By Jenny Blackford
In just a few short weeks, thousands of power transmission professionals will be getting together for Gear Expo 2015, and hopefully, you are planning on being there, too. This year’s Gear Expo is packed full of opportunities — more exhibits, more education, and more networking than ever before. And because Gear Expo only comes around every two years, it’s an event that can’t be missed.
This year, we introduced a new tagline for the event, “The Drive Technology Show.” These aren’t just words on a page or a marketing hook. It truly represents the exhibitors and people that attend Gear Expo time and time again. The exhibit floor will feature more than 200 global exhibitors who can provide solutions for any part of a drive system. Whether you’re looking for suppliers of transmissions, open gearing, gearboxes, or bearings to meet your product’s specifications, or if you’re looking for new machinery, software, or inspection equipment to boost your plant’s productivity, the wide range of exhibitors are ready for your questions. In addition to the Gear Expo’s expanded show floor, ASM also has a near sellout exhibit hall of heat treat equipment and commercial heat treaters available to discuss the latest technologies in their respective fields.
Education is also a driving force at Gear Expo 2015. The week of activities kicks off on Sunday, October 18, with AGMA’s Fall Technical Meeting, where attendees can hear the latest in gear research during 29 expert presentations over three days. Starting on Tuesday, October 20, there will be 11 seminars to choose from — everything from the Basics of Gear Manufacturing to the advanced High Profile Contact Ratio Gearing: Concept, Advantages, Comparison & Cautions. There is something for all levels of knowledge.
In addition to these seminars, there’s a lot to learn, free of charge, at the Solutions Center in the exhibit hall. This year’s Solutions Center lineup features more than 20 presentations from exhibiting companies, and you can browse the complete lineup of presentations in this section.
This year’s expo is particularly noteworthy because AGMA will begin its Centennial celebration with a kickoff dinner during the show on Wednesday, October 21. From humble beginnings with nine companies gathering to create the first gearing standards in 1916, AGMA now represents more than 470 companies worldwide that cover the breadth of mechanical power transmission companies, consultants, and academicians. Our kickoff events will unveil a large-scale timeline of the moments that have shaped the gear industry over the past hundred years and that have created the industry and the association as we know it today. The dinner will be an excellent networking opportunity as we honor the legacy of the industry’s greats and begin a yearlong celebration of the association’s history.
There are many other reasons to attend this year’s Gear Expo, but there’s not enough room on this page to list them all. Detroit, AGMA, and Gear Expo are ready to welcome you to town October 20-22. I hope to see you there.
Free Education at Gear Expo 2015
The Gear Expo Solutions Center is back for 2015 and has more presentations than ever before. Get the latest information on manufacturing techniques and technologies from Gear Expo exhibitors by taking part in these free presentations in the exhibit hall. Each day will also feature a keynote presentation highlighting the latest trends in the power transmission industry. Here’s a list of the presentations currently scheduled, and for the latest information, visit www.gearexpo.com.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20
10:00 a.m. | Criterion NDT
Crack testing and heat treat verification of gears using eddy current technology
10:30 a.m. | EMAG LLC
Scroll-free turning offers new opportunities
11:00 a.m. | Oelheld U.S., Inc.
Latest lubricant technologies for the gear industry
11:30 a.m. | Presrite Corp.
Forged tooth gear manufacturing
12:00 p.m. | Kapp Niles
Generating grinding: New technological horizons
2:30 p.m. | Third Wave Systems
Finite element modeling of machining processes and cylindrical gear hobbing
3:00 p.m. | Weldon Solutions
Robotically automated gear bore and shaft grinding
3:30 p.m. | Foerster Instruments
Detection of gear and sprocket tooth imperfections and improper heat treatment using electromagnetic NDT technology
4:00 p.m. | TimkenSteel Corporation
How TimkenSteel technology enhances your gear design and manufacturing
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21
10:00 a.m. | South Tek Systems
Improving productivity and your bottom line with a nitrogen generator
10:30 a.m. | The Gleason Works
Pentac®Plus three-face flank form duplication of Pentac® two-face cut gears
11:00 a.m. | INEX Incorporated
High-Output© radiant heat transfer using INEX Si-SiC composites
2:00 p.m. | DMG MORI
Gear machining on multitasking machines — new developments
2:30 p.m. | Laserline Inc.
