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State of the Gear Industry 2026

The gear industry navigates uncertainty, finds pockets of strength, and bets on automation

Of the 137 respondents to our annual gear-industry survey, the message was clear: tariffs are the defining challenge of 2026. But the frustration runs deeper than the duties themselves. Manufacturers can absorb cost increases; they can’t absorb chaos. When rules shift weekly and exemptions evaporate overnight, planning becomes guesswork. One respondent captured the exhaustion: “In 2025, they were all over the place, without warning, up and down. Terribly disorganized.” Yet within this turbulence, distinct currents run strong. Defense and aerospace work has surged. Oil and gas, buoyed by loosened regulations, is “very active” according to multiple respondents, with mobile power units and gas compression driving demand. Overhaul and repair business is booming—when new equipment becomes expensive or hard to source, companies keep existing machines running longer, and that means gears.

¡Rápido!

With many of its precision gears produced in small lot sizes, Spanish gear producer Engranajes Juaristi S.L. depends on Gleason machines for exceptional speed and flexibility.

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Technical Articles

Prospects of Asymmetric Gears in EV Gearbox

The paper examines how optimizing asymmetric gear tooth geometry through Direct Gear Design can improve load capacity, efficiency, and compactness in EV gearboxes, surpassing the performance limits of conventional symmetric gears.

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A Review on Gear Transmission Error

This paper will review the development process, current research status, characteristics, functions, and measurement methods of TE. It will analyze the difficulties and core issues existing in the basic theory of TE, clarify the limitations and deficiencies of TE, and explore ways to overcome the shortcomings of TE.

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Morphology of FZG-A Test Gears

This study explores the failure mode morphology of FZG-A test gears. It aims to examine the orphologies of scuffing, scoring, scratches, and polishing using high-magnification light optical microscopy (LOM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images.

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The Intrinsic Pitch Cones in Hypoid Gears

A method to calculate pitch cones for hypoid gears using macrogeometry parameters—similar to non-offset bevel gears—while accounting for the added complexity of hypoid offset, tooling, and cutting technology is explored in this paper.

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Design

Thanks to material development and additive manufacturing opportunities, it’s important for the gear and power transmission industries to monitor the trends, technologies and future forecasts in the powder metal market.

Grinding

For the transmissions of electric vehicles to develop the desired high torque under all driving conditions, a very large gear ratio is needed, which requires high speeds. And to ensure sufficient momentum at all speeds and enable the driver to accelerate without shifting gears, the electric drive must achieve up to 15,000 rpm, which is about three times that of a typical combustion engine. This puts a lot of strain on the rotor shaft. The manufacturers of rotor shafts are thus facing new challenges, such as the significantly lower shape and position tolerances and the need for greater machining precision.

Inspection

Complete inspection of gear surface finishes at the submicron level became a reality with the introduction of Gleason’s 300GMS nano, in 2022. The new system ushered in an exciting new era in gear inspection. For the first time, producers of EV transmission gears, and gears for other applications requiring very tight tolerances and low noise requirements, could quickly inspect surface finishes and perform extremely reliable noise analysis at submicron levels—benefits that were almost impossible to achieve just a few years ago.

Heat Treating

Press quenching is a tried-and-true process for the controlled hardening of flat, circular close tolerance parts. The process ensures good dimensional control and uniform hardening, thus allowing for seamless processing post heat treatment.

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Videos

Kapp Niles ZP Series

Gear Profile Grinding Machine ZP 10 with automatic tool changer from Kapp Niles. The machine concept stands for maximum workpiece quality, flexibility and a long service life. The basic machines are equipped with a dresser, integrated measuring device, balancing unit and comprehensive software. The machines feature generously dimensioned rotary tables with electrical direct drive and large rotary table bores.

Industry News

SMW Autoblok Corp. appointed Brandon Mathis as national sales manager. Mathis brings more than 16 years of experience in the machine tool and manufacturing technology industry, including nine years in sales leadership. 

Product News

Two new ranges of bridge-type coordinate measuring machine (CMM), Maxima and Maxima R, have been launched by LK Metrology to meet a rapidly expanding demand for precise measurement of large, heavy components, often of significant complexity. 

Calendar

Reliable Plant 2026

Jun 15, 2026 - Jun 18, 2026

This event (Reno, NV) offers attendees learning sessions and case studies on the latest industrial lubrication and oil analysis technologies. The comprehensive conference schedule covers every facet of the machinery lubrication industry and includes workshops on topics such as employee performance, lubrication fundamentals, condition-based maintenance and planning.

Cleanpower 2026

Jun 1, 2026 - Jun 4, 2026

American Manufacturing Summit 2026

Mar 17, 2026 - Mar 18, 2026

IMTS 2026

Sep 14, 2026 - Sep 19, 2026

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