Gear Industry News October 1, 2024

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AGMA Updates

Gearbox CSI: Forensic Analysis of Gear & Bearing Failures

October 22–31—Live Online Course

A good understanding of individual failure modes and the failure scenarios that led to the actual system failure is an essential skill to designing gear/bearing systems that will operate properly for their full design life. In this course, we will define and explain the nature of many gear and bearing failures and we will also discuss and describe various actual failure scenarios. In addition, a detailed primer on bearing technology prefaces the failure scenario discussions. You will gain a better understanding of various types of gears and bearings. Learn about the limitation and capabilities of rolling element bearings and the gears that they support. Grasp an understanding of how to properly apply the best gear-bearing combination to any gearbox from simple to complex.
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Analytical Gear Chart Interpretation

November 7—Live Online Course

This course is an introduction to the methodology of analytical gear inspection and the evaluation and interpretation of the resulting data. The application of this information to identify and correct manufacturing errors will begin to be explored. Additionally, it reviews chart interpretation and applies inspection data to understand the causes and cures of manufacturing errors. Many chart examples are used to understand cause and effect.
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Gear Systems Design for Minimum Noise

November 12–20—Live Online Course

The need for noise control and its relation to gear drive design will be discussed. The general nature of noise and its measurement will be examined, with particular emphasis on terminology standards, and units of measurement appropriate to gear technology. Various techniques to reduce the noise level of existing gear systems without requiring major hardware replacement will be discussed. The discussion will include enclosures, absorbers, dissipative dampers, isolators (gearbox and gear blank), and impulse phasing.
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How to Read and Interpret a Gear Inspection Chart

December 3—Live Online Course

This half-day online seminar is intended to provide you with a thorough understanding of the information contained within a typical gear inspection report. Specifically, we will look at the contents and meaning of the information contained within the gear charts, as well as the techniques used by the gear measurement system to assess gear quality. An explanation of basic gear measurement techniques, how measurement equipment and test machines implement these techniques, and how to interpret the results from these basic measurements will be covered. We will also discuss how to interpret the results and what corrective actions may be considered if the quality of a particular gear is unsatisfactory.
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Navigating Market Trends with Freudenberg

Gain invaluable insights into the latest market trends with our webinar, “Gearbox Innovations: Leveraging Simmerring® Seals for Better Performance.” Learn how Freudenberg’s expertise guides you through the complexities of gear manufacturing and sets new industry benchmarks.

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With the WORM drives, everything is high efficiency

Worm drives, the most compact gear system; provide high-ratio speed reduction and greatly increase torque. To be effective, it’s crucial that they are manufactured with high-quality standards to ensure all requirements are precisely met. CHUN YEH GEAR can manufacture - Max. Module: M10, Accuracy Capability: DIN 1, AGMA 14, JIS 0.

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Industry News

Sumitomo Drive Technologies Wins 2024 National Metalworking Reshoring Award

Gear Technology

Sumitomo Drive Technologies, a brand of Sumitomo Machinery Corporation of America, received the 2024 National Metalworking Reshoring Award. The award was given in recognition of Sumitomo Drive Technologies’ success in bringing manufacturing to the United States through foreign direct investment and to Mexico via nearshoring. The 2024 award was presented on Sept. 13, 2024, at IMTS—The International Manufacturing Technology Show at McCormick Place in Chicago by Harry Moser, founder and president of the Reshoring Initiative.
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Stellantis Granted Patent for Three-Speed Gearbox for EVs

Mopar Insiders

Stellantis (FCA US, LLC) continues to push the boundaries of electric vehicle (EV) technology. Following the February 2024 grant of a patent for a two-speed gearbox designed for electric off-road SUVs, the company has now secured another patent—this time for a three-speed gearbox for electric and hybrid vehicles. The new gearbox design, initially filed in August 2023, was officially granted on September 17th, 2024.
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Resolve Before the New Year

