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From cutting gears in a cellar to sending them into space, this company is known for tackling the tough jobs, and doing it right the first time.

Entrepreneurs are hardwired to detect opportunity, and that certainly describes James Manning, president of STD Precision Gear & Instrument, who’s taken a company launched in his cellar to one that’s supplied gears currently in use aboard the International Space Station. It all started in 1984, he says, with an interesting phone call from his accountant. […]

A new generation of machines from Sunnen has become the “ten millionths” solution for bore accuracy, providing OEMs with increased product performance.

Did you hear about the amazing new technology that enables gear makers to achieve bore accuracies measured in ten-millionths and even “fix” bore geometries and achieve high process capabilities (Cpk), all in automated, high-throughput production? To tell the truth, this mystery technology isn’t really new. Conventional honing has been hiding in plain sight for about […]

Basic differences between plastics and metals have important implications for gear and transmission designers. Ticona understands these differences, and discusses them here.

Gear design and development is a complicated art. Ignore or miscalculate the operating and environmental effects and the likely result is a gear set that doesn’t mesh properly, which will cause excessive noise, gear failure, or both. This is especially true for molded plastic gear design, where the initial engineering effort is greater than that […]

With manufacturing processes in a constant state of evolution, the following technical paper describes a novel concept involving the enveloping cutting of straight bevel gears.

Straight bevel gears are widely used in the design of automotive differentials, as well as in other applications. In high volume production, Revacycle cutters are used to cut straight bevel gears. This process of cutting bevel gear teeth is illustrated in Figure 1. Most Revacycle-cut gears are produced with one completing operation using a cutter […]

With an approach that’s equal parts curiosity, expertise, and the willingness to outwork the competition, this company has become a leading source for polymer gearing.

On the Kleiss Gears Web site you’ll find a statement not often encountered in the business world. In a brief history of the company it says of Rod Kleiss, its president, that “He founded Kleiss Gears in 1988 to produce the best polymer gear products in the world and advance the science of polymer gearing […]

More than a supplier of ball and roller bearings, this company provides its customers with invaluable resources for overcoming their manufacturing challenges.

When Emerson Bearing was established more than 50 years ago in Boston, Massachusetts, where it’s still headquartered, it was a wholesale arm of Action Bearing. “My father, Justin Katz, co-founded Action Bearing with Edward Green in 1957,” according to Steven Katz, the current president of both companies, “and since we were such a big importer […]

Now celebrating its 85th year in business, this company has an illustrious past that’s sure to presage a remarkable future.

Although Leonardo da Vinci is credited with sketching the first rudimentary “double-enveloping” worm gear, Cone Drive Gearing Solutions has perfected it with a design that provides the torque and extended service life demanding applications require. “Our double-enveloping worm gearing design brings as many as eight teeth into contact, compared to 1 or 1.5 for traditional […]

Deburring gears is time consuming and can be labor intensive. That’s why Compass Automation has developed a robotic system to speed the process.

“Now, more than ever” seems to be a common phrase in this economic environment, and to manufacturers it can mean so many things. Perhaps now, more than ever, there is an opportunity to look at yourself and audit your company’s manufacturing operations to see exactly where your weaknesses lie. We all have them, yet there […]

In recent years powder metal and process technologies have progressed so that high-strength gear applications have become achievable. Capstan Atlantic explains.

There are many different processes performed in the “powder metal” arena. They range from conventional compacting with sponge iron (low-density, high green strength) for self-lubricating bearing manufacture all the way through powder forging (fully-densified), which is used for such applications as manufacturing automotive connecting rods. Capstan Atlantic uses the most common and versatile process, which […]

SKF’s new rubber outside diameter radial shaft seals increase worm gear efficiency while also reducing temperature. Here’s how one customer is benefiting.

Fixedstar Power Transmission Group, the leading small sized worm gear reducer manufacturer in China, has extended the performance of a number of its successful aluminum case worm reducers by specifying SKF’s new rubber outside diameter radial shaft seals. Gearbox efficiency has increased around 6 percent, and temperature decreased by around 25 percent. The designers at […]

Adopting the principles of Six Sigma and other proven operational strategies has resulted in a company that’s smarter, stronger, and more efficient than ever before.

Many companies undergo major transformations over the years, but it’s usually the result of an acquisition or a new market direction. And while Ajax Rolled Ring and Machine has certainly experienced many changes since it was founded in 1933, its most recent improvements are remarkable for at least two reasons: they involve a radical reworking […]

Sulzer provides a glimpse into the world of diamond-like carbon coatings, their properties, and the benefits and potential applications for gears.

