Manufacturing is a hot topic everywhere
these days, what with economic
stimulus plans targeting the struggling
industry worldwide. Many hopes are tied to a manufacturing recovery to bring us further up out of the economic doldrums of 2007–2008. Most indicators show that manufacturing is climbing back, so what better time for the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) 2010 to witness first hand the next generation’s technology.
Capitalizing on a burgeoning new
technology where gears are of great import, the gear community gathered en masse at the American Wind Energy
Association’s Windpower Expo 2010.
An offshore jack-up drilling rig is a barge upon which a drilling platform is placed. The barge has legs that can be lowered to the sea floor to support the rig. Then the barge can be “jacked up” out of the water, providing a stable work platform from which to drill for oil and gas. Jack-up drilling rigs were first introduced in the late 1950s. Rack-and- pinion-type jack-up units were introduced soon after that and have dominated the industry ever since.
Easily one of the central issues
affecting U.S. manufacturing is what one might call the exports deficit—the inability of American companies to sell products to, for instance, Asian markets, developing countries and other ports of call—due to what they perceive to be unfair trade agreements and or policies.
Gear manufacturers are moving into an era that will see changes in both engineering practices and industry
standards as new end-products evolve. Within the traditional automotive
industry, carbon emission reduction
legislation will drive the need for higher levels of efficiency and growth in electric and hybrid vehicles.
Meanwhile, the fast growing market of wind turbines is already opening up a whole new area of potential for gearbox manufacturers, but this industry is one that will demand reliability, high levels of engineering excellence and precision manufacturing.
When you graduated from school and made your way into the world, you probably thought you’d learned everything you needed to know to be successful. But those of us who’ve been out in the workforce for some time know that you
never stop learning.