Q&A with Christian Albrecht
Gleason will be at Booth 529 at the Motion + Power Technology Expo in Detroit. In particular, Gleason will be focusing on Smart Loop...
Troubleshooting inadequate properties in heat-treated steel – IV
This is the fourth in a series of articles on troubleshooting issues related to heat treating steel.
In the previous column, I discussed the...
Understanding worms and worm wheels
Worm gear pairs are a common gearing technology. They consist of two components, the first being the worm and the second being the worm...
Q&A with James P. Adams
The WorldPM2026 World Congress & Exhibition — sponsored by the Metal Powder Industries Federation — will be June 25-29, 2026, at the Montreal Convention...
Troubleshooting deficient properties in heat-treated steel — III
This is the third in a series of articles on troubleshooting issues related to heat treating steel.
In the previous column, I discussed the furnace...
Making the correct gear rack choice
A simple internet search for the term “racks” returns such items as industrial storage racks, server racks, pipe racks, pallet racks, and clothes racks....
Troubleshooting inadequate properties in heat treated steel – Part II
≈ This is the second in a series of articles on troubleshooting issues related to heat treating steel.
In the previous column, I discussed...
Are gears the greatest thing since sliced bread?
As we roll into the summertime, those of us who live on the Eastern seaboard of the United States look forward to lazy days...
Q&A with Preben Hensen
Platinum Tooling is now distributing REV gear broaching tools. What brought on this decision?
When I started up the business, I was selling strictly Heimatec...
Q&A with Ben Keaton
Gear Solutions welcomes its newest sales representative to its staff, Ben Keaten, and it is a bit of a reunion. He has returned to...
Troubleshooting inadequate properties in heat-treated steel – Part I
Often, the heat treater is confronted with low properties (hardness or tensile properties) in a part or heat-treated load. Determining the root cause of...
The unsung hero of motion: Demystifying the gearbox
In our modern world, motion is fundamental. From the vehicles that transport us, to the intricate machinery that produces our goods, countless devices rely...
Internal channel surface finishing processes for gear, other applications
As discussed in the April 2025 Materials Matter column, “Internal cooling channels: Challenges, potential for gear applications,” conformal cooling channels (CCCs) produced by additive...
Contamination effects on cooling curve behavior of polymer quenchants
Polymer quenchants are commonly used for induction hardening, aluminum heat treating, and open tank heat treatment of steel. Contamination is always a problem. Dirt...
3D printing and additive manufacturing in gearing
If you had the opportunity to walk the SME-sponsored tradeshow RAPID + TCT this past April in Detroit, Michigan, then you saw a tremendous...
Q&A with Evan Duncanson
What is gear skiving?
Gear skiving is a process for cutting slots on a gear, a challenging operation that requires high accuracy. Manufacturers need to...
Internal cooling channels: Challenges, potential for gear applications
One of the best-use-cases of powder bed fusion (PBF) additive manufacturing (AM) is for the fabrication of internal channels, especially complex ones. Rocket engines...
Q&A with Tom Zelickman
Tormach recently launched the Chip Conveyor Kit accessory for its 1500MX CNC Mill. What is its function?
At its core, what this kit adds is...
Straight-tooth vs. spiral-tooth bevel gearing
Bevel gears are essential components in mechanical power transmission systems, particularly when the requirement is to transfer motion and torque between intersecting shafts. These...
Distortion and residual stress development during quenching
In this column, I will discuss the different types of precipitation hardening stainless steels and discuss their physical metallurgy.
Introduction
The problem of distortion is universal...
