Shafts

GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-10-04

Repairing Gears

Deadlines and budgets do not always allow for “first class” gearbox rebuilds. The challenge for rebuild shops is to find the fastest and most econo...

GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-09-27

Acceptable Fixes

You do not always have to say “no” when confronted with non-conforming parts. Here are a few “fixes” I have been comfortable authorizing:

GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-09-20

Frequently Asked Questions

Backlash “adju...

GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-08-28

Gear Design: More Than Pretty Pictures

No one has a drafti...

GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-08-09

Getting Started on a Design

You finally have th...

GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-08-02

Gearbox Specs: Connecting to the System

Your specifica...

GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-07-24

The Gearbox: Known Unknowns

A product spec...

GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-06-28

The first planetary drive I helped take apart had three stages of through hardened spur gears encased in a simple cast iron tube with plates on both ends. Both input and output shafts rotated on taper roller bearings, but everything else had simple bronze bushings.

GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-06-14

Options for Material Selection

Disclaimer: This is the policy I follow for material selection. Your situation may call for a different decision. You should not adopt this pol...

INDUSTRY NEWS | 2018-04-30

EMAG Gets Smart with Mobile Analytics

Machine data has never been easier to collect, distribute and analyze. Monitoring production lines, evaluating tools and surveying tool conditions ...

GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-03-13

Bevel Buzzwords

Does technical lingo confuse you? If so, welcome to the bevel gear sector and its special kind of hell. The same “system” that benefited from stand...

GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-02-01

Understanding Spur Gears

Spur gears have been around “forever.” That ancient astronomical device recovered from the Mediterranean Sea a few years ago shows the antiquity an...

GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-01-25

One Step at a Time

Regular readers know that I am a big fan of both the Boy and Girl Scout programs. My children were scouts. My wife and I were scout leaders. One of...

GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-01-23

The First Step is Easy

When I started writing my gear book back in 1986, the mission was to provide enough information for a person new to the gear trade to tell if someo...

GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2017-11-30

Still Pumped About Herringbones

I rambled on about herringbone gear in my last posting but still have more to share on these once commonplace gears. Today we’ll cover the use of c...

GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2017-01-26

Way Waaay Back

Writing about my now cumbersome reference library prompted a bit of consolidation and reorganization. Unfortunately, my resolve diminished when I c...

GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2017-01-12

The Essential Gear Book?

Continuing our discussion of gear training… What one book would you advise a newbie to purchase, read, and keep handy in the years ahe...

PUBLISHER'S PAGE | 2016-11-01

Our Next Leader

No, not that president! I mean Matt Croson, the new president of the American Gear Manufacturers Association, who started in June and has been busy getting to know the gear industry and AGMA's members.

FEATURE ARTICLES | 2016-08-01

IMTS 2016 Booth Previews

Comprehensive descriptions of what you will find in the booths of many leading gear industry suppliers at IMTS 2016.

GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2016-06-22

When Do You Trust Computers?

As mentioned previously in this blog, I am active in motor racing as a car owner, mechanic, and public relations representative. I first became a f...

GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2016-02-23

Reviving Old Ideas

My last blog may have sounded like I didn’t think there was anything really new to be found in the gear trade. Actually I think there are numerous ...

INDUSTRY NEWS | 2016-01-28

Northfield Internal Grip Collet Chuck Balances Drive Shafts

Northfield Precision Instrument Corporation has designed a special internal grip collet chuck for balancing drive shafts. The collet on t...

FEATURE ARTICLES | 2015-11-01

Buyers Guide

The 2015 Gear Technology Buyers Guide was compiled to provide you with a handy resource containing the contact information for significant suppliers of machinery, tooling, supplies and services used in gear manufacturing.

GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2015-06-09

When Do You Trust Computers?

As mentioned previously in this blog, I am active in motor racing as a car owner, mechanic, and public relations representative. I’ve first became ...

INDUSTRY NEWS | 2015-05-26

EFD Induction Awarded Orders for Induction Scanners to Harden Sun Gears and Output Shafts

EFD Induction USA has recently won major orders from two American tier-one automotive suppliers.The orders involve EFD Induction ‘H...

INDUSTRY NEWS | 2015-05-01

Suhner's SU-Flock Silent Flex Shafts Reduce Noise in Power Seats and Sunroofs

Flexible shafts do not create noise, but they can transmit vibrations from the power source, thus creating unacceptable sound levels. Suh...

GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2014-10-02

Adding it All Up

[starbox] So now you’ve seen my “20 Questions” method for employee performance reviews. I’ll make the spreadsheet available through this blog; ple...

FEATURE ARTICLES | 2014-06-01

30 Years of Calculation

Examining the history of software in mechanical engineering

GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2014-03-24

Great Moments in Gear Rating

[starbox] By now readers of this Blog are aware of my interest in gear trade history. The more I learn about how we got to this point in our und...

GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2014-03-07

What Did They Know and When Did They Know It?

[starbox] No, I am not launching a criminal investigation. The title of this posting summarizes my ongoing study of the history of gear ratings....