Heat treatment with high-power diode lasers — more possibilities than ever before
3:00 p.m. | TE Wire & Cable
Consideration when selecting thermocouple wire for your heat treatment
3:30 p.m. | Norton Abrasives (Saint- Gobain)
Grinding of gears in the hard and soft state — elimination of the need for hobbing in a job shop environment
4:00 p.m. | Connert Industrial Solutions (CIS), LLC/EMO Oberflächentechnik GmbH
Quality improvements in heat treat through cleaning
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22
10:00 a.m. | Inductoheat
Induction equipment preventative maintenance
10:30 a.m. | Gleason
Grinding of automotive gears — challenges and solutions
11:00 a.m. | Datapaq Inc.
Temperature profiling solutions for continuous thermal processes
11:30 a.m. | DMG MORI
Is it a lathe or is it a hobbing machine?
1:30 p.m. | Raytek
Temperature measurement solutions for metals applications
2:00 p.m. | DANTE Solutions Inc.
Heat treatment process engineering and design with DANTE
2:30 p.m. | GWJ Technology GmbH
Opportunities and risks of gear manufacturing on multi-axis universal machining centers
3:00 p.m. | Proton OnSite
On-site hydrogen generation reduces facility installation cost and complexity for hydrogen users
AGMA Statistical Programs
AGMA’s statistical programs are tailor-made for the gear industry. Good business managers advise that you must forecast often to be successful. The objective of forecasting is not to predict the future, but to help you understand how to take meaningful action based on the understanding of today’s conditions. The AGMA statistical tools greatly increase your ability to forecast for your company more accurately.
AGMA provides a variety of tools that use real, timely data to provide the most comprehensive information available in the industry. AGMA offers two types of programs: industry reports and salary surveys.
AGMA provides three industry reports as part of the exclusive member benefit package. Using data provided by others in this industry, these reports help show where you stand in the industry.
The Gear Market Report is AGMA’s most comprehensive market forecast. The information provided in this report is gathered by economists from IHS Economics and is based on current economic forecast information. This service comes at a cost of $2,000 annually and includes quarterly forecast information in a series of end user markets in addition to the gear market. The report provides editable Excel files. Those participating in this service receive two registrations for use at either the Spring or Fall AGMA Marketing & Forecasting Conferences.
The Monthly Market Trend Report (MMTR), managed by AMT for AGMA, is available to U.S.-based members manufacturing gears, gearboxes, and flexible couplings. This report assesses competitiveness and calculates market share in nine product categories. The data that is provided is based on actual booking and shipment data. Those who participate receive the monthly summary reports for free. These reports include data that list bookings, a bookings index, industry shipments, and a shipment index for all groups, enclosed gears, and each of the product groups.
The Operating Ratio Report (ORR), managed for AGMA by the Mackay Research Group, is a profitability, or cost of doing business study, composed of data reported by gear manufacturers based in the U.S. The ORR will help you understand and analyze the best practices in the gear manufacturing industry. It can improve financial results by establishing typical financial performance targets and analyzing how high-profit companies in the industry achieve their success. This report is sent annually, free of charge, to participating AGMA member companies.
AGMA offers two Wage and Benefits Surveys to help AGMA member companies learn how their compensation compares to the industry averages. These reports are managed by Mackay Research Group. The Production Workers Salary Survey, conducted in even-numbered years, provides information on benchmarks in fringe benefits. The Management and Technical Workers Survey, conducted in odd-numbered years, is a comprehensive salary survey for non-factory employees in the gear industry. These reports are available for free to U.S.- and Canada-based participating AGMA member companies. The reports provide industry averages both by size and region.
Knowing how your company compares is crucial to your financial success. To get involved in any of these programs, email membership@agma.org.
