GEAR SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

Your Resource for Machines, Services, and Tooling for the Gear Industry

SHOW ISSUE

MOTION + POWER
MOTION + POWER TECHNOLOGY EXPO

TECHNOLOGY EXPO
INSIDE

OPTIMIZING THE OPERATIONAL BEHAVIOR

OF DOUBLE HELICAL GEARS
IMPLEMENTATION OF A GEAR HEALTH
MONITORING SYSTEM
OCTOBER 2023

OCTOBER 2023
gearsolutions.com
 i N d I n G
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[email protected] • www.liebherr.com/measuringdevices
 FEATURES

32
OPTIMIZING THE OPERATIONAL BEHAVIOR
OF DOUBLE HELICAL GEARS
An FE-based tooth contact analysis is used to derive design and
tolerance recommendations for coupled gear meshes – a developed
method that is validated by means of experimental studies.

42 6 TIPS TO OPTIMIZE THROUGHPUT

IN THE CGG GRINDING PROCESS
Continuous generating gear grinding can deliver numerous benefits
if best practices are followed for choosing the right wheel, operator
training, and system setup.

46
IMPLEMENTATION OF A GEAR HEALTH
MONITORING SYSTEM ON A POWER
RECIRCULATING TEST RIG
Angle resampling and time synchronous averaging are used in
conjunction with the Average Log Ratio to successfully detect pitting,
bending fatigue, scuffing, and loss of lubrication failures with four
square power recirculating test rigs.

2     gearsolutions.com
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for your fast quote today. October 2023     3
 OCTOBER 2023 • VOLUME 20, NUMBER 10
DEPARTMENTS
INDUSTRY
10 NEWS
Reports, data, and developments to keep
you aware of what’s happening with your
colleagues in the gear-manufacturing
industry around the country and world.

Tormach earns prestigious Inc. 5000 Rotary tables with hydrostatic bearings
list recognition. smooth production.

21
In this section, the premier supporter of gear manufacturing in the United American
States and beyond shares news of the organization’s activities, upcoming
educational and training opportunities, technical meetings and seminars, Gear Manufacturers
standards development, and the actions of AGMA councils and committees. Association

MATERIALS TOOTH HOT

26 MATTER 28 TIPS 30 SEAT
MALCOLM MAXEY & LANE WINKELMANN BRIAN DENGEL D. SCOTT MACKENZIE

EXPECTATIONS FOR A CHEMICALLY WHAT IS A BEVEL GEAR? DETERMINING CONCENTRATION

ACCELERATED SUPERFINISHING PROCESS Gearing 101: A primer on BY WEIGHT AND VOLUME
Explaining two different final surface conditions straight tooth bevel gearing. Coolants, cleaners, and polymer quenchants
that can be produced as well as a recent are often mixed in the field using volume
case study where potential surface problems percent. But a lab usually figures
were uncovered and addressed by the proper concentrations by weight percent. Here is the
application of isotropic superfinishing. difference between the methods.

PRODUCT Q&A
62 SHOWCASE 72
New products, trends, services, and
developments in the gear industry.

RESOURCES
70 MARKETPLACE
CHRIS WELLMAN
71 ADVERTISER INDEX
IVAN TORRES
President & Vice President
at Avers Machine
COVER PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Gear Solutions (ISSN 1933 - 7507) is published monthly by Media Solutions, Inc., 266D Yeager Parkway, Pelham, AL 35124. Phone (205) 380-1573 Fax (205) 380-1580 International subscription rates:
$72.00 per year. Periodicals Postage Paid at Pelham AL and at additional mailing offices. Printed in the USA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Gear Solutions magazine, P.O. Box 1210, Pelham, AL
35124. Publications mail agreement No. 41395015 return undeliverable Canadian addresses to P.O. Box 503 RPO West Beaver Creek, Richmond Hill, ON L4B4R6. Copyright ©2006 by Media Solutions, Inc.
All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage-and-retrieval system without
permission in writing from the publisher. The views expressed by those not on the staff on Gear Solutions magazine, or who are not specifically employed by Media Solutions, Inc., are purely their own. All
“Industry News” material has either been submitted by the subject company or pulled directly from their corporate website, which is assumed to be cleared for release. Comments and submissions are welcome,
and can be submitted to [email protected].

4     gearsolutions.com
 THE #1 SOURCE FOR
USED GEAR MACHINERY
At Piselli Enterprises, we not only offer quality gear machinery, but also
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BROKERING EQUIPMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
We help customers sell their surplus machinery We can source the proper technical assistance for
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We take trade-in machines against the purchase of We can help you assess your equipment needs for
our selection of machines and equipment. a particular project, as well as offer competitive
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October 2023     7
 FROM THE
EDITOR David C. Cooper
PUBLISHER

EDITORIAL
M+P Technology Expo is here! Kenneth Carter
EDITOR

C hances are, if you’re reading this, you already may be checking out the many exhibits
at the Motion + Power Technology Expo.
Our crew at Gear Solutions is so excited to be here with you in Detroit, Michigan.
Jennifer Jacobson
ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Joe Crowe
This is arguably one of the biggest tradeshows of the year, and it promises to hold a lot ASSOCIATE EDITOR | SOCIAL MEDIA
of industry expertise and more.
According to AGMA, there will be nine education sessions, 50-plus knowledgeable speak-
ers, 24 hours of product demonstrations, more than 200 exhibiting companies, and 2,500 SALES
attendees. Dave Gomez
The entire power transmission supply chain is all under one roof, and that, of course, VICE PRESIDENT | SALES & MARKETING
includes a lot of gear manufacturing opportunities. Today’s manufacturing world can often
involve more collaborative efforts, so, with the latest demands for efficiency and power
Kendall DeVane
NATIONAL SALES MANAGER
density, the solution for your company is often a choice that combines mechanical, fluid
power, electric, and hybrid technologies. Susan Heinauer
REGIONAL SALES MANAGER
To that end, this issue of Gear Solutions is our M+P Tech Expo show issue, with a range of
industry news and articles to help get you in the mood for Detroit.
Beginning in our Focus section, our cover story from Alexander Mann, Dr.-Ing. Jens CIRCULATION
Brimmers, and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christian Brecher, looks at optimizing the operation behavior
of double helix gears.
Teresa Cooper
MANAGER
Next up, Weiler Abrasives’ Dennis Brown takes you through six tips to optimize through-
put in the continuous generating gear grinding process. Jamie Willett
ASSISTANT
The issue’s final Focus article is from Matthew Wagner, Dr. William D. Mark, and Aaron
Isaacson, where they share their expertise on the implementation of a gear health monitor-
ing system on a power recirculating test rig. DESIGN
Also of interest is our Q&A feature in which Avers Machine’s Chris Wellman and Ivan
Torres discuss how their company recently partnered with Helios Gear Products to install
Rick Frennea
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
a new, automation-equipped Hera 90 CNC gear hobber.
All-in-all, a lot of gear information to keep your appetite whetted as you walk the trade- Michele Hall
show floor. So, enjoy the show and this M+P Tech Expo show issue, and stop by our booth GRAPHIC DESIGNER

(#3026) and introduce yourself. I’d love to shake your hand and talk about how Gear Solutions
can help you share your message. CONTRIBUTING
And, as always, thanks for reading! WRITERS
DENNIS BROWN
JENS BRIMMERS ALEXANDER MANN
CHRISTIAN BRECHER WILLIAM D. MARK
BRIAN DENGEL MALCOLM MAXEY
AARON ISAACSON MATTHEW WAGNER
D. SCOTT MACKENZIE LANE WINKELMANN
KENNETH CARTER, editor
[email protected]
(800) 366-2185 x204

CALL FOR ARTICLES Have a technical paper or other work with an PUBLISHED BY MEDIA SOLUTIONS, INC.
educational angle? Let Gear Solutions publish it. Contact the editor, P. O. Box 1987 • Pelham, AL 35124
(800) 366-2185 • (205) 380-1580 fax
Kenneth Carter, at [email protected] for how you can share
your expertise with our readers. David C. Cooper Teresa Cooper
PRESIDENT OPERATIONS

8     gearsolutions.com
BE A PART OF THE SWARM
Experience the Value of ARGUS eyes on the grinding
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Elevate your organization with Reishauer gear grinding

excellence

Visit the Reishauer Booth # 2622 at

Motion + Power Technology Expo Oct 17–19, 2023

The future is here

[email protected]

Visit us at Booth 2622

 INDUSTRY
NEWS NEW TRENDS, SERVICES & DEVELOPMENTS

Tormach’s commitment to fostering growth,

not only within the company but also in the
communities it serves. Tormach remains
dedicated to creating jobs, fostering talent,
and contributing to the advancement of
manufacturing technology.
“We believe that our success is tied to the
success of our customers and the broader
manufacturing ecosystem,” said Daniel
Rogge. “As we celebrate this milestone, we
remain steadfast in our mission to empower
individuals, schools, and businesses with
the machining tools they need to shape the
future.”

MORE INFO www.tormach.com

Rotary tables with

U.S.-based CNC machine and industrial robot manufacturer, Tormach, honored among America’s fastest- hydrostatic bearings
growing private companies in 2023. (Courtesy: Tormach)
smooth production
Tormach earns
testament to the hard work and dedication of Included in the product portfolio of
our team, who have continually pushed the Hyprostatik Schönfeld, a global technology
prestigious Inc. 5000 boundaries of innovation to deliver afford-
able and accessible CNC machine and robot
leader in the field of hydrostatic systems, are
rotary tables. These are used for precision
list recognition technology to schools, hobbyists, researchers, machining on lathes, milling, and grinding
small businesses, and industry partners.” machines, and on measuring machines.
Tormach ®, a leading innovator in CNC Tormach’s journey to the Inc. 5000 list Thanks to the hydrostatic mounting of
machine manufacturing, announced its has been marked by a series of milestones in the rotary tables from Hyprostatik Schönfeld,
inclusion in the esteemed Inc. 5000 list for recent years, including successful launches production becomes smoother and more pre-
2023. This achievement showcases Tormach’s such as PathPilot® Hub, Tormach’s cloud- cise, thus improving product quality and sav-
dedication to excellence, innovation, and sus- based version of its free control software, ing time and money. In addition, the rotary
tained growth in the ever-evolving manufac- the 1100MX CNC Mill and the ZA6 industrial tables are wear-free, which results in greater
turing industry. robot. With a focus on empowering machin- availability and hence improved productivity.
The Inc. 5000 list, published annually by ists, researchers, educators, and small manu- Many users are now opting for hydrostatic
Inc. Magazine, ranks the fastest-growing pri- facturers, Tormach has consistently provided rotary tables rather than rolling bearings.
vately held companies in the United States. accessible and affordable solutions that drive Unlike designs based on rolling bearings,
Tormach’s inclusion in the prestigious list creativity, efficiency, and productivity. they are wear-free and therefore particularly
reaffirms its position as a market leader, “Our inclusion in the Inc. 5000 list reflects low-maintenance. At the same time, the per-
demonstrating its commitment to providing not only our company’s financial growth but formance characteristics remain constant
cutting-edge CNC machining solutions and also the strategic business decisions we’ve regardless of the duration of use.
exceptional customer service. made to drive our expansion including the Data illustrates the benefit of hydrostatic
“We are honored to be recognized by recent acquisition of Insofos, a manufactur- rotary tables. For example, the concentricity
Inc. Magazine and to join the ranks of the ing, engineering services and consulting and axial runout error for a model with a
nation’s most successful and dynamic com- firm based in Mexico,” said Darcy Johnson, diameter of 1,200 millimeters is only < 0.3
panies,” said Daniel Rogge, chief executive chief financial officer of Tormach. µm. The runout errors for hydrostatic rotary
officer of Tormach. “This achievement is a Inclusion in the Inc. 5000 list underscores tables are only about 10 percent of those with

SEND US YOUR NEWS Companies wishing to submit materials for inclusion in Industry News should contact the editor,
Kenneth Carter, at [email protected]. Releases accompanied by color images will be given first consideration.

