Networking in Wine Country
There’s no doubt that the jointly sponsored 2015 American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) and American Bearing Manufacturers Association (ABMA) Annual Meeting will create lasting and very special memories. Come and join the industry leaders as we experience the legendary Napa Valley, Wednesday, April 29, through Friday, May 1, 2015, when we meet at the Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa, California. There is no comparable to visiting the Napa Valley. Here is a destination that offers world-class wines and miles of farm-to-table cuisine served alfresco so you can take advantage of the California climate.
This is a first for the AGMA and ABMA members as we venture into wine country for some of the best network experiences and opportunities to bring home the latest “best practices” from fellow gear and bearing industry executives. The planning committee has created a meeting experience that is sure to prepare you and your businesses for the coming years. In addition to the educational sessions, it will be a great time to engage in dialogue with your peers and find the latest and greatest of our industry in the post-recession era.
The speaker line-up for the meeting is top-notch. The topics will both inspire you and provide you, your company and colleagues with much-needed updates and knowledge on several important business related topics.
This year, we look at some new topics and faces and welcome back favorites. Confirmed speakers include Harry Moser, founder and president of the Reshoring Initiative; Jim Meil, Principal Industry Analysis, ACT Research Co; Michael Rodgers, futurist in residence, The New York Times; and Derek Daly, International Racing Champion, Best-Selling Author, and television’s Face of Motor Sports. Many of the presenters are in attendance for the entire three days, which gives the attendees unprecedented access to these professionals.
On the evening of Thursday, April 30, attendees will have the experience of a lifetime with an off-site tour, wine tasting, and wine pairing dinner at Artesa Vineyard in Napa. The trip will include a chance to taste and compare the Artesa Estate Reserve and Limited Reserve wines in the winery. Then, they will be invited to partake in a dinner in the barrel room where these same wines will be served along with specifically paired courses prepared by the chef and sommelier.
The annual golf tournament will not take place this year in order for attendees to venture out to several of the more than 400 wineries in the Napa area, or you can try your luck with a Segway tour of downtown Napa. The spouses and guests have several optional activities including a Napa History Presentation and/or a chance to go out among the vines and learn firsthand the nuances of cultivating the grapes, harvesting, and processing them into the varietals.
The Meritage Resort and Spa promises to be a comfortable and convenient setting for peer-to-peer interaction. The resort is surrounded by an active vineyard, complete with a tasting room and estate cave. The resort is only five miles from downtown Napa and equal distance from either the San Francisco, Oakland, or Sacramento airports. Further information about the joint meeting, including registration, hotel reservations, agenda and program updates is located online at www.agma.org. Any additional questions can be directed to AGMA at 703-684-0211.
We look forward to seeing you in Napa and showing you how this experience can impact you personally as an industry leader and your company as you plan for the future.
This is a can’t-miss event in a perfect setting, accompanied by interesting colleagues, exciting adventures, good wine, and exquisite food, all wrapped up into a memorable three-day experience.
Trade Mission Highlights Japanese Gear Industry
In November, a group of AGMA members had the opportunity to visit several Japanese gearing and machine tool companies. Delegations allowed participants to gain access to and insight from a number of manufacturing plants not normally open to groups. Members of the delegation noted that they gained invaluable insight into the manufacturing processes of a unique market. Participants also reported that the trip provided great networking possibilities both with potential Japanese trading partners and with AGMA members, and a better understanding of Japanese values and culture. Figure 1
The trade mission kicked off with a visit to the Japanese Machine Tool Trade Show, JIMTOF. The JIMTOF show attracts more than 130,000 visitors with more than 10,000 o those included from overseas. After the show, members of the Japanese Gear Manufacturers Association (JGMA) hosted a welcome reception for the group prior to the start of their tour. Figure 2
The delegation embarked on a tour to visit a number of manufacturing plants in and around Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka. The delegation visited 10 companies including:
Iwasa Tech Co. Ltd.
Located in Chiba, it is the first company on the group itinerary was Iwasa Tech, an AGMA member company and a manufacturer specializing in high precision spiral, straight and skew bevel gears.
Kohara Gear Industry Co. Ltd.
Kohara, or KHK Stock Gears, is located near to Toyko in Saitama. KHK offers an extensive number of gear types, most of which can be customized to customer requirements.
Kikuchi Gear Co. Ltd.
A manufacturer of precision gears servicing a wide variety of fields from aircraft and automotive to construction machinery and printing, Kikuchi Gear is located in Tochigi.
Tokyo Technical Instruments Inc.
Tokyo Technical Instruments (TTI), is a gear measurement machine manufacturer located in Tochigi. TTI is an AGMA member.
DMG Mori Seiki Iga Plant
The group was then welcomed at the DMG Mori Seiki Iga Plant. It is their main headquarters and largest plant in Japan. DMG Mori Seiki, a machine tool manufacturer and member of the AGMA, has three main production locations in Japan and many overseas production locations and technical centers. Figure 3
Kanzaki Kokyu Koki Mfg.
Kanzaki is a manufacturer of both machine tools and gears. They are located in Hyogo.
Ueda Heavy Gear Works Ltd.
AGMA’s newest member is Ueda Heavy Gear Works that is located in Osaka. Ueda specializes in the manufacture of large gears for the milling and mining industries.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd
Perhaps best known for its brand of motorcycle, Kawasaki also manufactures engines for its brand of watercraft and robot systems as well as gas turbine engines for large aircraft and marine uses. The delegation toured the gear-manufacturing floor located at the plant in Akashi City.
Nissei Corporation
Nissei is a manufacturer of high precision gears and gear motors located in Aichi. Nissei is a business division of Brother Industries.
Yutaka Seimitsu Kogyo, Ltd.
Yutaka is a wholly owned subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation and located in Seto City.
In addition to visiting the companies, participants were able to visit many popular sights around the country. The group enjoyed the sights of Toyko, including a visit to the famous Ginza district and the Tsukiji fish market. While visiting Kyoto, they visited the beautiful Kinkaku-ji or “Golden Temple,” a tour of the Gekkeikan Sake Museum, and the Fushimi Inari-Taisha shrine. Figure 4
Upcoming Activity on the AGMA Sound and Vibration Committee
The AGMA Sound and Vibration Committee evaluates the specifications and the methods of monitoring sound and vibration, as applied to gearing, and is generally focused on enclosed gear drives. The committee recently published AGMA 919-1-A14, Condition Monitoring and Diagnostics of Gear Units and Open Gears: Part 1 – Basics, the first part of a two part information sheet on condition monitoring and diagnostics of gear units and open gears. The committee will next meet in March to select new leadership and to start a discussion on the second part of AGMA 919. Part two of AGMA 919 will look at the application of diagnostic tools and instrumentation to analyze vibra ion, acoustics, motor current signature, and lubrication. The information sheet will also discuss the methods for condition monitoring, performing diagnostics, monitoring temperature, establishing baseline data for trend analysis, and non-destructive testing of in-service gear units and open gearing. For more information about the AGMA Sound and Vibration Committee contact Justin Sikorski either by email at sikorski@agma.org or by phone at 703-838-0057.
