This article shows the newest developments to reduce overall cycle time in grinding wind power gears, including the use of both profile grinding and threaded wheel grinding.
The objective of this paper is to demonstrate that transmission gears
of rotary-wing aircraft, which are typically scrapped due to minor foreign
object damage (FOD) and grey staining, can be repaired and re-used with
signifi cant cost avoidance. The isotropic superfinishing (ISF) process is used to repair the gear by removing surface damage. It has been demonstrated
in this project that this surface damage can be removed while maintaining
OEM specifications on gear size, geometry and metallurgy. Further, scrap
CH-46 mix box spur pinions, repaired by the ISF process, were subjected to
gear tooth strength and durability testing, and their performance compared
with or exceeded that of new spur pinions procured from an approved
Navy vendor. This clearly demonstrates the feasibility of the repair and
re-use of precision transmission gears.
Natural resources—minerals, coal, oil, agricultural products, etc.—are the
blessings that Mother Earth confers upon the nations of the world. But it takes unnaturally large gears to extract them.
Big gears and wind turbines go together like bees and honey, peas and carrots, bread and butter and—well, you
get the idea. Wind isn’t just big right now, it’s huge. The wind industry means tremendous things for the energy dependent world we live in and especially big things for gear
manufacturers and other beleaguered American industries.
Step right up! Get your U.S. government gravy here! We’re the U.S. Treasury Department’s Troubled Asset Relief Program, and we’re printing money like we’re—well—the U.S. reasury. If you’ve got trouble, then get your assets in line!