10     gearsolutions.com
 guarantee a minimum stress reserve of up to  Very stiff vis-a-vis radial, axial and
200 percent. Likewise, the technology of the moment loads.
hydrostatic bearings is optimized in order to  Can withstand high radial and axial
achieve the best possible vibration damping. stresses and also moments.
Compared with solutions that use capil-  Low heat transfer thanks to oil re-cool-
laries, the bearings and rotary tables from ing, even at top speeds.
Hyprostatik Schönfeld can also unreservedly  Exceptionally high speeds possible.
be subjected to stress, even at high speeds,  Wide variety of sizes, designs, speeds
without the stress having to be limited. and load-bearing capacities as desired by
The Hyprostatik Schönfeld rotary tables the customer.
feature:  For swiveling axes with clamping.
 Concentricity / axial runout less than 0.1  With adapted hydro unit.
to 0.25 µm.
A hydrostatic rotary table in use, Ø 600 mm, 120 rpm.
(Courtesy: Hyprostatik Schönfeld)
 No wear, optimum damping. MORE INFO www.hyprostatik.de

rolling-bearing-mounted models.
Hydrostatic rotary tables are also reliable EV Gears
when it comes to damping. Their damping
is several orders of magnitude higher than
that achieved by roller bearing-mounted

Catch Lightning
rotary tables. By this means, machine vibra-
tions are reduced, as are workpiece shape
defects. The tool life is extended, and cutting

in a Bottle
performance at the upper limits noticeably
increased.
Hydrostatically mounted rotary tables
prove extremely thermally stable at higher
speeds. The frictional heat is generated in
the oil, which is immediately transported The rise of electric vehicles is
out of the bearing, cooled externally, and coming sooner, and faster, than
then returned to the bearing at a few degrees most thought possible. Some
Celsius below ambient temperature. The gear producers see storm clouds
result is a virtually cold bearing with mini- on the horizon. At Southern
mum heat generation. With rolling-element Gear, producing custom
bearings, by contrast, a lot of heat is gener- precision gears that run quieter,
ated at high speeds, heat which can only be last longer and operate more
removed from the bearing with great diffi- efficiently is what we do.
culty. This means that the thermal stability
is poor. Need EV gear innovation?
T he hyd r ost at ic element s f r om We’ll bring more energy, and
Hyprostatik Schönfeld work with a PM experience, to your project.
f low controller instead of with capillar-
ies. Consequently, greater axial and radial
stiffness, and also high moment stiffness,
is achieved. This stiffness is obtained even
with small bearing diameters; this enables
There’s a Better Way.
higher speeds. Over and above this, the PM
controller permits the use of low-viscosity
oils, resulting in higher speeds or lower
pump powers and less friction.
Hydrostatic rotary tables ought to be
optimally designed to withstand both stat-
ic and dynamic stresses. For this purpose,
Hyprostatik Schönfeld offers specialized
calculation programs for hydrostatic guides
and for radial and axial bearings. These
Fine, Medium, Coarse Pitch | Spur, Helical | 800.248.5152
programs make it possible to define impor-
Shafts, Sprockets, Worms | Straight Bevel southerngear.com
tant parameters such as pocket dimensions,
gap widths, and pump pressure in order to
achieve the required values for radial, axial HUBzone | Veteran Owned | ISO 9001 | AS9100D | ITAR Compliant
and moment stiffness and, additionally, to

October 2023     11
INDUSTRY
NEWS

Ceratizit hires technical ting what I know to work for others is when I
am at my best,” Smith said. “Helping improve
neers in Cleveland for the most efficient and
productive solution.”
sales engineer for productivity is an investment in my territo- A key initiative for the company is contin-

upper Midwest ries’ companies, people, and communities

and I am proud to be part of that investment.”
ued relationship building, not only with cus-
tomers but also dis-
Ceratizit has welcomed Steve Smith to the An Army veteran, Smith also volunteered tributors. Currently,
company as a technical sales engineer. With as a Special Olympics coach in several sports. several are in place
42 years of industry experience, Smith serves with growth in the
the company’s customers in North Dakota MORE INFO www.ceratizit.com channel to the mar-
and Minnesota. ket as an objective.
Smith specializ- The mix of person-
es in short-hole and Jergens names business nel, training, and
deep-hole drilling, technical compe-
turning, milling, development manager tence is critical to Miguel Carreon
and advanced tool
materials, includ-
for Mexico meeting customer
demands for productivity and quality.
ing ceramic, cubic Jergens Inc. has appointed Miguel Carreon “Miguel’s experience in industry and engi-
boron nitride (CBN), as its product and business development neering capabilities made him a perfect match
Steve Smith a nd p olyc r y st a l - manager for Mexico. In his role, Carreon is for our needs in this growing market,” said
line diamond (PCD). responsible for sales and related activities for Scott Halfhill, Jergens international product
Along with studies in machining and plastic all three product lines throughout Mexico’s and business manager. “We’re confident that
injection mold making, he attended Anoka 32 states. his leadership style will resonate with team
Technical College and has completed a vari- “I am very enthusiastic about increasing members and customers, helping Jergens to
ety of factory training programs. Further, our (Jergens) installations with customers to further grow in sales and reputation.”
Smith’s professional leadership is anchored solve their challenges,” Carreon said. “To get Before joining Jergens in October 2022,
by Kaizen lean strategies that empower pro- the best results, we conduct studies — includ- Carreon worked in business development,
duction teams to excel. ing machining, tooling, and components — and most recently for Grupo Impulso. He has
“Our industry continues to evolve and put- working closely with Jergens’ team of engi- a professional degree in mechanical electri-

REV broaching tools for

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12     gearsolutions.com
Platinum Tooling AD8222 Color 1/4 pg GS 2023
cal engineering from Universidad Autónoma Evans, Ph.D., STLE’s immediate past presi- during the past 27 years,” said Salek. “This
de San Luis Potosí (UASLP). dent and chair of the search committee (The transition comes at a time of unique oppor-
Timken Co.). “Our society is excited to work tunity for the tribology and lubrication engi-
MORE INFO www.jergensinc.com with Rebecca as she transitions to leading neering field. And Rebecca, working with our
our 2023-2026 strategic plan objectives as leadership team and staff, will enable STLE
executive director. Rebecca brings proven to make the most of those opportunities in
STLE announces leadership, management, educational, and the years ahead.”
professional development experience and Lintow joined STLE’s staff in October
leadership succession an expansive professional network to this 2021 as director of professional development.
plan for executive team role. These qualities will be instrumental to
the success of STLE as our field is poised to
She obtained her B.S. in management from
Benedictine University and has more than
The Society of Tribologists and Lubrication make major contributions to sustainability 15 years of experience working with non-
Engineers (STLE) — the technical society serv- and energy efficiency.” profit organizations in various management
ing individuals, companies and organizations Salek joined STLE in September 1996 roles. Lintow previously worked for the AED
that comprise the tribology and lubrication and has been the organization’s executive Foundation as director of sales and devel-
engineering business sector — announced director since May 1997. During his tenure, opment and the Mechanical Contractors
that Edward P. Salek, CAE, STLE executive he directed the development and implemen- Association of Chicago as senior director of
director, is retiring effective January 2, 2024, tation of an evergreen strategic planning engagement.
after serving the organization for the last 27 process that has sustained membership and Lintow’s primary responsibility as STLE
years. Rebecca Lintow, CAE, current STLE provided the STLE community with new director of professional development was
director of professional development, will suc- programs and services. As executive direc- directing members and volunteer commit-
ceed Salek. Effective October 1, 2023, Lintow tor, Salek also represented STLE and the tees in the development and execution of con-
became the new STLE executive director and tribology and lubrication field by frequently tinuing technical education programs. She
Salek’s title will be transitioned to outgoing attending meetings with local affiliates, was also responsible for STLE membership,
executive director. related associations, corporate members, section relations and certification programs.
“Today, STLE is stronger than ever due to and publishers. “I’m pleased to have been selected to
Ed’s steady-handed leadership, publication “STLE is a remarkable organization, and serve as STLE’s next executive director,” said
expertise, and strategic vision,” said Ryan I am proud of what we have accomplished Lintow. “It’s an honor to follow Ed in this role

KISSsoft AG/Gleason Sales

Brian P. Stringer
Phone +1 585 370 4339

GET CUSTOM-MANUFACTURED [email protected]

GEAR RACKS
& GEARS
American and Metric Standards
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INNOVATIVE RACK & GEAR
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October 2023     13

GearSol_KISSsoft_Release2023_92_25x123_83mm.indd 1 09.03.2023 16:15:09

INDUSTRY
NEWS

and continue the organization’s mission of

‘perfecting motion.’ I look forward to working
closely with STLE’s staff, leadership team and
volunteers to continue the society’s 80-year
legacy of fulfilling its ‘connect, learn, achieve’
value proposition.”

