Unisig’s next-generation operating system further improves the human-robot interface and slashes programming times. The new operating system, featured on Unisig’s UNE6-2i-750-CR small-diameter gundrilling machine, streamlines the setup of dozens of different part handling combinations to reduce new part setup times by 80% or more. The system significantly improves the communication between the machine’s human machine interface (HMI) and the robotic controller. This enables centralized data storage or a single source of truth -– the coding and data for the gundrilling operation and the program for the part handling are stored together for ease of recall.

Rego-Fix has launched a new online product-finder resource, which allows U.S. manufacturers to quickly and easily find and purchase the Rego-Fix solution that best meets their application needs. Using a variety of search criteria, users can find and learn more about the full lineup of products. 

Schunk expands digital planning options for automated solutions with two new tools for designing and configuring linear modules. This easy access to expert knowledge is a further step towards offering customers an uncomplicated and secure way to customize design and quickly integrate it into the system planning.

Effective July 1^st, 2024, Dr. Ulrich Kissling, founder and Managing Director of KISSsoft AG steps down as Managing Director of KISSsoft AG as he partially transitions to retirement. Dr. Kissling will continue with KISSsoft AG focusing on representation for Gleason / KISSsoft AG on various technical committees and providing technical support to the Engineering and Sales teams.

Engineers Assemble. If you’re a product engineer in charge of designing the latest and greatest manufacturing creations, it’s officially “Tony Stark” time. If Philip K. Dick is more your speed over the Marvel Cinematic Universe, than how about “Tom Cruise” time in Minority Report? Siemens and Sony recently introduced a solution that combines the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio with Sony’s new XR head-mounted display (HMD), SRH-S1—designed using Siemens’ own NX software—insert chicken vs. egg debate here.

GWJ Technology GmbH has presented a new version of its desktop solution TBK with numerous enhancements, particularly in the field of gearing. The TBK calculation software has been used successfully worldwide for more than four decades to dimension gears, shafts, connections, bearings, and other machine elements as well as complete gearboxes. With its various interfaces to 3D CAD systems, the TBK software is a powerful calculation tool for development, design, work planning, production, and quality assurance.

Siemens Digital Industries Software announced it is adding accelerated pre-silicon development in the cloud to its hardware assisted verification product offering with PAVE360 software for Software Defined Vehicles (SDV). The solution is the first accelerated simulation environment to support the new Arm Cortex-A720AE CPU semiconductor IP, launched in March 2024.

For wind turbine main gearboxes (MGBs) with about 1 MW or higher power, gearbox designs with multiple power paths are used. They handle several mega-Newton-meter of torque economically. Earlier wind turbines with lower power ratings used parallel shaft gearboxes with only one power path but soon they were superseded by planetary gearboxes having typically three to five planets per stage. This paper describes experiences using planetary gears where “Flexpins” are used to improve the load sharing between the individual planets—representing the multitude of power paths—and along the planet’s face width.

As a community, we gear engineers collaborate and share ideas to progress our collective capability. Technology progresses based on our efforts, and we have seen solid advances in the performance of our products as they become quieter, cheaper, more efficient, and more power dense. The pages of this magazine (past and present editions) are filled with examples where talented engineers have dug deeper into a subject using a more precise approach to a particular area concerning gear performance. The implied belief is always that greater precision (complexity) in the calculations brings greater accuracy (alignment with reality).

Open Mind Technologies, a leading developer of hyperMILL CAD/CAM software solutions worldwide, announced it has joined the Georgia Tech Manufacturing 4.0 Consortium. The consortium is a membership-based organization that facilitates key collaborations between industry, academia, and government to develop and deploy advanced manufacturing technologies as well as provide workforce development. Initial members have contributed funding, technology, and skilled resources supported by the staff at the Georgia Tech AI Manufacturing Pilot Facility located in Atlanta, GA.