The use of carbon-based coatings has steadily increased over the last decade. It all started with high-tech applications in high-end racing series like Formula 1, but it is gradually finding its way into more and more common and mass-volume applications. As the number of carbon coatings available on the market increases, these coatings not only […]

Precision machining of drivetrain components such as gear and blank faces is more efficient than ever before, requiring improved cutting tools from Sandvik Coromant.

The outcome of performance, and of achieving the results you require when turning precision features on parts, depends on getting a number of factors right. Stability and accuracy are the basics, but getting these to the right level and making use of new developments make a considerable difference in both performance as well as the […]

Precision gear manufacturers searching for a grinding machine that’s fast, accurate, and reliable need to know about the RZ 260 from Reishauer.

When I first heard the word “generation” as a kid it was used in a family context: my grandmother, my mother, and even me. I had no clue that the clever people at Reishauer located in a Swiss city near Zurich were also using the term, but in a slightly different context. In this instance […]

The new CONIFACE process, based on standard cutting tools and standard bevel gear machines, results in short cutting times comparable to straight CONIFLEX bevel gears.

According to the traditional definition, face gears are plane ring gears with a face angle of 90° that mate with a spur or helical pinion. Such a face gear pair transmits motion and torque between two shafts that intersect at an angle of 90° (Figure 1). The axes of the pinion and gear intersect or […]

Recent streamlining, capital investments, and expanded capabilities have this company poised for continued success.

First, the backstory: Founded in 1952, the Delta Research Corp. manufactures gear components, gearboxes, and prototype transmissions. One of its vendors for cutting gear teeth was Tifco Gage & Gear. Interested in bringing that process in-house, Delta Research’s president Robert Sakuta purchased Tifco in 2004. This year he renamed the company Delta Gear, with Tifco […]

Not long ago, the only way to make repairs to large girth gear drives involved costly mechanical procedures and the dreaded downtime. Klüber
has a better idea.

When it comes to repairing the tooth flanks of large girth gear drives, repair lubrication provides a number of advantages over mechanical processing. Even the operation of seriously damaged gear drives can be improved through repair lubrication so that replacement can often be postponed for several years. Further advantages are life span extension of girth […]

PEM Technologies presents precision electrolytic machining, a stress-free process that removes metal from the surface atom by atom.

Engineers and manufacturers looking to create gears with high tolerance, precision, and a smooth surface finish have a new technology to consider: Precision Electrolytic Machining (PEM). This niche process is now being launched in the United States, affording companies the ability to address a variety of manufacturing efficiencies in specific areas. For many years electrochemical […]

In the past, manufacturing straight bevel gears was only possible on dedicated machines, which is no longer the case thanks to a revolutionary new process. Gleason explains.

Bevel gears with straight teeth have an increasing popularity for certain applications. Before the development of the six-axis CNC machining process of straight bevel gears in 2006 by The Gleason Works, there was no modern machinery available to cut or grind straight bevel gears. In the past the manufacturing of straight bevel gears was only […]

Founded on the basis of a proprietary technology, this company has continued to lead the way in developing cutting-edge thermal processes and equipment.

Just five years shy of celebrating a century in business, Surface Combustion is a remarkable company that has remained true to its innovative roots. A manufacturer of thermal systems and equipment, since it was founded in 1915 based on the proprietary technology for which the company is named it has received more than 645 equipment […]

No one wants to experience bearing failure, but close study of all the factors involved will allow you to help avoid the associated costs and downtime in the future.

The accurate diagnosis of a bearing failure is imperative to prevent repeat failure and additional expense. Rolling bearings are precision machine elements found in a wide variety of applications. They are typically very reliable even under the toughest conditions. Under normal operating conditions, bearings have a substantial service life which is expressed as either a […]

As is the case with any manufacturing process, choosing the right ultrasonic cleaning method can mean the difference between wasting time and making money.

If you’re looking for ultrasonic gear-cleaning equipment, you may begin your search by logging onto the Internet or poring over spec sheets in hopes of finding a solution that best suits your needs. Chances are you may quickly become mired in a blizzard of technical terms and specifications about transducers, frequencies, harmonics, and chemistry that […]

Different heat treating processes’ as well as the materials being treated, impart particular qualities in your gears. Allow Bodycote to provide a deeper understanding of your options.

Heat treatment is a critical and complex element in the manufacturing of gears that greatly impacts how each will perform in transmitting power or carrying motion to other components in an assembly. Heat treatments optimize the performance and extend the life of gears in service by altering their chemical, metallurgical, and physical properties. These properties […]

If you’re interested in lowering the cost of your capital investments while increasing productivity, look into this company’s line of full-service machining centers.

