September/October 2002

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Relief Valve

Some of the pressure on American manufacturers seems to be letting up. This is welcome relief, considering the squeeze they have been under for the past few years.

Technical Articles

Carburizing of Big Module and Large Diameter Gears

Carburized gears have higher strengths and longer lives compared with induction-hardened or quench-tempered gears. But in big module gears, carburizing heat-treatment becomes time-consuming and expensive and sometimes cannot achieve good hardness due to the big mass-effect. Also, it is not easy to reduce distortion of gears during heat treatment.

Direct Gear Design for Spur and Helical Involute Gears

Modern gear design is generally based on standard tools. This makes gear design quite simple (almost like selecting fasteners), economical, and available for everyone, reducing tooling expenses and inventory. At the same time, it is well known that universal standard tools provide gears with less than optimum performance and - in some cases - do not allow for finding acceptable gear solutions. Application specifies, including low noise and vibration, high density of power transmission (lighter weight, smaller size) and others, require gears with nonstandard parameters. That's why, for example, aviation gear transmissions use tool profiles with custom proportions, such as pressure angle, addendum, and whole depth. The following considerations make application of nonstandard gears suitable and cost-efficient:

Measuring Profile and Base Pitch Error with a Micrometer

In this article, equations for finding profile and base pitch errors with a micrometer are derived. Limitations of micrometers with disc anvils are described. The design of a micrometer with suitable anvils is outlined.

Feature Articles

New Technology at IMTS

The following products were selected because they hold the most interest for gear industry professionals.

More IMTS Stuff

Student Summit Introduces Next Generation to Manufacturing The IMTS 2002 Show offers an opportunity for students, ranging from grade school to college, to take part in the exhibition.

Revolutions

Revolutions

Welcome to Revolutions, the column that brings you the latest, most up-to-date and easy-to-read information about the people and technology of the gear industry.

Addendum

Gears of Rockwell Hardness

Nobody's sure what went on in Bolsa Chica, CA, when gear-shaped stones were used there 8,700 years ago, but a popular belief is that at least some activity revolved around manufacturing.

Product News

Product News

Complete Product News for September/October 2002.

Industry News

Gear Industry News

Completer Industry News for September/October 2002.

Events

Technical Calendar

Complete Technical Calendar for September/October 2002.