MORE INFO www.stle.org

Two new Walter Walter Tiger·Tec® Gold WKP01G and WPP05G turning grades are for high-performance cutting. (Courtesy:
turning grades redefine Walter Tools)

cutting speed to significantly reduce friction and improve

toughness. A sharp cutting edge with thin-
erty of the highly aligned crystals, which do
not detach from the substrate like a conven-
Walter unveils its new Tiger·Tec ® Gold ner CVD coating provides precise chip break- tional TiCN coating to offer more wear resis-
WKP01G and WPP05G grades that are tailored ing for finishing operations. tance. The coating increases toughness and
for maximum performance when turning The WPP05G grade is for medium and resistance to the flank face. In addition, the
high alloy-high tensile strength steels. The rough turning of steels at the maximum cut- coating on the WPP05G grade has a highly
innovative turning inserts reduce machining ting speed. The substrate is made of a carbide textured aluminum oxide (Al2O3) coating to
time from 20 percent to 30 percent. with the highest hot hardness, making the minimize crater wear. On average, the coat-
Walter specially developed the WKP01G insert suitable for both dry and wet machin- ing increases tool life by up to 50 percent.
for finishing high tensile steel and cast iron ing, and highest crater as well as flank wear Both WKP01G and WPP05G grades are
(ISO P01 and K01 workpiece groups) at the resistance. ideal for continuous cutting and occasional
highest cutting speed. A very hard substrate Both grades feature the Tiger·Tec Gold interrupted cuts in high tensile materials
provides the highest flank wear resistance, coating technology. The multiple-layer medi- (approx. 280-410 HB or 130-200 ksi). Ideal
while the multiple-stage post-treatment pro- um-temperature titanium carbo-nitride applications include large-scale produc-
cess produces an extremely smooth rake face (MT-TiCN) coating improves the elastic prop- tion of components for the automotive and

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ModulTherm 3.0
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• Multi-functional vacuum heat
treatment for mass production

www.ald-vt.com
GET IN CONTACT:
[email protected]

14     gearsolutions.com
energy industries, such as gearboxes, gears,
and rotor hubs, as well as forged shafts for
general mechanical engineering and wheel
sets for the rail industry.
Walter offers the new Tiger·Tec Gold
WKP01G and WPP05G grades in around 130
inserts with 11 different geometries.
Walter, a global leader in the metalwork- Fixtureworks offers a lineup of both manual and pneumatic shaft locking clamps. (Courtesy: Fixtureworks)
ing industry for more than 100 years, offers
a wide range of precision tools for milling, ing, and air-pressure unclamping prevents any operating air pressure of 43-100 psi and can
turning, drilling and threading applications. decrease of shaft-locking force any operator handle shaft diameters from 10-30 mm.
can do uniform clamping. They work under In addition to shaft locking clamps,
MORE INFO www.walter-tools.com/us

Fixtureworks offers
adjustment-friendly shaft
locking clamps
Fixtureworks® (Fraser, Michigan) a leading
North American manufacturer and supplier
of clamps, fixturing accessories, machine
tool components, and rollers and bumpers,
now offers a lineup of both manual and pneu-
matic shaft locking clamps.
Shaft locking clamps are designed to
positively lock a shaft and/or spindle quickly
without the use of tools. They are ideal for
applications where frequent disassembly
and changeover are needed. The clamps can
be used in smaller spaces than conventional
shaft collars, offering much better workability
as there is no need to tighten levers or screws.
The variety of manual shaft locking
clamps comes in two versions — a plastic
body with steel or plastic knob for locking,
and a zinc body with vertical handle for lock-
ing. In the first version, the knob is turned
to lock in the shaft. In the other version, a
simple vertical handle motion is used. The
handle is moved down for clamping. For
releasing, the handle is moved up. Set screws
and adjustable handles are not needed in
either version. Manual shaft locking clamps
are used for shaft diameters from 8 to 20 mm
and holding torque of 1.4 to 4.7 ft.lb.
Pneumatic shaft-locking clamps are
designed for quick change applications. In
the pneumatic version, when connected to
air, the clamp allows clamping/unclamping
in one operation. They are perfect for secure
clamping of sliding shafts and for use on
machines where many clamping or unclamp-
ing cycles are run, or for multi-clamping
applications. With air supply, remote opera-
tion is also possible at places out of reach, or
hidden places like the backside of machines,
and for maintenance or machine appearance.
The mechanism of spring-pressure clamp-

October 2023     15
INDUSTRY
NEWS

Fixtureworks offers heavy-duty knob lock- bution. The appointment comes amidst the said Schwartz. “With the company’s strong
ing pins, mechanical linear actuators, form company’s strategic moves for further devel- reputation stateside, we will leverage that to
holding clamps, quick change pneumatic oping international business. continue to grow and support fastener, lift-
clamping fasteners, quick action sliding “As we have been looking to increase our ing, and workholding customers in Canada.”
locks, spring plunger clamps, handle and presence and support our growing customer Prior to joining Jergens, Schwartz was the
levers, knobs and grips, equipment handles, base in Canada, we needed a top-level expe- North American vice president of sales and
hand wheels and cranks, hinges and latches, rienced manager, and Barry is a great fit,” marketing for Sowa Tool and Machine. He
leveling supports, industrial rubber bumpers, said Matt Schron, studied business at York University.
stops and wheels, fixture clamps, clamping Jergens vice presi-
locating systems, work positioning elements, dent and general MORE INFO www.jergensinc.com
vises, and grippers. manager. “With a
career-long desire
MORE INFO www.fixtureworks.com to learn and be Ceratizit acquires
hands-on, he comes
to Jergens with a ton Xceliron Corp., expert
Jergens Inc. appoints of experience, high
in solid carbide tools
energ y, and that
business development unique combination
Barry Schwartz
Ceratizit S.A., part of the Plansee Group, has
manager for Canada of people skills and technical understanding.”
Schwartz’ responsibilities include team
acquired all shares of Xceliron Corp. The
Chatsworth, California-based round tool
Jergens Inc. announced that Barry Schwartz management, customer support, and overall manufacturer is focused on providing spe-
will take on business development for the sales and marketing initiatives. Leveraging cial solid carbide tools for aerospace and auto-
Canadian market to further support cus- his years in industry, he will continue devel- motive industries in the United States.
tomers and channel partners throughout oping his many relationships with manu- “With its high-quality specialty products,
the country. Schwartz joined Jergens in June facturers, distributors, and representatives. the Xceliron portfolio is an ideal comple-
and has 40 years of metalworking experience Schwartz will oversee all of Canada, includ- ment to the standard products from our
including consulting, sales and marketing ing increasing support to Western provinces. Sacramento site and an important building
management, and broad product line distri- “Jergens has a great team in place here,” block for our global growth strategy,” said

Innovative
Grinding
& Cutting
Fluids to get
your production
into
gear

(847) 531-8501
www.oelheld.com
[email protected]

16     gearsolutions.com
Mirko Merlo, president Americas at Ceratizit. tegically expanded its portfolio by incorpo- confidential.
Xceliron’s strong foothold in the aero- rating Bridgeport Machine Tool Company. This strategic move to acquire Bridgeport
space industry not only provides Ceratizit Bridgeport is renowned for vertical milling enhances the InCompass global presence
with a launch pad to tap into new customer machinery, providing customers with flex- and bolsters its manufacturing capabilities,
groups, the company’s expertise in the field ibility, speed, quality, and value. enabling the company to provide comprehen-
of special tools also opens new opportuni- “The inclusion of Bridgeport aligns seam- sive solutions to a diverse range of customers,
ties to offer Ceratizit customers in North lessly with our vision for growth,” said including job shops, OEMs and any other end-
America an even more comprehensive range InCompass chairman Tom McDonough. user looking to maximize productivity. “At
of tooling solutions in the future. “Bridgeport offers outstanding vertical mill- InCompass, our paramount objective is to
The forthcoming integration process ing solutions, opening up new avenues for continually expand our array of solutions to
will be actively supported by the company’s us to cater to our valued customers.” The support our clients’ growth,” said CEO Micah
founders. financial terms of the transaction remain Coleman. “The integration of Bridgeport
“We are very pleased that Randy Jones
and Ric DiOrio will continue in the success-
ful management of Xceliron and act as co-
managing directors,” said Ceratizit executive
board spokesman Andreas Lackner on the
closing of the transaction.
“We are thrilled to have found the right
partner in Ceratizit to take Xceliron to the
next level and build on our heritage. Long-
term thinking and creativity are two of the
values that have also been at the core of our
business over the past thirty-three years,”
Ric DiOrio and Randy Jones said in a joint
statement.
Xceliron’s reputation for excellence in the
aerospace sector where the upmost precision
and reliability is required perfectly comple-
ments Ceratizit’s commitment to quality and
innovation. This strategic synergy positions
Ceratizit to be an industry leader in provid-
ing aerospace-grade tooling solutions.
“This acquisition strategically positions
us to better serve our customers with an
expanded range of custom tooling solutions,
specifically tailored to meet the demanding
requirements of the aerospace industry. We
are eager to leverage Xceliron’s expertise and
reputation for precision to drive innovation
and excellence in round tools,” Merlo said.
Both sides have agreed not to disclose the
financial details of the transaction.

MORE INFO www.ceratizit.com

InCompass expands
portfolio with Bridgeport
acquisition
InCompass™, a platform company of TJM
Capital Partners, has reached a defini-
tive agreement to acquire another promi-
nent player in the machine tool industry,
Bridgeport Machine Tool Company.
As a prominent manufacturer with a
portfolio of world-class brands in the indus-
trial machinery sector, InCompass has stra-

October 2023     17
INDUSTRY
NEWS

technology brings us closer to becoming the

preferred partner for complete manufactur-
Bridgeport Machine Tool Company is a
leader in machine tool solutions for the glob-
Jorgensen announces
ing solutions.” al manufacturing community. Specializing John Powalisz as
new director of sales
With locations throughout the world, in vertical milling equipment, the company
InCompass provides customers with the possesses the ability to take on the most
time-saving solutions and industry leading challenging manufacturing applications. Jorgensen Conveyor and Filtration Solutions
expertise they need to grow their business Bridgeport offers a comprehensive range of has named John Powalisz as its new direc-
by bringing together industrial manufac- services, including repair parts, field service, tor of sales. Powalisz takes over for the com-
turers offering innovative products and sys- retrofit, and rebuild. pany’s former director of sales and market-
tems. InCompass is comprised of 5 divisions: ing, Karl Kleppek, who was promoted to the
wood processing, metal abrasive finishing, MORE INFO www.manufacturedgrowth position of company president and COO in
machine tools, coatings, and automation. solutions.com November 2022.
With a career devoted exclusively to indus-
trial sales and sales management, Powalisz
has served manufacturing clients in more
than 40 countries providing solutions to a
number of A-list companies, including, Ford,
General Motors, and Tesla.
Powalisz has been a student of the sales
process throughout his career and sees the
position as an oppor-

A PERFECT MESH
tunity to learn and
serve customers and
prospective clients
American ingenuity, service and support teamed while building long-
with Japanese efficiency, quality and technology. term relationships.
“I enjoy learning
about customers,
their manufacturing
processes, and their
100+ Years of Manufacturing Gear Hobbing Machines John Powalisz
problems, and then
8 Models of Machines from 50 to 1000mm finding ways to solve those challenges with
equipment and solutions,” Powalisz said. He
specializes in working with inside and outside
sales teams as well as independent representa-
tives and distributors to help customers find
the most efficient and cost-effective methods
to serve their markets and customers.
Powalisz has a broad and diverse back-
KN 152 CNC ground in industrial sales. Before joining
GEAR HOBBER
KPS 201 GEAR
SKIVING MACHINE
Jorgensen, he sold capital equipment solu-
tions for the heat treatment and manufactur-
ing industries, sampling equipment and sys-
tems for thermal power plants and oil & gas.
70+ Years of Manufacturing Gear
He holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering
Inspection Machines
from the Milwaukee School of Engineering
Machine Models to 850 OD Capacity with continuing education certificates from
the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and
other programs.