VOICES | 2013-09-01

Letters to the Editor

Readers respond to our "Job Shop Lean" column and the "My Gear is Bigger than Your Gear" article.

FEATURE ARTICLES | 2013-09-01

Exhibitors Confidential

Gear Expo 2013 product preview features a look at many of the key booths you won't want to miss.

TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2013-03-01

Optimization of a Process Chain for Gear Shaft Manufacturing

The research presented here is part of an ongoing (six years to date) project of the Cluster of Excellence (CoE). CoE is a faculty-wide group of researchers from RWTH Aachen University in Aachen (North Rhine-Westphalia). This presentation is a result of the group’s examination of "integrative production technology for high-wage countries," in which a shaft for a dual-clutch gearbox is developed.

PRODUCT NEWS | 2012-06-01

Product News

The complete Product News section from the June/July 2012 issue of Gear Technology.

FEATURE ARTICLES | 2012-03-01

The Plastic Gear Pay-Off

Eliminating noise, weight and wear proves valuable in 2012.

TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2011-08-01

Manufacturing Method of Large-Sized Spiral Bevel Gears in Cyclo-Palloid System Using Multi-Axis Control and Multi-Tasking Machine Tool

In this article, the authors calculated the numerical coordinates on the tooth surfaces of spiral bevel gears and then modeled the tooth profiles using a 3-D CAD system. They then manufactured the large-sized spiral bevel gears based on a CAM process using multi-axis control and multi-tasking machine tooling. The real tooth surfaces were measured using a coordinate measuring machine and the tooth flank form errors were detected using the measured coordinates. Moreover, the gears were meshed with each other and the tooth contact patterns were investigated. As a result, the validity of this manufacturing method was confirmed.

TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2011-06-01

Analysis and Testing of Gears with Asymmetric Involute Tooth Form and Optimized Fillet Form for Potential Application in Helicopter Main Drives

Gears with an asymmetric involute gear tooth form were analyzed to determine their bending and contact stresses relative to symmetric involute gear tooth designs, which are representative of helicopter main-drive gears.

EVENTS | 2011-06-01

PM Design Winners Announced at Powdermet 2011

Design innovation, superior engineering properties, high end-market visibility and sustainability distinguish the winners of the 2011 Design Excellence awards, the annual powder metallurgy (PM) design competition sponsored by the Metal Powder Industries Federation.

EVENTS | 2010-11-01

Technically Speaking, a Huge Success

A recap of the AGMA 2010 Fall Technical Meeting.

TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2007-03-01

Effects on Rolling Contact Fatigue Performance--Part II

This is part II of a two-part paper that presents the results of extensive test programs on the RCF strength of PM steels.

EVENTS | 2007-01-01

AGMA Delegates Meet Chinese Counterparts

The AGMA pavilion was a hot spot at October's PTC-Asia show in Shanghai, as evidenced by the intense quoting reported by exhibitors.

INDUSTRY NEWS | 2006-04-11

United Grinding?s Newest Machine Grinds Shafts and Chucked Workpieces

[photo] The Studen S242 from United Grinding is designed for the hard turning and grinding of high-precision applications for both shaf...

INDUSTRY NEWS | 2006-03-10

Sterling Instrument’s Anti-Backlash Gears Eliminate Marred Shafts

A new series of 1158 anti-backlash gears manufactured by Sterling Instruments feature the Fairloc integral hub fastening system, which el...

INDUSTRY NEWS | 2005-03-09

mG miniGears Acquires New Furnace

mG miniGears acquired a high temperatures furnace that can perform at 1,300 degrees C sintering temperature. According to the company&...

INDUSTRY NEWS | 2000-07-01

Industry News

Complete Industry News for July/August 2000.

TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 1999-03-01

Fatigue Aspects of Case Hardened Gears

The efficient and reliable transmission of mechanical power continues, as always, to be a central area of concern and study in mechanical engineering. The transmission of power involves the interaction of forces which are transmitted by specially developed components. These components must, in turn, withstand the complex and powerful stresses developed by the forces involved. Gear teeth transmit loads through a complex process of positive sliding, rolling and negative sliding of the contacting surfaces. This contact is responsible for both the development of bending stresses at the root of the gear teeth and the contact stresses a the contacting flanks.

TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 1998-09-01

Comparing Standards

One of the best ways to learn the ISO 6336 gear rating system is to recalculate the capacity of a few existing designs and to compare the ISO 6336 calculated capacity to your experience with those designs and to other rating methods. For these articles, I'll assume that you have a copy of ISO 6336, you have chosen a design for which you have manufacturing drawings and an existing gear capacity calculation according to AGMA 2001 or another method. I'll also assume that you have converted dimensions, loads, etc. into the SI system of measurement.

TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 1995-01-01

Multi-Metal Composite Gear-Shaft Technology

A research program, conducted in conjunction with a U.S. Army contract, has resulted in the development of manufacturing technology to produce a multi-metal composite gear/shaft representing a substantial weight savings compared to a solid steel component. Inertia welding is used to join a steel outer ring to a light-weight titanium alloy web and/or shaft through the use of a suitable interlayer material such as aluminum.