Gear Technology

By engaging with AGMA’s resources and events focused on emerging technologies, you will not only stay informed but also position yourself to harness new opportunities and innovations within your field. Whether through committee meetings, live webinars or on-demand sessions, there are ample opportunities to deepen your understanding and forge meaningful connections with industry experts and peers alike.
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Dana Launches Reman Program Boosting Sustainability and Extending Life Cycles for Off-Highway Drive Technologies

Power Transmission Engineering

At MINExpo, Dana Incorporated debuted a new certified remanufacturing program for Dana Spicer Off-Highway drivetrain components that extends equipment life cycles, supports sustainability initiatives, and improves return on investment. Currently available at Dana facilities across Europe, the Dana Certified Reman program will extend to an additional 50 locations in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and China by the end of 2025.
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FAA Extends Life of S92 Main Gear Box Housing

HeliHub

Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, announced that it has received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification to offer a one-time life extension for specific main gearbox housings on its S-92 helicopters. By leveraging the Health and Usage Monitoring Systems (HUMS) data collected from Sikorsky’s unmatched S-92 fleet—representing more than 300 aircraft and 2.3 million fleet flight hours—the company developed a methodology to more accurately determine the life-limit for parts and help alleviate supply chain issues affecting the industry.
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Fraunhofer IWM Explores the Impact of a Potential PFAS ban with Freudenberg

Power Transmission Engineering

The family of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is facing intense scrutiny. A reporting rule will take effect in the United States in 2026, while Europe has actually been considering a sweeping, cross-industry ban on these substances since early last year. The implications of such a ban on fluoropolymers would be particularly critical, as a discontinuation of these high-performance materials would drastically impact many industries. But what kinds of challenges would emerge in the search for adequate substitutes? This was the focus of a recent study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials (IWM) in cooperation with materials experts from the Freudenberg Group.
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AW249 Shines in Stella Alpina Exercise but Forces Tweak to Flight-Test Schedule

FlightGlobal

Leonardo Helicopters now expects to have its full complement of four AW249 Fenice test aircraft flying by the early part of 2025, as development of the next-generation attack helicopter continues to progress. Based around the transmission and dynamic components, and twin GE Aerospace CT7 engines, of the company’s AW149 transport, the Fenice also benefits from that helicopter’s 50min main gearbox run-dry capability.
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Addressing Water Conservation Challenges

South African Instrumentation and Control

In one case, a leading player in wet material processing was encountering operational challenges in its quarry thickener. To address these issues, the company partnered with Technidrive, which devised a tailored solution that integrated WEG motors, Bonfiglioli gearboxes, WEG CFW-909 inverters and encoders. WEG motors drove Bonfiglioli 300 series gearboxes equipped with robust bearings designed to endure the substantial axial and radial loads typical in thickener applications. Complementing these components, CFW-909 inverters dynamically adjusted the motor speeds based on real-time data from encoders, thereby preventing overload conditions and mitigating risks of equipment failure.
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Massive Dockworkers Strike Could Send Ripples Through Automotive Industry

Jalopnik

Dockworkers on the U.S. East Coast and Gulf Coast have officially started striking as of the morning of October 1. It’s their first large-scale work stoppage in nearly 50 years, and it’s going to end up having a huge impact on the automotive industry and global shipping in general.
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U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center Board of Directors visits Nashville District Projects

U.S. Army

The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Board of Directors visited the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District on Sept. 16 to tour key projects, including the Kentucky Lock Addition construction project and the Barkley Power Plant and Dam. The visit aimed to explore opportunities for innovation and collaboration. Among the innovative approaches discussed was the rehabilitation and potential replacement of sector gears using additive manufacturing. The district is exploring the possibility of 3D printing sector gears, which could lead to significant time and cost savings. Past repairs, such as the one performed on the Cheatham Lock’s Upper Land Sector Gear in January 2024, have demonstrated the effectiveness of FRP technology in such applications.
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