MORE INFO www.jorgensenconveyors.com

CLP-35DDSF
GEAR TESTER

Starrett names new

North America strategic
GTR 25 DOUBLE
FLANK GEAR ROLLER

Phone: 586-329-3755 \ Fax: 586-329-3965 accounts manager

[email protected] \ www.involutegearmachine.com The L.S. Starrett Company, a leading glob-
al manufacturer of precision measuring

18     gearsolutions.com
tools and gages, metrology systems, saw said Brad Lawton, Star Cutter Company while delivering great accuracy and repeti-
blades, power tool accessories, and more, chairman and CEO. “It expands our technol- tive results. Tru Tech’s Perimetric™ grinding
has recently appointed Seth Downing as ogy offering to address earlier operations in technology and CNC Pick-N-Place™ software
its new strategic accounts manager North the tool grinding process. New capability in enable these machines to achieve extremely
America, industrial products. The role was blank preparation and cylindrical grinding, high accuracy suited for high precision and
previously held by Michael Connor who was as well as Tru Tech’s large install base, will micro components in the medical, aerospace,
recently promoted create synergies with Star Cutter Company’s electronics, and other industries. These sys-
to sales and market- existing business units. This is a true win- tems are also capable of handling diverse
ing director North win that benefits both our company and, needs from one-piece, small lot runs through
America, Starrett most importantly, our customers.” lights-out production.
industrial products. A key differentiator of the Tru Tech sys-
“ We a r e ve r y tems is their ease of use and ultrafast set-up MORE INFO www.star-su.com
pleased to welcome
Seth to Starrett,”
said Connor. “He

POWER UP
Seth Downing brings successful
industry sales and
marketing experience to his new role, along
with proven results when managing and
growing large industrial national accounts
such as MSC, Grainger, and Fastenal.”
Downing has more than 10 years of experi-
ence in tool manufacturing focusing on the
industrial, retail, and automotive channels.
YOUR GEAR PRODUCTION
His background spans roles such as industrial
national account manager and channel mar-
keting manager, and includes experience in
business development and sales management.
Downing has a bachelor’s degree in busi-
ness administration from the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln. He resides in Tennessee
and will be based out of the company’s head-
quarters in Athol, Massachusetts.
Founded in 1880 and headquartered
in Athol, Massachusetts, The L.S. Starrett
Company is a leading global manufacturer
of precision measuring tools and gages, opti- WE EXCEL at high-speed, high accuracy
cal comparators and vision systems and force continuous generating grinding of cylindrical
and hardness testing solutions. gears for turbine and turbo applications:

MORE INFO www.starrett.com • Gears as large as 1200 mm in diameter

and module 12 – even beveloids.

Star Cutter expands • With technology and software to

grind tip and root relief and other
grinding business with modifications without special dressing

Tru Tech acquisition diamonds.

• Offering our EXCEL-LENT design

Star Cutter Company has acquired Tru Tech
software to help you optimize your
CNC grinding systems from Resonetics
cylindrical and bevel gear designs.
(Nashua, New Hampshire), assuming all
design and manufacturing of the Tru Tech
high-precision CNC grinding machines cur-
rently performed at the Michigan facilities
in Mt. Clemens and Lewiston. Additionally, Ready to Excel?
Star Cutter secures the service, training, and Contact:
spare parts support for Tru Techs’ vast instal-
lation base across North America and Europe.
“Tru Tech is a strategic purchase that per- 815.623.3414 / www.excelgear.com
fectly complements our existing business,”

October 2023     19
20     gearsolutions.com
 American Matthew
Jenny
AGMA
Blackford
E. Croson
Vice President
President
of
Gear Manufacturers Communications
AGMA
Association

Welcome to M+P Tech Expo and beyond

M
any businesses consider October the end of their year what you are looking for, and let us connect you with the people and
(at least fiscally). At the American Gear Manufacturers businesses that you need to meet. We want your feedback; we want
Association (AGMA), we see this as the month of oppor- to share what is available to you, and we cannot wait to help you.
tunity. It is exciting to think that at this show, you might
find that one solution to the issues that were keeping you up at night. HELP THE FUTURE OF GEARING BY EATING COOKIES
You might meet engineers, product developers, manufacturers, sales- The AGMA Foundation has a unique way of raising money at the
people, and leaders who will give you insight that will help bring your show for its scholarship program. On Wednesday, October 18, visit
business to the next level. While you are at MPT Expo and taking booth no. 2732 from 2-3 p.m. for fresh cookies made right in front
meetings around the Detroit area, catching up with industry peers, of you. This delicious treat will be available for people to purchase
or seeing the latest innovations on the show floor, I have a couple of through a donation to the Foundation. Not only does the Foundation
suggestions for you to make the most out of your time: use donations to help those in school at the technical/associate,

ATTEND EVERY EVENT AVAILABLE

You have already paid the travel and hotel
to be at MPT Expo, so make sure to get your
money’s worth. Every function is designed
to connect industry leaders and innovators
with customers.
Watching the presenters at the Solutions
Center is an incredible way to hear from sub-
ject matter experts on their latest products or
processes. The daily education classes, taught
by the best in gearing, are the perfect way to
help develop some of your employees’ skill-
sets while saving time and money through-
out the year. The evening networking events
are curated to host all parts of the industry
to allow you to meet new business partners
while enjoying a less formal atmosphere. The
EV Town Hall is the first event ever to gather
such a large group of power transmission
professionals to talk about standards devel-
opment in electric vehicles — you cannot
miss history. AGMA’s Motion+Power Technology Expo is the great gathering place of engineers, product developers,
manufacturers, salespeople, and leaders in the gear manufacturing industry.
All this to say that if there is a way to join
in, please do — if there is one thing I know,
our industry is inclusive and looking forward to meeting you. undergraduate, or graduate levels through the scholarship program,
but it funds many of the programs that AGMA has, including opera-
STOP BY AGMA’S BOOTH NO. 3132 tor-level courses, many of the popular gearing education classes, the
AGMA is the owner of MPT Expo. This association is led by our 17-per- workforce training series, webinars, and so much more. Make sure
son board of directors, a team of 24 people, more than 400 volun- to stop by and see how you can help develop the future workforce
teers, three publications, a training center outside of Chicago, and in our industry.
two offices. We exist solely to help those in the power transmission We are fully aware of the commitment — financial and workforce
industry with standards, education, emerging technology, network- — that it takes to exhibit or attend MPT Expo. We appreciate you for
ing, sales leads, business intelligence, and so much more. We know being here. If there is anything that myself or the AGMA team can
a lot of people. Our members have been coming to this show and to do to make this a memorable experience, please don’t hesitate to ask.
other AGMA events for decades. Please come by our booth; tell us Together, we drive power transmission innovation.

October 2023     21
Upcoming Events

How to Read and Interpret a Gear Inspection Report Loaded Tooth Contact Analysis
November 2, 2023 I Online November 9, 2023 I Online
This half-day online seminar is intended to provide you with a thor- Evaluation of loaded tooth contact and development of tooth modi-
ough understanding of the information contained within a typical fications using commercially available software to improve Khb and
gear inspection report. Specifically, we will look at the contents and optimize power density. Two real-life gearing examples will be pre-
meaning of the information contained within the gear charts, as well sented in the course: One will have a cantilever mounted pinion, the
as the techniques used by the gear measurement system to assess other a shaft pinion straddled non-symmetrically by bearings. Both
gear quality. An explanation of basic gear measurement techniques, examples demonstrate component deflections under load, which
how measurement equipment and test machines implement these significantly reduce tooth mesh contact that is then corrected with
techniques, and how to interpret the results from these basic mea- developed helix and profile modifications. Other gear performance
surements will be covered. We will also discuss how to interpret the optimization tools will also be briefly discussed: profile shift, isotro-
results and what corrective actions may be considered if the quality pic finishing, shot peening, accuracy, and material selection.
of a particular gear is unsatisfactory.

American
Gear Manufacturers
Association
22     gearsolutions.com
 Gear Systems Design for Minimum Noise
December 5-7, 2023 I San Diego, California
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. Gear
noise, per se, is seldom heard by an observer. The mechanism by
which observer-noticed noise is generated and transmitted will be
defined, described, and discussed. Before attempting to solve a noise
problem with an existing unit or beginning the design of a new
unit, the nature of the noise must be defined. Both experimental
and analytical methods will be covered, with particular emphasis
on application rather than theory. The many factors that influence
the noise produced by a gear system will be discussed. The rela-

Gear Failure Analysis

November 14-16, 2023 I Chicago, Illinois
Explore gear failure analysis in this hands-on seminar where students
not only see slides of failed gears but can hold and examine more than
130 specimens with the same failure modes covered in the seminar.
Approximately half of the course time consists of students in groups
identifying failure modes on failed gears and working on a case study.
Microscopes are available to examine failed specimens.

tive effects of each factor will be studied qualitatively. Factors to

be considered include gear-tooth geometry and accuracy, speed,
materials, housing design, bearing type, gear type, air entrapment,
root clearance, interference alignment, surface finish, and phasing.
Although, ideally, the designer should solve noise problems on the
drawing board, in the real world this sometimes does not occur.
Various techniques that can reduce the noise level of existing gear
systems without requiring major hardware replacement will be pre-
sented and discussed. Included in the discussion will be enclosures,
absorbers, dissipative dampers, isolators (gearbox and gear blank),
and impulse phasing.