Sometimes good things emerge from bad circumstances. After selling more than $100 million worth of a company’s machines for the mold and die industry, spending years learning about the equipment and building productive relationships, James R. Howes learned in 1994 the manufacturer he represented was in financial trouble and that he would soon need to […]

Bekaert Advanced Coatings outlines how “diamond-like coatings” reduce frictional losses in the components that are critical to drive train systems.

An increasing number of DLC coatings have been brought to market in recent years. The main reason for the success of these “diamond-like coatings” (DLC) is the fact that they combine several exceptional qualities. DLC coatings are inherently self-lubricating and resistant to abrasive, adhesive, and corrosive wear. DLC coatings are a family of coatings made […]

Coatings, surface finishes, lubrication, geometry, all these factors and more affect the efficiency of a gear drive system. Klingelnberg provides a list of points to consider.

The potential for improving the efficiency of final drives by systematically employing special lubricants has been exhausted. For pointed gears the focus is now primarily on seals, bearings, and gear design. Since the opening of public discussion about minimum CO2 emissions there have been competing power concepts, sometimes leading to curious technical solutions. Interestingly, the […]

The following article by MAG outlines how you can reduce the total cost of machine tool ownership by utilizing single-source support services.

Durable goods manufacturers can face major strategic conflicts between Lean practices, downsizing, concentration on core competencies, and transformation of machine maintenance from reactionary to preventive/predictive and ultimately to proactive. While real-world data demonstrates that proactive maintenance can produce huge cost savings, minimize machine downtime and lost production, and enable higher process control and overall equipment […]

Whether you’re producing tiny gears for medical applications or huge yaw rings for wind, this company supports your quest for quality.

There are some companies that have existed for so long, and are active in so many areas of our lives, that their name has become part of our shared language. Carl Zeiss is one of those companies. If you’re a scientist or photographer, you’re familiar with their microscopes and lenses, and if you’re a physician […]

An ever-increasing range of grinding applications from Kapp/Niles are geared toward achieving lower noise, longer service life, and improved performance.

This article reviews the technologies, products, and factors leading to the transformation of gear production for parallel-axis gears 400 mm to 2,000 mm in diameter, and modules 8 to 40. Higher productivity, lower costs, and superior reliability are realized over this wide range of gears, now making gear grinding a preferred tooth finishing method even […]

In their never-ending search for ways to increase production efficiency and develop new capabilities, gear manufacturers should take a look at this time-proven process.

True, the unsteady recovery and realigning markets mean business is more difficult for the entire gear industry. Order volumes are lower, sales in historically profitable markets are down, and competition is stiffer. But it’s also true that opportunity is out there, it just might not be in the same places it was before. Today’s gear […]

Bio-based cutting oils improve tool performance, reduce environmental impact, and are safe and convenient for use in a wide variety of manufacturing applications.

If your company is interested in increasing factory throughput, reducing tool costs, and improving product quality in a safer environment, you may want to consider switching to bio-based metalworking fluids. They have excellent lubricity and superior viscosity vs. temperature characteristics. The use of vegetable, or bio-based, oils can contribute to the goals of energy independence […]

Once you’re aware of the many benefits of permanent electromagnet workholding and lifting devices you’ll wonder why it’s done any other way. Allow the experts to explain.

Picture this: You’re transporting a vast sheet of metal high in the air across the shop floor using an electromagnetic material-handling device when your facility suddenly loses power. Although the device has switched over to its backup battery, it is quickly being drained, and you know that thousands of pounds of hard steel will soon […]

New insert manufacturing techniques from Sandvik Coromant play a critical role in elevating production results for an increasingly demanding marketplace.

What does a new generation of indexable inserts mean to the gear manufacturing industry? Minimizing lead times in gear production is becoming an increasingly competitive factor, and for many machine shops cost-competitiveness while maintaining or improving quality consistency will be decisive in achieving success in new and existing markets. And, as is always the case […]

This paper presents a theoretical analysis of a procedure to determine the Lewis Factor, which can play a major role in the fracture of asymmetric plastic gear teeth.

The basic weakness of plastic spur gear teeth is tooth fracture brought on by the accumulation of stress at the root of the tooth and by the geometry of the tooth. Tooth width and height play a major role in failure, as does the Lewis Factor, which has a direct effect on the expression to […]

One way to survive—and even thrive—during an economic downturn is to help your customers increase their productivity. Here’s how AME achieves that goal.

It would be unwise to challenge some companies in the Rockford, Illinois area to an engineering contest if the subject is machining metal parts. This is home to a wealth of engineering firepower, and it all results from real-world, hands-on experience, building the machine tools and related equipment that won a couple of world wars, […]

This company’s growth and evolution over time is woven into the annals of American history, with its roots in the heydey of the U.S. automotive industry.