VOICES | 1993-01-01

Our Readers Discuss Gear Rattle, Gear Books, and Gear Tech

Investigation of Gear Rattle Phenomena The article by Messrs. Rust, Brandl and Thien was very interesting in its description of the problem and of some of the interactions which occur.

FEATURE ARTICLES | 1992-11-01

1992 Marks Important Gear Design Milestone: Lewis Bending Strenth Equations Now 100 Years old

Columbus' first voyage to the Americas is not the only anniversary worthy of celebration this year. In 1892, on October 15, Wilfred Lewis gave an address to the Engineer's Club of Philadelphia, whose significance, while not as great as that of Columbus' voyage, had important results for the gearing community. In this address, Lewis first publicly outlined his formula for computing bending stress in gear teeth, a formula still in use today.

TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 1992-07-01

Comparing Surface Failure Modes in Bearings and Gears: Appearances vs. Mechanisms

In the 1960's and early 1970's, considerable work was done to identify the various modes of damage that ended the lives of rolling element bearings. A simple summary of all the damage modes that could lead to failure is given in Table 1. In bearing applications that have insufficient or improper lubricant, or have contaminants (water, solid particles) or poor sealing, failure, such as excessive wear or vibration or corrosion, may occur, rather than contact fatigue. Usually other components in the overall system besides bearings also suffer. Over the years, builders of transmissions, axles, and gear boxes that comprise such systems have understood the need to improve the operating environment within such units, so that some system life improvements have taken place.

INDUSTRY NEWS | 1992-03-01

Our Experts Discuss Hobbing Ridges, Crooked Gear Teeth, and Crown Shaving

Question: When cutting worm gears with multiple lead stock hobs we find the surface is "ridged". What can be done to eliminate this appearance or is to unavoidable?

TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 1992-01-01

Design Guidelines for High-Capacity Bevel Gear Systems

The design of any gearing system is a difficult, multifaceted process. When the system includes bevel gearing, the process is further complicated by the complex nature of the bevel gears themselves. In most cases, the design is based on an evaluation of the ratio required for the gear set, the overall envelope geometry, and the calculation of bending and contact stresses for the gear set to determine its load capacity. There are, however, a great many other parameters which must be addressed if the resultant gear system is to be truly optimum. A considerable body of data related to the optimal design of bevel gears has been developed by the aerospace gear design community in general and by the helicopter community in particular. This article provides a summary of just a few design guidelines based on these data in an effort to provide some guidance in the design of bevel gearing so that maximum capacity may be obtained. The following factors, which may not normally be considered in the usual design practice, are presented and discussed in outline form: Integrated gear/shaft/bearing systems Effects of rim thickness on gear tooth stresses Resonant response

VOICES | 1991-01-01

AGMA Responds to Gear Standards Article

The authors of last issue's article comparing AGMA, ISO and BS methods for Pitting Resistance Ratings are commended. Trying to compare various methods of rating gears is like hitting a moving target in a thick forest. The use of different symbols, presentations, terminology, and definitions in these standards makes it very difficult. But the greatest problem lies with the authors' use of older versions of these documents. ISO drafts and AGMA standards have evolved at the same time their work was accomplished and edited.

PUBLISHER'S PAGE | 1990-03-01

Capital Gains, Societal Gains, or No Gains At All

Taxes may be one of the only two sure things in life, but that doesn't make them popular. Nobody is happy to pay them, and the bigger the amount due, the unhappier the taxpayer. Conversely, politicians know that coming out in favor of a tax cut is the equivalent of voting for apple pie and motherhood. It's a sure-fire success at the ballot box.

PUBLISHER'S PAGE | 1989-09-01

Editorial

From tiny beginnings, the AGMA Gear Expo is growing into a fine, strapping show. This year's effort, Gear Expo '89, "The Cutting Edge," will be bigger and better than ever. What started as a few tabletop exhibits in Chicago four years ago has now grown to a full-size, international exhibition at the David Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh. With over 160 exhibitors, including major gear manufacturers and suppliers from around the world, this year's show promises to be a great success as well.

TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 1988-09-01

Crowned Spur Gears: Optimal Geometry and Generation

Involute spur gears are very sensitive to gear misalignment. Misalignment will cause the shift of the bearing contact toward the edge of the gear tooth surfaces and transmission errors that increase gear noise. Many efforts have been made to improve the bearing contact of misaligned spur gears by crowning the pinion tooth surface. Wildhaber(1) had proposed various methods of crowning that can be achieved in the process of gear generation. Maag engineers have used crowning for making longitudinal corrections (Fig. 1a); modifying involute tooth profile uniformly across the face width (Fig. 1b); combining these two functions in Fig. 1c and performing topological modification (Fig. 1d) that can provide any deviation of the crowned tooth surface from a regular involute surface. (2)

VOICES | 1987-07-01

No Surprise

For the last few years, the market has been tough for the U.S. gear industry. That statement will cause no one any surprise. The debate is about what to do. One sure sign of this is the enormous attention Congress and the federal government are now placing on "competitiveness."

VOICES | 1985-11-01

Industry Forum

One of the current research activities here at California State University at Fullerton is systematization of existing knowledge of design of planetary gear trains.