Fundamentals of Worm and Crossed Axis Helical Gearing

December 5-7, 2023 I San Diego, California AGMA Foundation
This course is intended to be both an overview of worm and wheel There is still time to give to the AGMA Foundation. The Foundation
gearing, as well as an introduction to the application, design consid- Scholarship Program was created to fill the need for skilled employ-
erations, practical development techniques for manufacturing, and ees in the gear industry. Scholarships are awarded to outstanding
finally how best to apply worm and wheel technology. We will cover full-time and part-time students at three levels: associate/technical,
some design development, lubrication considerations, and failure undergraduate and graduate. With your financial gift, you can make
modes and causes. an impact on students by advancing education.

AGMA has over 1,000 Twitter followers! Join the conversation @agma

1001 N. Fairfax Street | Suite 500 | Alexandria, VA 22314 | (703) 684-0211 | www.agma.org
October 2023     23
 2024 AGMA EDUCATION CALENDAR
Whether you’re looking for technical education, networking opportunities, or a way for your voice to be heard
in the standards process, AGMA has something to offer you. If you would like more information on any of the
following events, visit www.agma.org or send an email to [email protected].

JANUARY 17–18 MARCH 14–16 MAY 16 JULY 30–AUGUST 1 SEPTEMBER 10

Involute Spline Design AGMA/ABMA Annual Analytical Gear Chart Bevel Gear Systems Design Design Basics for Spur
& Rating Meeting Interpretation ROSEMONT, ILLINOIS & Helical Gears
ONLINE NAPA, CALIFORNIA ONLINE ONLINE
AUGUST 6–8
JANUARY 23 APRIL 8–12 MAY 21–23 Gear Heat Treatment SEPTEMBER 16–20
Analytical Gear Chart Basic Training For Gear Gear Failure Analysis Operations Basic Training for Gear
Interpretation Manufacturing CHICAGO, ILLINOIS CLEVELAND, OHIO Manufacturing
ONLINE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
JUNE 4–6 AUGUST 12–13
JANUARY 30–FEBRUARY 8 APRIL 16–19 Gearbox Systems Design Operator Hobbing OCTOBER 7–9
Gear Materials Detailed Gear Design CLEARWATER BEACH, FLORIDA & Shaper Cutting Fall Technical Meeting
ONLINE ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA CHICAGO, ILLINOIS CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
JUNE 13
FEBRUARY 13 APRIL 23–25 Loaded Tooth Contact AUGUST 14–15 OCTOBER 16–17
Design Basics for Spur EV – Gears & Bearings 3 Analysis Basic Gear Inspection Condition Monitoring
& Helical Gear DETROIT, MICHIGAN ONLINE for Operators ONLINE
ONLINE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
APRIL 24 JUNE 17–18 OCTOBER 22–24
FEBRUARY 19–20 3D Printing Tour @Rapid Involute Spline Design AUGUST 14–15 Gear Failure Analysis
EV – Gears & Bearings 1 ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA & Rating Reverse Engineering CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
DALLAS, TEXAS ONLINE ONLINE
APRIL 23–24 NOVEMBER 12–21
FEBRUARY 21–22 Integrations & Trade–Offs JUNE 25–27 AUGUST 20 Gear Systems Design
EV – Gears & Bearings 2 in Gear & Bearing Systems Fundamentals of Gear How to Read & Interpret for Minimum Noise
DALLAS, TEXAS DETROIT, MICHIGAN Design & Analysis a Gear Inspection Report ONLINE
ROSEMONT, ILLINOIS ONLINE
FEBRUARY 27–MARCH 7 MAY 7–9 DECEMBER 3
Gearbox CSI Gear Manufacturing JULY 24–25 How to Read & Interpret
ONLINE & Inspection Operator Precision a Gear Inspection Report
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA Gear Grinding ONLINE
ONLINE

AGMA LEADERSHIP

Michael Cinquemani: Chairperson Craig Burriss: Industrial Gear Group

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Master Power Transmission

Brian Coclich: CGI, Inc.
Sara Zimmerman: Treasurer
Sumitomo Machinery Corporation of America William Galdo: FLENDER Corporation
Michael McKernin: Chairperson, BMEC
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Milans Machining and Gear Manufacturing

Adam Gimpert: Helios Gear Products
Todd Praneis: Chairperson, TDEC Joe Goral: Bourn & Koch, Inc.
Cotta Transmission Company, LLC
Wayne Hanna: Brad Foote Gear Works, Inc.
Greg Schulte: Chairperson Emeritus
Bonfiglioli USA Mushtaq Jamal: Bevel Gears India, Pvt, Ltd.
Michelle Maddox: B&R Machine and Gear Corp.
Matt Croson: President
John Perrotti: Gleason Corporation
Amir Aboutaleb: VP, Technical Division
STAFF

Jenny Blackford: VP, Business Division Eric Van Rens: Schafer Industries
Randy Stott: VP, AGMA Media Nicole M. Wolter: HM Manufacturing
Rebecca Brinkley: Director, Membership Engagement & Communications Scott Yoders: Liebherr Gear Technology, Inc.
General requests: [email protected] | Membership questions: [email protected] | AGMA Foundation: [email protected]
Technical/Standards information: [email protected] | MPT Expo information: [email protected]
24     gearsolutions.com
 2010 Gould & Eberhardt Model 120-GH 3 Axis CNC Gashing Machine, 150” Diameter

2005 Liebherr Model LC-80 CNC Gear Hobber

Barber Colman Model 16-56 extended w/ 48” arm extension

1995 Gleason Model Tag 400 CNC generating

2006 Mitsubishi Model SE25A CNC Gear Shaper style Gear Grinder 400mm capacity
Fellows model 645A5 Gear Shaper, 14”
riser, cutter elevation, 5” hole in table

Fellows Model 10-4 CNC 3 axis Gear Shaper Gleason Model 102 & 2A straight Bevel Bourn & Koch Model 25H 4 axis CNC 2007 Fellows MS 450-650/125 6 axis
w/ Fanuc Controls coniflex gear generators, 4.5” pitch diameter Horizontal Gear Hobber guideless CNC Gear Shaper

325 N Miller Ave Statesville, NC 28677 THE #1 SOURCE FOR USED GEAR MEMBER
704.609.0766 • [email protected] MACHINERY — AND MORE! October 2023     25
www.pisellient.com Contact us to add your surplus machinery MEMBER
 MATERIALS MALCOLM MAXEY

MATTER
PROCESS ENGINEER  RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT GROUP

Expectations for a chemically accelerated superfinishing process

When selecting your chemically accelerated Upon receipt at GRI, the subject gears appeared to meet the sur-
face finish requirements, but they retained the black/dark conversion
superfinishing process, it is important to coating inherent to the material removal portion of the refinement
understand and specify your desired deliverables. process, as shown in Figure 1.
The GRI team recognized the difference in tooth flank appear-
In this series, we will explain two different final ance which is typically a mirror-like surface finish resulting from
surface conditions that can be produced as well isotropic superfinishing processing. GRI’s main concern was that the
test coatings may not properly adhere, thus ruining the performance
as a recent case study where potential surface testing of the expensive gears. These gears had not been processed
problems were uncovered and addressed by the by REM, but REM has been a member of the GRI Aerospace Bloc for

proper application of isotropic superfinishing. many years and is recognized as an expert in the field of gear sur-
face enhancement and isotropic superfinishing, so GRI reached out
to have us evaluate these gears.
Third in a series
  Upon receipt of the gears, REM was able to visually confirm that
the gears had been improperly or incompletely burnished and that

T hank you for returning for our third and final article in this series.
In the previous articles, we discussed the fact that chemically
accelerated/assisted superfinishing, also known as isotropic super-
the conversion coating had not been removed from the tooth flanks.
In the 30x magnification image shown in Figure 2, the surface looks
nicely finished and the light swirl/scratch patterns in the conversion
finishing, was introduced into the gear industry more than twenty coating created by the media during the refinement/material removal
years ago. Since that time, it has become widely accepted as a solution process can be seen. After a discussion with GRI and their customer,
for numerous gear failure modes and performance enhancements. REM agreed to burnish the parts to the mirror-like appearance GRI
However, as a technology becomes more ingrained in an industry, the is accustomed to receiving (this processing step is described in our
newness wears off and it becomes more like a commodity product. prior article).
As this happens, engineering drawings become more generic, as they After burnishing, the surface that appeared refined when covered
start to incorporate low surface roughness callouts with little other with the black conversion coating revealed a very different surface
guidance. Buyers start shopping for the lowest cost solution and fast- finish. The tooth surface that appeared smooth and uniform was
est delivery without understanding that, perhaps, the technology is rough and textured. It became very clear that the conversion coating
still evolving and improving, or that not all processes and suppliers was masking the true surface that still exhibited a substantial amount
will produce the same results. of the shot-peen texture. The digital microscope image in Figure 3,
Along these lines discussed above, the Gear Research Institute (GRI) taken again at 30x, clearly shows not only that the peening dimples
located at Penn State University reached out for assistance reviewing remain, but that the finishing process did not remove material uni-
test gears that had been isotropically superfinished to remove surface formly across the tooth flank.
damage resulting from shot peening of the tooth flanks. These gears After discussions with GRI and their customer, it was determined
were destined for use to evaluate several coating applications through that the best course of action would be for REM to rework the gears in
fatigue testing. an attempt to uniformly remove the residual peening texture. Due to

Figure 3: 30x image of tooth flank revealing hidden

Figure 1: As-received image of residual, black Figure 2: As-received image at 30x which appears to shot peen dimples after burnish step to remove the
conversion coating. be a nicely superfinished tooth flank. conversion coating.

