the most capacity out of a gear? These questions and more are answered in this course.
Course Outline
1) Basic introduction to gear rating theory and standardized AGMA/ISO analyses methods including theoretical models for strength, durability, wear, and scoring hazard.
2) Practical considerations and limitations associated with the application of standard AGMA/ISO durability rating analyses:
• The theoretical surface contact stress model and its application to gear tooth contact conditions.
3) Investigation of the differences in stress states among the various surface durability failure modes including pitting, spalling, case crushing, and subcase fatigue.
4) Extended load capacity analysis techniques (beyond the AGMA/ISO standard methods) including:
• Subsurface shear stress analysis for the determination of optimum effective case depth and relation to subcase fatigue and case crushing.
• Conversion of subsurface shear stress profile into required subsurface hardness profile.
5) Consideration of friction in the calculation of surface compressive stresses:
• The relation between pure Hertz-type compressive stress and pitting.
• The relationship between spalling and the occurrence of a combined tension and compression state at the tooth surface due to mesh friction effects.
6) Practical considerations and limitations associated with the application of standard AGMA/ISO strength rating analyses.
7) The theoretical strength stress model and its application to gear tooth bending stress evaluation:
• Correspondence between calculated stress numbers and actual measured tooth root stresses.
8) The effect of gear blank rim thickness on the tooth root stress state:
• Rim bending participation.
• The rim thickness factor, development and limitations.
9) Discussion of differences between fatigue, time dependent, and time independent failure modes as related to gear tooth design:
• Durability and strength.
• Wear.
• Scoring.
10) Wear evaluation by the application of elastohydrodynamic analyses
• Basis of the analysis development.
• Probabilistic nature of wear evaluation.
• Time dependent, non-fatigue nature of wear progression.
• Self propagating mechanism.
11) Scoring Hazard evaluation by the application of Blok’s Critical Temperature theory:
• Basis of the analysis development.
• Probabilistic nature of the problem.
• Time independent nature of failures.
12) Optimization of gear tooth detail design parameters including:
• Considerations for minimum roll angles.
• Effect of and design for specific sliding (slip ratio) and entraining velocity.
• Stress balanced or life balanced gear pinion and gear relative design.
• Influence of geometric characteristics such as tooth top land, tooth thickness, etc., on optimized tooth design.
13) Considerations of fillet geometry in the avoidance of fillet interference and excessive stress concentrations due to adverse fillet geometry.
Computer generated animated graphics will be used for examining mesh action and tooth interaction. Each section discussion will be followed by a brief question and answer period. The registration fee will include all meeting materials, scheduled meal functions, and an opening evening networking reception. A certificate will be awarded to each attendee.—Jan Alfieri, AGMA Education Manager
AGMA Announces Fall Education Schedule
AGMA is looking forward to an education-packed fall season. Registration is now open for the following events at [www.agma.org].
Gear Failure Analysis Seminar
September 19-21, 2011
Big Sky Resort, Big Sky, MT
Avoid gear failure and save thousands of dollars in repair costs by knowing what causes gear failure and how to prevent it from occurring. This course is a perennial sellout and is limited to 30 students, so register soon. Students will examine the various types of gear failure such as macropitting, micropitting, scuffing, tooth wear, and breakage. Possible causes of these failures will be presented, along with some suggested ways to avoid them.
Basic Training for Gear Manufacturing
October 3-7, 2011
Chicago, IL
The AGMA Training School for Gear Manufacturing will enable students to become more knowledgeable and productive. The Basic Course teaches participants to set up machines for maximum efficiency, to inspect gears accurately, and to understand basic gearing. Although the course is designed primarily for newer employees with at least six months experience in setup or machine operation, it has proved beneficial to quality control managers, sales representatives, management, and executives.
Gear Manufacturing & Inspection: Methods, Practices, Application & Interpretation for the Design Engineer
October 18-20, 2011
Cleveland, OH
In this seminar students gain a broad understanding of the methods used to manufacture and inspect gears, and more. The course takes the process one step further, teaching how the resultant information can be applied and interpreted in the design process. This seminar aims to narrow and possibly close the information gap by providing gear design engineers with a good foundation in both manufacturing and inspections processes and procedures.
Gearbox System Design: The Rest of the Story…Everything but the Gears and Bearings!
December 6-8, 2011
Clearwater, FL
This program addresses what gear engineer can do to optimize the gearbox system, from the housings to the lubrication and much more. The seminar starts with the basics: history of design, the environment in which the gearbox must “live” and the loading to which the system will be subjected in service. Loading includes starting/stopping, continuous, reversing, cyclic and possible errant loads conditions.