In the late 19th century, J.L. Lapointe immigrated to the United States in order to manufacture and market a rudimentary broaching machine he’d developed while living in Europe. Known as the Lapointe Broach Company, it was established in 1901 in New London, Connecticut. Some years later he was approached by a man named Henry Ford, […]

In addition to being environmentally friendly, synthetic lubricants impart many beneficial qualities to the gears and components they coat and protect.

With global industry moving toward environmentally friendly “green” lubricants, some very challenging issues have been created for lubrication in gearing applications. Over the last decade gears have been pushed to design limits as they are required to run at higher speeds, under heavier loads, and for longer periods of time. Along with new materials and […]

American Broach & Machine introduces a new tabletop design, combining the best established broaching principles in an efficient, reliable, and cost-effective package.

In a customer-driven pursuit of design concept solutions to make broaching relevant to lean manufacturing, the lower lot sizes associated with reduced work in process, and one-part flow manufacturing goals, American Broach & Machine has developed a broaching machine designed to address customer complaints with traditional broaching machines. Our customers want a broaching machine that’s […]

An automated in-house black oxide process line allows the manufacturer to finish machined gear components and ship them out the same day. Here’s how.

The True Cost of Outsourcing Due to the hazardous nature of most black oxide processes, manufacturers have  traditionally been forced to ship parts to an outside plant for black oxide finishing. In the process they incur extra costs and turnaround times that make it difficult to satisfy customer shipping demands. In addition, this outsourcing requires […]

Whatever market you serve, you can count on this company to go the extra mile to make sure your gears and components are heat-treated properly and made of the right stuff.

When Pierce Woodworth launched his new company in 1968, it was a small tool and die shop generating some $250,000 in sales annually. These days The Woodworth Group has five locations, and with more than $20 million in revenue in 2009 it ranks as one of the top-five commercial heat treaters in the country. What’s […]

In order to prevent in-service failures in wind turbine gearboxes, an in-depth understanding of how and why they occur is required.

As the growth in wind energy continues, the average size and capacity of wind turbine generators is also increasing, stretching designs and materials to new and unproven limits. As of 2009 the new generation of 4.6MW wind turbines are being deployed, and 10MW machines are prototyped. With this increase in size comes an increase in […]

Having a hard time finding a transmission that can withstand your aggressive driving techniques? One answer is to design and build your own. Here’s a man who did just that.

The following paper provides a detailed look at the creation of an innovative, brutally strong manual transmission for high performance street-driven cars and trucks. To my knowledge this is the first time that a manual transmission has surpassed the input torque capacity of the strongest automatics in such applications. Background Back in the early seventies […]

Gleason’s new analytical gear inspection system helps Schafer Gear Works meet its big gear production challenges, opening the door to more opportunities.

Even in this tough economic environment opportunity continues to knock on the doors of companies like Schafer Gear Works Rockford LLC. This division of the company, which is headquartered in South Bend, Indiana, has both the expertise and the willingness to take on the production challenges of large, custom, and very high precision spur and […]

Under new ownership, this company is developing a strategic plan for expanding its reach beyond the United States and into countries around the world.

It’s not uncommon for an employee to feel that, given the opportunity, he or she could implement measures that would streamline the company’s operations and even increase revenue. Dennis Moldavsky found himself in that exact situation at Barit International, and he is determined to make the most of it. “I was the director of sales […]

You�re sure to enjoy this insider�s account of the development of Romax Technology�s NVH breakthrough and benefits.

After celebrating the 20th anniversary of the founding of Romax Technology last year, long-time chief engineer Barry James recounts his experiences of noise, vibration, and harshness models and describes the exciting challenges that led to Romax’s NVH breakthrough and completion of their award-winning technology. My first experience of NVH models for transmissions came in 1993 […]

The following Boeing study compares distortion of AGMA quality class 10 bevel gears made of 9310 steel that have been gas carburized to those that have been contour induction hardened.

This paper examines the impact on distortion of two processes using traditional gear measurement techniques. It will discuss design considerations involved with switching from gas carburizing to contour induction. Core property considerations will be reviewed, and the impact of a conversion from gas carburize to contour induction in terms of production flow and cost will […]

In this article Lubrication Engineers shares the results of its R&D efforts and their knowledge of how to improve gearbox reliability, resulting in significant savings and increased unit life.

Modern gears are performing heavier work and carrying greater loads than ever before. Gear manufacturers are redesigning, modernizing, and using finer steels to produce precision gears that will give better performance. Demands on global industry are often forcing users to raise production above rated machine capacity. This is done with the knowledge that gear life […]