26     gearsolutions.com
LANE WINKELMANN
DIREC TOR OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
 REM SURFACE ENGINEERING, INC

the non-uniformity of finish across the tooth measurements at the originally problematic
flank, several parts were inspected to ensure areas were now all consistently Ra ~ 2 µin.
the profiles met the design tolerances and to (0.05µm).
get an idea of how much surface material Ultimately, GRI received the isotropic
could be safely removed during the rework superfinished gears they originally set out
processing. It was discovered that both gears to procure for their coating project, but
had excess material at the root, but generally at the cost of a severely delayed timeline.
met the tolerances in all other areas while Thankfully, GRI is at the cutting edge of
approaching the lower limits. The excess gear development and is extremely famil-
material in the root is indicative of improper iar with superfinishing processes and the
media sizing for the tooth pitch. Incorrectly results expected. The GRI team quickly
sized media likely inhibited its ability to con- identified that the test gears received from
tact this area during the original superfinish- their original supplier did not visually meet
ing process. Using this profile data, a rework their expectations, and they reached out for
Figure 4: 30x image showing improved, but
process plan was implemented to minimize a second opinion from REM. The original
incomplete, peening texture removal following the
the material removal in an attempt to main- first rework process. isotropic superfinishing supplier made sev-
tain the gear’s tolerances, while still remov- eral key errors in their processing, any of
ing the residual peening texture located which could have resulted in not only the
within the active profile. failure of the project, but also the propaga-
All test gears were processed together tion of potentially incorrect data relative to
as one lot with a short refinement and bur- the coating testing.
nish cycle that targeted a material removal As with all manufacturing processes, it is
of approximately 0.0002” (5 µm) per tooth important to know what process parameters
f lank. When completed, a full round of are critical to final part quality. As we have
inspections was conducted. This short cycle seen in this series of articles, when select-
improved the surface finish, but did not fully ing an isotropic superfinishing supplier or
remove all the residual shot peening texture, implementing an isotropic superfinishing
as can be seen in Figure 4. process in-house, it is key to ensure that the
As a result, a second short cycle target- applied refinement processing time and
ing the same amount of material removal associated material removal are adequate
was conducted. The total targeted material Figure 5: 30x magnification showing complete to generate the desired final surface finish
removal of both rework cycles combined peening dimples removal after the second short quality. It is also critical to ensure that the
was approximately 0.0004” (10µm) per tooth rework cycle. processing media selection will allow for
f lank. Final visual inspection indicated uniform material removal across the entire
the flanks now met the peening texture-free condition within the tooth flank to avoid problematic tooth form modifications. We hope
active profile desired by the customer. Figure 5 shows the final con- this series of articles helps you to better understand and specify
dition after both rework cycles and without any residual conversion the desired deliverables when selecting your chemically accelerated
coating. The part now appears mirror-like and reflective, as most superfinishing process, and that you can fully capture the benefits
anticipate from an isotropic superfinish process. Surface roughness of this surface improvement technology.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Malcolm Maxey is a process engineer who works in the Research and Development Group with more than 20 years of engineering and account
management experience in the automotive, petrochemical, and telecommunications fields. As a process engineer, Maxey verifies and develops work
procedures for isotropic surface finishing processes. In addition, he is responsible for the procurement management of raw materials required for
process-aid manufacturing. Maxey has a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, Texas.
Lane Winkelmann joined REM Surface Engineering, Inc. in 1996. He has held multiple positions there, including director of services where he
managed three ISF® Service Centers covering the U.S. and European markets. He is currently director of research and development. During
his career, Winkelmann has developed numerous products and processes as well as has co-authored several patents and papers on the use of
superfinishing. He received a B.S. from Texas A&M University in 1991, and his M.B.A. at Tulane University in 2005. He can be contacted at
[email protected].

October 2023     27
 TOOTH BRIAN DENGEL

TIPS GENER AL MANAGER  KHK-USA

What is a bevel gear?

Gearing 101: A primer on straight tooth bevel limited as the cutter radius needs to account for the number of teeth
on the mating bevel gear and the required shaft angle. Bevel gears can
gearing. be produced from various materials, including steel, brass, bronze,
or plastic and, depending on the application, they can be hardened

W hat is a bevel gear? A bevel gear is a type of conically shaped

gear that has octoidal teeth. The gear teeth of a bevel gear mesh
with the teeth of a mating bevel gear, forming a bevel gear pair. They
for strength and durability.
The geometry of a bevel gear is defined by several parameters.
The primary considerations of the bevel gear are the outer diameter,
are a type of machine element commonly found in applications that the mounting distance, the cone distance, and the length through
require a change in direction and speed. the bore.
Bevel gears are used with bevel pinions to create mechanical sys- Table 1 details the calculations for a Gleason type bevel gear pair.
tems that change speed and torque primarily in perpendicular shaft Table 2 details the calculations for a standard type bevel gear pair.
applications. When the bevel gear and the bevel pinion have the same The first value needed to produce a bevel gear is the pitch. In
number of teeth, they are called miter gears. For any straight tooth the metric system, this is known as the module. As the value of the
bevel gear combination, the mating pinion and the bevel gear must be module increases, the size of the gear tooth increases. In the English
the same pitch, and the same pressure angle. In addition, the pinion standard system, the pitch of a helical gear is known as the diametral
gear must be produced with a pitch angle that when added to the pitch pitch (DP). It represents the number of teeth that are found on a gear
angle of the bevel gear is equal to the refer- with a one-inch reference diameter.
ence cone angle. The reference cone angle is The pressure angle is the angle between
commonly known as the shaft angle. Figure the line of action of the gears and the tan-
1 details this relationship. gent to the pitch circle. It determines the
A bevel gear can have straight teeth or contact between the teeth of the gears and
spiral teeth. This article only covers straight affects the load-carrying capacity and effi-
tooth bevel gearing. The teeth of straight ciency of the gears. In the English system,
bevel gears are readily identifiable as they gears typically have values for pressure
would come together at the intersection of angle of 20 degrees or 14 degrees 30 min-
the shaft axes if extended. Straight bevel utes. For metric gears, the pressure angle is
gears can be grouped into two styles. One typically 20 degrees.
style is the Gleason type and the other is the The number of teeth for the pinion is
standard type. chosen by the end-user based on the speed
Gleason type bevel gears are designed ratio that is desired for the application and
specifically as profile shifted gears. The bevel an understanding that values of less than 12
pinion is positively shifted, and the bevel gear teeth is not practical for power transmission.
is negatively shifted. This is done in order to Figure 1: The reference cone angle of a bevel gear. The speed ratio of a singular pinion engaged
better distribute the gear strength within with a bevel gear is simply the number of
the pair. As miter gears are equal, there isn’t teeth on the bevel gear divided by the num-
any shifting of Gleason miter gears. Another ber of the number of teeth on the pinion.
difference in the Gleason type bevel gearing Speed ratios for straight bevel pairs are lim-
is that the tooth tip and root clearance are ited by the size of the bevel gear and the pitch
designed to be parallel. With the face cone angles. As such, they are limited in practice
of the gear blank machined parallel to the to ratios of 6:1 or less.
root cone of the mating gear, the possibility The addendum of a bevel gear tooth is
of fillet interference is eliminated. the linear distance between the pitch radius
Standard type bevel gears do not have any and the tooth tip measured at the heel of the
profile shift and do exhibit some weakness bevel gear tooth. Correspondingly, the deden-
when the number of teeth on the pinion is dum is the linear distance between the pitch
small relative to the number of teeth on the radius and the tooth root. The sum of the
mating bevel gear. (Figure 2) addendum and the dedendum determines
The teeth of a bevel gear are generated the total tooth height.
using a specialized cutter on a bevel gener- Although not shown in Table 1, the value
ating machine. The cutter machines a sec- for backlash is very important for bevel gear
tion of the bevel gear and then indexes. The pairs. This value measures the distance
number of teeth produced by each cutter is between the pinion gear teeth and the bevel

28     gearsolutions.com
Figure 2: Dimensions and angles of bevel gears.

gear teeth when they are not in contact. It is neces-

sary to have a minimum amount of backlash for
the gear teeth to mesh properly and for lubricant
to engage with the bevel gear and bevel pinion at
their point of contact.
The design of a bevel gear involves determining
the pitch, pressure angle, shaft angle, mounting
Table 1: The calculations of straight bevel gears of the Gleason system.
distance, and backlash. These factors are depen-
dent on the desired speed ratio, power transmis-
sion requirements, and the design of the mechani-
cal system. Bevel gears will only transmit power
between non-parallel axes. When the pinion is used
as the driver, the pinion rotates; the teeth engage,
and torque is transmitted from the pinion to the
bevel gear, resulting in a reduction in speed but an
increase in torque. When the bevel gear is used as
the driver, the bevel gear rotates; the teeth engage,
and torque is transmitted from the bevel gear to
the pinion, resulting is an increase in speed but
a decrease in output torque. This is a significant
drawback if you are using bevel gearing in a speed
increaser.
Bevel gears are a commonly used element in
mechanical systems where a change in direction
and speed is required because they are simple in
design, efficient in operation, and cost-effective.
Understanding the technical definitions and design
principles of bevel gearing is essential for anyone
working with mechanical systems.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brian Dengel is general manager of KHK-USA,

which is based in Mineola, New York. Go online to
www.khkgears.us Table 2: The calculations for standard straight bevel gears.

October 2023     29
 HOT D. SCOTT MACKENZIE, PH.D., FASM

SEAT
SENIOR RESEARCH SCIENTIST–METALLURGY 
QUAKER HOUGHTON INC.

Determining concentration by weight and volume

Coolants, cleaners, and polymer quenchants are
often mixed in the field using volume percent.
But a lab usually figures concentrations by
weight percent. Here is the difference between
the methods.

In this column, I will discuss the different types of concentration

percentages and how to convert them to each other. This is really
a companion article to the one published in the April 2023 issue of Notice that the volume percentage is based on the volume of the
Gear Solutions (pp 26-27). solution and not the volume of the solvent. The liquid volumes are
not necessarily additive. For instance, in some alcohol solutions in
INTRODUCTION water, the total volume will be less than the sum of the solute and
There are a variety of liquid-based fluids used in a typical manufactur- solvent.
ing facility. Coolants, cleaners, forming and forging compounds, and Example: Determine the percent composition by volume of 20 ml
quenchants may be water soluble and require concentration control. of ethanol in 100 ml of solution.
It is often up to the user to mix the purchased chemicals with water Solution: 20 ml ethanol/100 ml solution (ethanol + water) x 100 =
to the desired concentration. 20% ethanol solution by volume.
In the laboratory it is customary practice to determine concen- The calculation of volume percent is generally accurate for the
trations of polymer quenchants by weight. However, in the field, it calculation of liquids provided that the liquids have nearly the same
is generally more practical to determine concentration by volume. specific gravity (Sp). If the two liquids to be mixed have different spe-
For instance, if a customer has a quench tank of 5,000 gallons, and cific gravities, then there will be differences in the concentration by
needs a 10 percent solution, it is generally easier to fill the quench volume and the concentration by weight.
tank with 4,500 gallons of water and then add 500 gallons of polymer
quenchant. It is generally not practical to weigh out a 10 percent solu- CONVERTING FROM MASS PERCENT
tion in the field. TO VOLUME PERCENT
Chemical concentrations are typically identified in several differ- Specific gravity is defined as:
ent methods and are expressed using percent composition by mass,
volume percent, mole fraction, molarity, or normality. In this short
white paper, we will focus on concentration by mass and concentra-
tion by volume. where Sp is the specific gravity; ρ is the density of the substance, in kg/
m3 and ρo is the density of pure water at 4°C (997 kg/m3). The density
CONCENTRATION BY MASS PERCENT (%M/M) of water is often just rounded to 1,000 kg/m3.
This is the mass of the solute divided by the mass of the solution Volume is mass/density or mass equals volume x density. If I know
(mass of the solute plus the mass of the solvent), multiplied by 100 the specific gravity, I can determine the density from
to get percent:

