Conversations on the role Physical AI will play on shop floors across manufacturing took place at every stop I made during the Automate Show in Chicago. Robots—in addition to literally doing the heavy lifting—are now being asked to independently learn from experiences and discover solutions without the assistance of human programmers. At the Universal Robots (Teradyne Robotics) booth, I was treated to some amazing force sensing applications that led to a discussion on a recent gearbox assembly use case between AICA (a partner of UR) and Schaeffler that tapped robots to assemble gearboxes.
This article demonstrates why bevel gears are designed with a zero sum of profile shifts—showing that independent shifts merely replicate what a modified pressure angle already achieves—and explains the practical benefits of using conical generating gears for tooth profile crowning.
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20NiMo9-7 alloy achieves up to 48 percent higher fatigue strength than conventional carburizing steels in the as-carburized condition, eliminating the need for shot peening and grinding in automotive gear applications.
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Through loaded tooth contact analysis of two applications, this paper demonstrates that crown gears can match bevel gear load capacity while offering meaningful advantages in weight reduction, axial-force-free pinion mounting, and assembly simplicity.
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Water spray quenching achieves heat transfer coefficients up to 4,000 W/(m²K)—nearly double conventional oil quenching rates—enabling potential material substitution and tailored quench intensity for complex gear components.
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Variable loads resulting from a working process, starting process, or operation near a critical speed will cause varying stresses at the gear teeth of a drive system. The magnitude and frequency of these loads depend upon the driven machine, the motor, the dynamic mass elastic properties of the system, and other effects.
When you talk with Jared Lyford, director of operations at Forest City Gear and the newly appointed president of the Rock River Valley Tooling & Machining Association (RRVTMA), it becomes clear very quickly: workforce development isn’t a program for him. It’s a calling—and one shaped by lived experience.
Gear inspection has long been a highly specialized, costly investment and an overall challenging part of the gear manufacturing process. Through advances in technology and automation, this typically tedious, time-consuming process is becoming significantly
more efficient as multisensor coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) gain more traction as one of the preferred methods of gear inspection.
Since I have had the privilege of visiting numerous gear plants and research centers in the U.S., as well as 170 in 33 countries, and I closely watch the progression of technology, I wanted to share my observations about some technological advancements. For the purpose of this article, I will focus on three key areas: Robotics, Machine Tools, and Heat Treating.
The demand for double helical gears in planetary gear systems for engines in the civil aerospace industry is increasing. Innovative grinding processes and state-of-the-art technologies ensure precision, reduced weight, and improved cost efficiency. Learn how KAPP NILES reduced the gap width from 30 mm to 15 mm.
Discover four diagnostic enhancement tools that move RX® endothermic gas atmosphere generator operations from preventative to predictive maintenance. Learn how monitoring dew point by retort, comparing equal flow, tracking tube performance, and measuring outlet temperatures prevent costly failures while ensuring consistent, high-quality carrier gas production.
The right hob can make a measurable difference in gear production. Watch the video to see how Star SU combines advanced hob technology with application expertise to help manufacturers get more from every gear cutting operation.
The Intra SFTX twin-spindle single-flank testing system is engineered for advanced gear quality testing and NVH analysis of demanding e-drive gear applications. Combining Transmission Error (TE) and Torsional Acceleration (TA) measurements, it delivers fast, precise diagnostics and detailed order analysis, quickly identifies critical gear issues, enhances traceability, and helps prevent costly defects from reaching end-of-line (EOL) testing.
The 80PS Power Skiving and Hobbing Machine is specifically engineered for power skiving, hobbing, and profile milling of small internal and external gears. Configured specifically for the demands of humanoid robotic gear production, it delivers outstanding performance and process stability for gears used in strain wave, planetary, and cycloidal gearboxes, as well as other high-precision applications of comparable size — even when machining fine-pitch gears and thin-walled components.
Productive Robotics sets the new standard for simplifying robotic automation. OB7 ensures simplicity in use and versatility, easy automation of existing production and new set-ups, increased output, consistency, and quality. It emphasizes teaching the robot rather than programming. Productive Robotics' OB7 collaborative robots are currently used in many diverse applications due to their simplicity, capability, and affordability.
Sandvik Coromant first introduced manufacturing wellness in 2023 as a way to describe what a healthy, future-ready manufacturing business looks like. It defines the concept as “the state of resilient, thriving manufacturing companies that have a positive impact on people and societies.”
In most precision shops, the print is clipped to the bench, the setup sheet is in someone’s email, and the operator walks back to the office to confirm they’re on the right rev. That’s one of the problems Datanomix is solving at IMTS 2026. Datanomix will showcase Digital Production Bundles at IMTS 2026, Booth #135521, and prove what happens when the shop floor goes paperless.
Dec 8, 2026 - Dec 9, 2026
CTI Symposium Berlin offers active discussions on the latest technologies and strategies on automotive transmissions and HEV & EV drives for passenger cars and commercial vehicles. At CTI Symposium Berlin, more than 650 senior experts and decisionmakers from OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, technology companies, and research institutions come together to discuss the latest developments in electrified drivetrains, hybrid technologies, energy systems, software integration, and future mobility strategies.
Sep 22, 2026 - Sep 23, 2026
Oct 12, 2026 - Oct 14, 2026
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