Forest City Gear announced Turning Lead Josh P. Gates has joined Rock Valley College as an adjunct professor. Gates teaches two courses under the Manufacturing Engineering Technology program: MET 111 CNC Machine Setup/Operation/Programming and MET 226 CNC/CAM Operations I. Both courses are required to complete the Rock River Valley Tooling & Machining Association (RRVTMA) CNC Precision Machinist Journeyman Apprenticeship.

Pi Day took place on March 14, 2024. Our friendly neighborhood constant is used in engineering to determine the dimensions of gears, wheels, and pipes. Pi is also used in computer science to generate random numbers for cryptography, simulation, and gaming. With a tip of the cap to math enthusiasts, we offer a quick cheat sheet to pi and its fascinating history.

Training has quickly evolved in recognition of the new realities of the factory floor. The training tool kit has never been more diverse or effective. Training regimens today, at the best companies, are analogous to those of the most successful professional sports or Olympic teams. Instead of weight room, nutrition, and practice, workers use digital webinars, simulations, and classrooms. If modern training tools and techniques result in faster, higher, and stronger on the athletic field, they also produce faster, smarter, and better for companies seeking a competitive edge in the marketplace.

Helios Gear Products has opened registration for their flagship gear school in Chicago, IL, May 14–16. This intensive three-day program covers the basics of gear manufacturing from cutting to finishing, through final inspection, and is designed for entry-level gear manufacturing personnel including manufacturing management, industrial engineers, supervisors, set-up technicians, operators, and quality control. With a limited class size of 35, the course provides the optimum learning environment for attendees new to the industry and those with experience in need of a refresher.

Join Gleason's special online event to learn about the design, manufacturing, and inspection of e-drive gears. This four-day event, March 11–14, features one topic per day, addressing the specific requirements and challenges of e-drive transmission design, manufacture, and inspection, with particular attention to minimizing gear noise. The E-Drive Days are an excellent opportunity for newcomers and experts alike.

The AGMA Foundation awards scholarships to outstanding engineering students at the Associate/Technical, Undergraduate, and Graduate levels. The scholarship program was created to help fill the need for skilled employees in the gear industry. 

Michigan Metrology, Bruker, and ASM-Detroit are sponsoring a complementary Metal Forming Tribology/Surface Metrology workshop on March 28, 2024, 7:30 am–1:00 pm. 

The new Gear Trainer Program 2024 features new gear technology topics, including gear and transmission design, cutting and hard finishing processes, metrology and gear noise analysis, tools and workholding, as well as software updates and smart production systems. Gear Trainer Webinars take advantage of a mix of different media including live manufacturing and software demonstrations.

You've been asking for a course that focuses on electric vehicles (EVs) and we're happy to oblige! Introducing the all-new EV Automotive Transmission System Design class. Due to demand, seats for this course are projected to fill quickly, so register ASAP to ensure you get a spot!

I grew up playing video games in the 1980s/1990s. Today, my kids not only play video games, but could discuss coding, designing, and marketing at length on their YouTube channel. This generation is growing up with technology no other generation has ever had.