Open to students interested in a career in the gear industry, and/or power transmission as it relates to the gear industry. Applicants must be enrolled or recently accepted as full- or part-time students in a nationally accredited program. Annual scholarships are available for those enrolled at technical/associate, undergraduate, and graduate schools. 

C&B Machinery is proud to support the reshoring of a 30” Double Disc Grinding Machine for a major U.S. automotive manufacturer’s transmission plant. Originally installed in an overseas facility, this machine is now being brought back to the U.S., where it will be retooled, reautomated, and upgraded to enhance performance and efficiency for a Michigan-based production program.

Helios Gear Products (South Elgin, IL) proudly welcomes engineer, Caeden Keith. Caeden earned his degree in Mechatronics Engineering from Northern Illinois University (NIU). During his time at NIU, he demonstrated his passion for innovation and mentorship by mentoring his high school’s FIRST Robotics Competition Team 5934 and leading NIU’s team in NASA’s BIG Idea Challenge.

Bonfiglioli showcased its latest innovations at EuroBLECH 2024, the premier global event for the metalworking industry. This participation highlighted a suite of cutting-edge solutions tailored to meet the growing demands of smart manufacturing and advanced metal processing.

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.

As you navigate the ever-evolving landscape of gear manufacturing, it’s become increasingly clear that success isn’t solely determined by the precision of your machines or the latest technological advancements. While these factors remain crucial, the true differentiator in today’s competitive market lies in cultivating and nurturing your most valuable asset: your people.

It was a busy year for the gear industry. Large and small companies had to navigate the interest rates, tariffs, supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, and the unknown economic outlook with an election year in the U.S. Leaders that normally would be brainstorming their five-year strategic plans had to get comfortable with a day-to-day strategy. As each quarter ended, however, AGMA witnessed resiliency, innovation, collaboration, and even quite a bit of growth for some sectors—it was an exciting year to visit members in person.

As the year draws to a close, I’d like to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for the continued support of Gear Technology’s readers, advertisers and authors. Thank you for being an integral part of the gear community. This holiday season, as I reflect on the challenges, triumphs, and growth of the past year, I am reminded of the shared passion we all have for advancing the field of gear manufacturing.

Before diving into the latest committee developments, I want to remind everyone about the 2023 Emerging Technology Webinar Series, available on-demand until December 31. (Don’t miss this valuable resource before it’s removed to make room for our 2025 webinar series.) 

Machine Tool Builders has added highly experienced sales professional and machine tool industry veteran Ross Wegryn-Jones to its national sales organization.