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Different component characteristics in electric vehicles lead to higher noise and load requirements in the automotive industry. E-mobility—to a certain degree—is changing how gear analysis and inspection is carried out. Dissecting noise issues in gears and gearboxes requires an analytical approach like a detective. The problem could stem from the design itself, tolerancing or tip/root relief issues, tooth flank form deviations like waviness or perhaps crowning issues that directly impact noise. Every aspect of gear production needs to be examined to provide the most accurate results.

Gear manufacturing involves a number of processes that, intentional or not, affect the residual stress state of the critical surfaces. Stresses, including residual stresses from processing, are commutative, with compressive stresses typically improving fatigue life and crack initiation while tensile stresses do the opposite. Accordingly, gear designers and manufacturers often require compressive residual stresses at the surface on critical geometries such as gear teeth and roots.

Gear inspection has long been a highly specialized, costly investment and an overall challenging part of the gear manufacturing process. Through advances in technology and automation, this typically tedious, time-consuming process is becoming significantly
more efficient as multisensor coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) gain more traction as one of the preferred methods of gear inspection.

The way to increase production, especially with the largest gears, is to decrease nonproductive time with improved strategies.

The fascination of the automotive differential has led to the idea to build a second differential unit around a first center unit. Both units have the same axes around which they rotate with different speeds. The potential of double differentials as ultrahigh reduction speed reducers is significant. Only the tooth-count of the gears in the outer differential unit must be changed in order to achieve ratios between 5 and 80 without a noticeable change of the transmission size.

Aircraft engines can be made more efficient by integrating planetary gears. In such an application, the planetary gears experience very high load cycles under fully reversed bending loads. Pulsator test rigs, which nowadays offer the possibility to perform UHCF investigations, can only be used for purely pulsating loading of gears. Therefore, for the investigation of the UHCF tooth root load carrying capacity under fully reversed bending load, a back-to-back test rig is required. Back-to-back test rigs usually have speeds of n = 3,000 rpm, which makes investigations in the UHCF range take a very long time. Therefore, a high-speed back-to-back test rig was developed.

Noncircular gears are not a mere mathematical curiosity with limited practical utility. They were first sketched by Leonardo da Vinci around 1500 and have since found their way into a variety of useful applications. In the 18th century, noncircular gears were used in flow pumps, clocks, music boxes, toys, and other devices. Early publications on the gear type in the 19th century by Hamnet Holditch (1842), Henry T. Brown (1871), and Franz Reuleaux (1875) helped evolve the field of kinematics. First introduced by Uno Ollson in his book Non-Circular Bevel Gear in 1959, the noncircular bevel gear has remained obscure due to the complex geometry. Even though more and more publications are available on noncircular gears, the knowledge is, especially compared to cylindrical gears, still very limited. But in the last decade, there has been an increased interest in the field of noncircular gears due to certain advantages they have over circular gears.

Klingelnberg has developed a new precision measuring center. The P 152 is the latest addition to the family of Klingelnberg precision measuring centers. It is capable of measuring components with a maximum outside diameter of 1,520 mm and workpiece weights up to 8,000 kg with the usual precision. 

The Helios TM 250-CNC machine from Tecnomacchine brings together two fundamental strategies that empower manufacturers to deburr gears more productively.

Manufacturers who look for versatility and precision in machining can pair up Seco Turbo 16 square shoulder milling cutters and Helical Turbo 16 milling cutters to reduce tooling inventories and costs. Both series offer high material removal rates in steel, stainless steel, cast iron, non-ferrous metals, superalloys and titanium. 

With its brand-new 300GMS nano Gear Metrology System, Gleason presents a world- first at Control Show 2022, May 03-06, Stuttgart, Germany. The capability of measuring gears at sub-micron level, executing advanced waviness analysis and evaluating gear noise using the most advanced analytical tools, make the 300GMS nano ideally suited to support automotive e-drive production with minimum noise requirements. 

IBS Quality GmbH has launched the new PAM-System (Portable Automated Measurement System), a portable cobot-based 3D scanning and measurement solution, at Control, Stuttgart, Germany, May 3 -6, Hall 3, Stand 3312. The launch is in collaboration with Verisurf Software, Inc., and its integrated 3D measurement software for automated quality inspection, reporting, scanning, and reverse engineering. 

As a result of its recent partnership with S.F.H., Jorgensen Conveyor and Filtration Solutions now serves manufacturers as a single source for total metalworking chip and coolant processing systems. With standalone or fully integrated systems that transport, shred, wring and briquette chips and sludge, manufacturers can reduce chip volumes by as much as 90% and significantly increase their chip recycling value. 

Park Engineering has significantly increased the size of parts it can machine and subsequently measure on a coordinate measuring machine (CMM).

SMW Autoblok presents the BB-FZA2G pneumatic 3+3 sequencing air chuck featuring an extended stroke clamping range and three self-centering jaws with axial adjustment.

Amorphology Inc., a NASA spinoff company founded from technology developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the California Institute of Technology, has partnered with Additive Technologies (AddiTec), a founding partner of Meltio, an additive manufacturing company pioneering the development of affordable multi-metal 3D printing systems. Together, Amorphology and AddiTec are developing the additive manufacturing of multi-metal gear components for robotics. 

Forest City Gear, an industry-leading manufacturer of fine and medium pitch custom gears, welcomes visitors to virtually tour the Roscoe-based company’s manufacturing facilities via the company’s website

LK Metrology and Wenzel Technologies have entered into a strategic partnership with immediate effect. In addition to a joint technological cooperation, Wenzel Technologies will sell LK's innovative, high-performance coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) and other metrological products in southern Germany.

Marposs has announced the acquisition of Jenoptik’s (Jena, Germany) non-optical process measuring technology business for grinding machines, formerly known as Movomatic.

JMP Solutions recently announced that construction is complete on its new state-of-the-art Automation and Robotics facility in Northwest Arkansas and that it is open for business. The 20,000-square-foot manufacturing and integration space will provide automation and robotics solutions to the region and create approximately 140 jobs in the next five years.  

Velo3D, Inc. announced its Seeing is Believing Additive Manufacturing Tour for Europe, which will visit seven cities in 2022 across Germany, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom. The roadshow brings together innovators across key industries including space, aviation, oil and gas, and energy to share how additive manufacturing and the Velo3D end-to-end solution are transforming these businesses by helping engineers manufacture the parts they need without compromise. 

Big Daishowa Inc. announces Michael Herman has been promoted to vice president sales. In this role Herman oversees the Big Daishowa sales team and supports the company’s distribution network and machine tool builders throughout North America.

The transition to EVs will lower transport emissions, and adoption can be accelerated by increasing their efficiency. EVs that take advantage of aluminum components can travel further per charge, helping to overcome range anxiety. Automotive manufacturers who select machining tools optimized for aluminum will be able to produce high-quality aluminum EV components ― helping to support the shift to greener travel.

Forest City Gear is proud to announce the appointment of Kika Young as president of the company.

AGMA wants you to be involved in gear standards development. The creation of standards helps drive innovation and increase the market value of gear design and manufacturing—it also promotes international trade and commerce, which in turn fuels more innovation. The AGMA Gear Accuracy committee is in the early planning stages for a comprehensive review, and possible revision, of the standard ANSI/AGMA 2116, Evaluation of Double Flank Testers for Radial Composite Measurement of Gears, and we need your input. Committee meetings are a great place to network and collaborate with experts in the field, broaden your knowledge, capture technical expertise in writing, refine the standards you use and see how your influence helps shape best practices throughout America and around the world.