Using these relationships above, the mass percent (%m/m) is:

Example: Determine the percent composition by mass of a 100-

gram NaCl solution that contains 20 grams of NaCl.
Solution: 20 grams NaCl/100 g solution x 100 = 20% NaCl solution While this is more complicated, it allows the conversion of volume
by weight percent to mass percent, provided that the densities of the solute and
solvent are known. If the solvent is water, then ρ0 and Spsolvent = 1.0.
CONCENTRATION BY VOLUME PERCENT (%V/V)
Volume percent is most often used when preparing solution of liquids. APPLICATION TO POLYMER QUENCHANTS
This is defined as: Water has a specific gravity (Sp) = 1.0. Polymer quenchants have a
specific gravity greater than water. A table of typical specific gravi-
ties of polymer quenchants commonly used at Quaker Houghton are
shown in Table 1. For other manufacturers, you should contact them

30     gearsolutions.com
for the specific gravity of their products. Depending on the product, Product Specific Gravity Pounds per Gallon
the specific gravity is between 2-9 percent greater than water. At low
concentrations, the errors can be as much as 8 percent. In other words, Aqua-Quench® 110 1.07 8.89
if you have a solution of 5 percent by volume, the concentration mea- Aqua-Quench® 140 1.06 8.85
sured by the laboratory would be about 5.4 percent weight. At higher
concentrations, the error decreases, but because of the higher overall Aqua-Quench® 145 1.06 8.85
concentration, the difference in the amount of polymer is greater.
For instance, a 20 percent concentration by volume would be Aqua-Quench® 245 1.07 8.93
equivalent to 21.3 percent by weight. Depending on the allowable Aqua-Quench® 251 1.07 8.93
concentration specification range, this variation may or may not be
acceptable. This variation can also explain why there is a difference Aqua-Quench® 260 1.09 9.10
between field and laboratory determined concentrations.
Aqua-Quench® 364 1.09 9.10
CONCLUSIONS Aqua-Quench® 365 1.07 8.93
Often, coolants, cleaners, and polymer quenchants are mixed in the
field using volume percent. However, a laboratory usually determines Aqua-Quench® 3600 1.03 8.60
concentrations using weight percent. In this short article, the differ-
ence between mass percent and volume percent is described. If the den-
Aqua-Quench® 3699 1.02 8.51
sity or specific gravity is known, then conversion from one type of mea- Aqua-Quench® C 1.04 8.68
surement can be accomplished. This difference can often explain the
difference between laboratory and field determined concentrations. Table 1: Specific gravity of some commonly used polymer quenchants at Quaker
If you have comments regarding this column, or suggestions for Houghton. For other manufacturers, please contact those manufacturers for
additional articles, please contact the writer or editor. specific gravity data.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR D. Scott MacKenzie, Ph.D., FASM, is senior research scientist-metallurgy at Quaker Houghton. He is the past president
of IFHTSE, and a member of the executive council of IFHTSE. For more information, go to www.quakerhoughton.com.

RHH, Inc.
Quality since 1915

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October 2023     31
ISSUE MOTION+POWER TECHNOLOGY EXPO
FOCUS

OPTIMIZING THE
OPERATIONAL
BEHAVIOR OF
DOUBLE HELICAL
GEARS

Printed with permission of the copyright holder, the American Gear Manufacturers Association, 1001 N. Fairfax Street, Suite 500, Alexandria,
Virginia 22314. Statements presented in this paper are those of the authors and may not represent the position or opinion of the American Gear
Manufacturers Association. (AGMA) This paper was presented October 2022 at the AGMA Fall Technical Meeting. 22FTM04

32     gearsolutions.com
An FE-based tooth contact analysis is used to derive
design and tolerance recommendations for coupled
gear meshes – a developed method that is validated
by means of experimental studies.
By ALEXANDER MANN M.SC., DR.-ING. JENS BRIMMERS, and PRof. DR.-ING. CHRISTIAN BRECHER

O
ptimized double helical gearing designs can help double helical gears, methods are needed that allow a
to save weight, assembly space and costs of turbo stiffness-true representation of the entire gear chain
gear units, increase efficiency, and ensure low- in the FE-based tooth contact analysis. Thus, an opti-
noise operation. Double helical gears are becom- mized design of the gear geometry with consideration
ing increasingly relevant, especially in the fields of tur- of the interactions shall be achieved with regard to the
bomachinery, aerospace, and electro mobility. The rea- operational behavior.
sons for this are the elimination of axial forces, which Double helical gears are frequently used in turbo
means bearings can be dimensioned smaller. Small gap transmissions. Due to the high speeds, hydrodynamic
widths between the gear halves are desirable in order to bearings are usually used. In order to reduce the axial
optimize the power density. Interaction effects between load on the hydrodynamic bearings and thus the power
the two halves of the gear are thus becoming increas- loss of the bearing, the axial force compensating prop-
ingly important. The apex point is an important param- erty of double helical gears is exploited. In addition, due
eter for tolerancing in these applications. It describes to the large dimension and low production volume of
the intersection of the extension of the tooth flanks turbo gearboxes, single-part production of the gears is
of the left and right half to an axial reference plane. In carried out. Precise knowledge of the excitation behav-
the current state of the art design processes, the inter- ior should be obtained in order to avoid additional costs.
actions between the individual gear meshes of the left Tolerancing the position of the apex point is one way
and right half are neglected. Thus, no specific design of of influencing the excitation behavior. Currently, one
the apex point position is possible. approach is to use a simplified calculation model to cal-
This article, therefore, presents a method for con- culate double helical gears by reducing the double heli-
sidering the quasi-static stiffness behavior of coupled cal gear to one helical gear and loading it with half the
gear meshes, e.g. double helical gears for gear design. torque. These simplifications neglect essential proper-
An FE-based approach is used to derive design and ties of double helical gears (elasticity, parallel gear mesh,
tolerance recommendations for coupled gear meshes. manufacturing influences). The excitation behavior and
The developed method is validated by means of experi- a calculation of load-bearing capacity-determining vari-
mental studies. The focus is on the investigations of ables such as pressure and load distributions can there-
the apex point and the influence of manufacturing fore not be represented accurately.
deviations on the excitation and contact behavior. The
validated method allows to derive design and tolerance 2 STATE OF THE ART
recommendations for double helical gears in order to The design and analysis of neighboring meshes is often
optimize the excitation behavior. carried out separately for each individual mesh. In the
design, which is usually based on quasi-static approach-
1 INTRODUCTION AND MOTIVATION es, the macro geometry is determined first and then the
In the field of driveline technology, it has been pos- micro geometry. The choice of the macro geometry is
sible to massively increase the power density of gear- particularly relevant for acoustically sensitive applica-
boxes in recent decades. This has enabled the gear tions, since it is decisive for the excitation behavior [1].
widths to be significantly reduced. With the resulting The minimization of gear-set volume, gear mass, total
enhancement in the compactness of gear units, impor- center distance, manufacturing costs, or mass moments
tant comfort features such as noise behavior are now of inertia are described in the literature as target vari-
increasingly coming to the focus. Due to the proxim- ables [2]. TENBERGE applied mathematical and knowl-
ity of individual meshes to one another, mutual inter- edge-based methods for macro geometry design of cylin-
action is intensified by excitation mechanisms such drical gears [3]. RÖMHILD, BANSEMIR and PARLOW also
as axial vibrations in double helical gears. The axial focus on the design of the macro geometry [4–6].
vibrations result from stiffness-related axial force fluc- Once the macro geometry has been defined, the
tuations between neighboring gear halves. In today’s micro geometry is usually determined. For the design
gear design using tooth contact analysis, which repre- of the micro geometry of double helical gears, approxi-
sents the state of industrial practice, these excitation mate equations exist so far to compensate for the mis-
mechanisms are not taken into account. In order to alignment [7]. A design of the apex point with consid-
achieve the full potential of parallel gear meshes in eration of load- and manufacturing-related deviations

October 2023     33
can thus not be carried out. Instead, it is
shown that, due to the interactions between
the gear halves, the analytical approach
causes inaccuracies and a FE-based approach
should be used instead [8, 9]. Detailed analy-
sis of this type of gears based on the FEM
can currently only be performed with fully
detailed FE models, see [10]. However, the
modeling effort and computation time are
very high. In the case of double helical gears,
the axial force components on one gear body
ideally balance each other out. Nevertheless,
axial forces can occur due to meshing errors
caused, for example, by manufacturing devi-
ations [11]. As a result, axial force vibrations Figure 1: Modeling of the gear halves.
come to the foreground, which are currently
not taken into account in the design. The
axial vibrations were investigated computa-
tionally and experimentally by WANG ET AL.
Under quasi-static conditions, there is good
correlation in the comparison between mea-
sured and calculated axial displacements, but
there is no integration into the design [12].
Various program systems have been
described in the literature for modeling the
quasi-static operational behavior of gears. In
the FE-based tooth contact analysis STIRAK
prerequisites have already been created for
the calculation of multiple gear meshes in
planetary gear stages [13, 14]. Another way
to model multiple gear meshes in tooth con- Figure 2: Spring model of double helical gears.
tact analysis can be done using the Software
RIKOR [15]. RIKOR is a tooth contact analysis based on an analytical, thus the influence on the operational behavior to be determined. In
plate-theoretical approach according to WEBER and BANASCHEK for this context, a parametric input, such as the pitch offset of the two
modeling the tooth stiffness [16]. With this approach, double helical tooth meshes, was provided, and an adaptation of the calculation
gears can already be analyzed based on the load distribution. The approach was carried out. Consequently, the operational behavior of
input is done separately for each gear mesh. The solution of the con- double helical gears can be calculated with the FE-based calculation
tact problem and the calculation of the load distribution is performed method.
within the load and deformation analysis in the overall gear system,
but each gear mesh is calculated separately and not coupled. 3.1 PARAMETRIC INPUT AND OUTPUT
In addition, KANG is using experimental investigations to examine Up to now, in the text-based input file, each gear mesh is defined as a
the influence of the phase offset between two gear halves of a double pairing of driving and driven gear. To consider double helical gears,
helical gear on the quasi-static and dynamic operational behavior. the input file has been extended so that the gear halves are linked
The measurement data obtained are used to validate the simulation and consequently two gear halves act as the input and two gear halves
method developed. The simulation method is based on an analytical as the output. The parameterization of the gear halves is done sepa-
approach. There is no consideration of an FE-based approach. [17] rately in the gear definition area. This means double helical gears
Conclusion: The excitation behavior of double helical gears is char- can be defined with slightly different macro geometric parameters in
acterized by increasing relevance and by interactions between the addition to the different sign of the helix angle. Further, additionally
gear meshes and can so far only be calculated efficiently on the basis required inputs concern the pitch offset between the gear halves on
of analytical approaches or simplified models. Predicting the excita- a shaft, as well as the definition of the apex point with and without
tion behavior, as accurately as possible at an early stage of the design consideration of the lead line angle deviation of the two gear halves.
process reduces costs and effort in development. The design of gears In addition, further constraints are implemented to consider the load-
is divided into the design of the macro and micro geometry. With a induced torsion along the tooth width, which can also be specified
focus on the excitation behavior, an FE-based approach is useful for in the input parameters. For the double helical gear, two separate
accurate calculation. In the design of double helical gears, there is a models are built and meshed for each gear half. The models are then
lack of investigations into the influence on the excitation behavior combined into an overall model and the calculation results for the
of gear-specific variables such as the apex point. entire double helical gear are determined in one plane of action. A
finite element-based approach is used for the calculation of the tooth
3 INTRODUCTION OF THE DEVELOPED contact. [18]
SIMULATION MODEL
In the first step, a simulation method was developed that allows inter- 3.2 IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLANE OF ACTION MODEL
actions between adjacent tooth meshes to be taken into account and When calculating and analyzing double helical gears with FE-based

