Material pre-treatment as a function of performance
This article is not intended to go deep into the metallurgy of pretreatment, nor will it discuss the nuances of the machining or heat...
Ensure supply chain continuity creates more value for customers
Encountering challenges throughout the production process for any type of gear is to be expected. The steps in the supply chain — from melting...
Materials matter – and so does total cost of ownership
Gear designers have options when exploring cost reductions within a component, from using different material grades and leaner processing to incorporating less-proven offshore suppliers....
Making gears takes more than good design
It’s a given that “materials matter” when it comes to gear design. But “materials” can be more than just the raw components. Our team...
Mechanical paste polishing vs. CAVF finishing of gears
A recent Materials Matter article compared generic deburring versus CAVF (chemically accelerated vibratory finishing.) Both techniques are conducted in a vibratory unit. The main advantage of...
The challenges of generic deburring vs. CAVF deburring
Relative to gear hobbing, shaving, and/or post heat-treat grinding to generate accurate tooth morphology there may come a time wherein vibratory deburring is a...
Changes ahead in the roughness standards
I have written numerous articles on tooth flank surface roughness measurement. This is such a page-turner of a subject! Actually, I was thinking I...
Roughness measurement: Optical vs. contact stylus profilometry
To date, I have written several articles on contact stylus profilometry. This roughness measurement technique, when applied to gear flanks, is repeatable and reproducible...
Rotorcraft gearbox regulations: LOL (not what you think)
For more than a decade, one of the most intensively researched subjects in aerospace engineering has been LOL. No, we are not talking about...
Roughness measurement tips: Calibration, the razor blade test
In my previous column in Materials Matter, I reviewed the use of the “Scratch Pad” for the overall checking of the contact stylus profilometer’s...
Roughness measurement tips: The scratch pad
From the perspective of the shop floor environment, the previous Materials Matter column “Roughness Measurement Tips: 2 V 5” discussed the contact stylus 2-micron...
Roughness measurement tips: 2- vs. 5-micron
I’ve written three articles on gear flank roughness measurement for this magazine (Materials Matter; January 2016 and February 2016, and an issue-focus article in...
Tips to increase vibratory performance during gear polishing
In our final article in this series on gear polishing using vibratory equipment, let’s take a look at some troubleshooting tips to increase the...
Vibratory media composition vs. attrition and density
The third in our multi-part series on vibratory processing of gears is focused on understanding how media of different compositions have varying attrition rates...
Selecting media for optimum vibe bowl gear finishing
The second in our multi-part series on vibratory processing of gears is focused on the selection of media that will be used to improve...
How to set up a vibratory bowl for gear finishing
This is the first in a multi-part series on vibratory processing of gears. This article is focused on machine set-up for optimal mass motion.
Overview...
Magnetic particle testing and evaluation of AMS AQ test samples
Aircraft quality (AQ) testing of steels per AMS 2300, 2301, 2303, and 2304 requires specialized sampling and specimen preparation prior to final evaluation using...
Clever sampling techniques highlight AMS aircraft quality testing
In this edition of Materials Matter, we review the sampling and test piece production required for the AMS aircraft quality (AQ) testing methods specified...
AQ (aircraft quality) testing requirements
Much has been written about the critical nature of steel cleanliness as it relates to the performance of highly stressed, cyclically loaded gear components....
Industry standards for steel cleanness
The correlation of steel cleanness to the performance of parts made from steel has been recognized by engineers for many years. This has been...