34     gearsolutions.com
 processed. The second program module then
generates the FE structure of the gears to be
calculated. The meshing is done automatical-
ly on the basis of the initially set parameters.
The third program module controls the FE
solver. The calculation kernel determines the
displacement influence coefficients for char-
acterizing the gear tooth stiffness by solv-
ing systems of equations. The last program
module evaluates the calculation results on
the basis of the initially set parameters and
optionally outputs the relevant characteristic
values with regard to the gear excitation.
Before the mathematical spring model
Figure 3: Test design and variants of the test. in program module No. 3 can be solved, the
influence coefficients are needed, see Figure
2 on the left [19]. For this purpose, the influ-
ence coefficients are determined separately
for the combined FE models of the input and
output shafts. The adapted calculation meth-
od is shown in Figure 2, top. When a force is
applied to half 1 (H1), only deformations in
H1 are evaluated. The same applies to half 2
(H2). By calculating the shafts in the overall
model, the areas H2-H1 and H1-H2 are now
also taken into account, reflecting the cross
influences between the gear halves. A force
on H1 now also causes a deformation in H2
and vice versa. In addition to the influence
coefficients determined in this way, the load
Figure 4: Simulation study: Influence of deviations. and the contact distances are still required to
build up the entire spring model in order to
tooth contact analysis, the gear halves could previously only be ana- solve the system of equations as a function of the rolling position and
lyzed separately, see Figure 1 on the left. First of all, an assumption to determine the result variables.
must be made how the total torque is distributed between the two
halves of the gear set. Often, an equal distribution is assumed in the 4 DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF THE TEST GEARS
first step, so both meshes participate equally in the torque transmis- This chapter first discusses the design of different variants for double
sion. This does not represent reality. Subsequently, both halves are helical gears. The manufactured gear variants are always based on a
considered like an individual gear mesh. Consequently, the FE models reference variant, which usually has lead crowning of Cβ = 4 µm and
are set up as segment gears. Here, the constraint is applied to the tip relief of Cα = 10 µm, but no other modifications. The reference
interfaces, as shown in Figure 1, left. Thus, no interactions between variant is of importance for subsequent experimental investigations,
the gear halves can be considered. as it often serves as an unoptimized comparison variant.
The modification of the Plane of Action Model is intended to com-
pensate for the aforementioned deficits. The segment gears are com- 4.1 GEAR DESIGN AND PARAMETER STUDIES
pleted with toothless segments to form solid gears. The individual A selection of the gear variations to be investigated for the analysis of
models are then combined to form an overall model for each double the excitation behavior of double helical gears are listed in Figure 3. In
helical gear. All load cases and constraint conditions are transferred addition to the reference variant, the first category of investigation is
to the overall model. Both the input and output shafts are constraint the variation of the apex point. Here, two variants with modified micro
at the separation plane at the center of the gap. The constraint is geometry are provided. Due to the changed micro geometry, each half
applied on the input side at the point of force application and on transmits a higher or lower share of the load, respectively. Another
the output side at the point of force dissipation. The one-sided con- variant is manufactured with a modified pitch offset between the two
straint as shown in Figure 1 on the right would cause the shaft to halves to shift the stiffness variations to achieve a lower excitation
bend strongly, which does not correspond to the displacement that response. The change in the gap width between the two gear halves is
actually occurs. Therefore, a bearing element is inserted that locks intended to make the influence of the cross influences assessable. The
the displacements but has no stiffness in the direction of rotation. goal of the last variant is a balanced load distribution in both halves,
This allows torsion along the gear, which is suppressed by the very as calculated with the method of combined gear halves. The newly
stiff restraint on the cross sections of the segment gear in the previ- developed method is used to design the modifications. For this purpose,
ous calculation method. parameter studies will be carried out in a next step.
The program sequence is basically divided into four program The calculation method is capable of modeling the theoretical
modules: The inputs specified by the user are read in as a first step. operational behavior of double helical gears and improving the opera-
Here, for example, information about the gear geometry or charac- tional behavior with newly designed micro geometry modifications.
teristic values for controlling the program sequence are read in and In the actual production of gears, however, process-related manufac-

October 2023     35
turing deviations occur, so deviations from
the nominal geometry appear. In fact, the
manufactured gear geometry scatter around
the nominal geometry and thus influence
the application behavior, which can lead to
a deterioration of the target values. The pre-
vious focus on the nominal geometry alone
neglects these effects. The influence of man-
ufacturing scatter on the total transmission
error at a particular design point is shown
in Figure 4.
The parameters kept constant are shown
in the left part of Figure 4 (Cα,1st half = 0 µm,
Cα,2nd half = 0 µm). On the global axes, the val-
ues of the lead crowning are varied (abscissa Figure 5: Simulation study: Rotation of the gear halves relative to each other.
— 1st half, ordinate — 2nd half). In contrast,
on the local axes of each tile the values of the
lead angle deviations are shown (abscissa —
1st half, ordinate — 2nd half). The unmodi-
fied reference variant (REFERENCE) is marked
by the blue dot. As an example, the total trans-
mission error is evaluated as the target value.
The rotational transmission error is specified
here as a path deviation. First, the differences
between the real rolling positions and the
ideal rolling positions calculated by the given
transmission ratio are calculated as angular
deviation. After subsequent multiplication by
the base circle radius of the reference gear,
the resulting rotational transmission error
is obtained. To avoid dynamic effects, this Figure 6: Test concept double helical gears – CAD and experimental setup.
is considered for the quasi-static case. Areas
with low transmission error are shown in white. Variants with the larg- reference gear was designed that, due to the module mn = 5 mm, can
est transmission errors are marked in purple. Depending on the micro be produced with commercially available 5-axis milling cutters. It
geometry, variants can be graphically identified in which areas around was ensured the necessary cutting speeds can be achieved on com-
a possible nominal design point also exhibit low excitation behavior mercially available machines. The gap width for the reference variant
and consequently appear suitable as a possible nominal design. is bGap = 17 mm.
In addition to micro geometric variation variables, the method can With the 5-axis milling process, all designed gear variants of the
also be used to investigate the influence on the excitation behavior double helical gear were produced. Good qualities within the qual-
when the two gear halves are rotated relative to each other. The study ity class A = 5 of the gears were achieved, particularly for the refer-
shown in Figure 5 illustrates this influence for the load-free condi- ence gears [20]. In the following, the reference variant and the vari-
tion. In the simulation series, the second half of the gear was varied ant with relative rotation between the two gear halves are discussed
in a range of dp = 0.0 - 1.0 pitches in a step size of Ddp = 0.1 pitches. in more detail. The position of the flank intersection point of the
In the upper part of Figure 5, the load-free rotational transmission double helical gears (Apex Point) was produced with a deviation of
error for the different pitch offset simulations is plotted over the roll- DxApex,Ref,Pinion = -16.7 µm for the reference pinion variant and with a
ing position. For pitch offsets close to dp = 0.5 pitches, the prominent deviation of DxApex,Ref,Gear = +88.0 µm for the reference wheel variant
maximum near the 18th rolling position decreases significantly and within the specified tolerance of DxApex,Target = ±100µm. The deviation
a minimum rotational transmission error is achieved. The fluctua- of the apex point DxApex is defined here as the distance between the
tion range shown in the lower part of the figure in the form of the imaginary intersection of the two flank lines of the two gear halves
load-free peak-to- peak transmission error confirms this observation. and the plane formed by the midline of the gear. For the pitch offset
pinion variant, the two gear halves, both of the pinion and the gear
4.2 MANUFACTURING OF THE TEST GEARS had to be manufactured with an angular offset of Dj = -10°. The mea-
Experimental investigations are carried out to validate the method, sured deviation of the pitch offset is DjDeviation,Pinion = -0.0247° and
whereby the gears have to be manufactured. In order to achieve the the deviation of the apex point is DxApex,PitchOffset,Pinion = +20.8 µm.
smallest possible gap width between the gear halves, the complete The measured deviations of the gear are DjDeviation,Gear = -0.0449° and
machining was specified in the 5-axis milling process. Quenched and DxApex,PitchOffset,Gear = -49.0 µm.
tempered steel is used as the material for the gears. In contrast to con-
ventional process chains, the manufacturing effort is reduced here 5 EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION
because the hardening process steps and the hard fine machining OF THE EXCITATION BEHAVIOR
of the gears are omitted. Production deviations resulting from the This section presents the experimental investigations on the man-
clamping process can also be avoided because the gears are produced ufactured double helical gears. A test rig specially adapted to the
in a single clamping operation. On the basis of this process chain, a application was used for this purpose. This was specially designed

36     gearsolutions.com
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October 2023     37
for measuring high-precision angular posi-
tion in order to be able to derive conclu-
sions about the excitation behavior of gears
on the basis of the transmission error. The
test rig is characterized by a rigid design, so
load-induced displacements of the gears are
reduced. The test rig concept for mounting
the pinions of the double helical gear stage is
shown in Figure 6. On the one hand, the test
rig is shown as a model and, on the other, as
a photo of the actual setup.
High-precision optical encoders ERA 180
manufactured by Heidenhain GmbH are in
the main bearing blocks on the input and
output sides. The rotating encoder disks Figure 7: Transmission error measurement – reference variant vs. pitch-offset variant.
contain 18,000 increments over their cir-
cumference allowing very accurate measure-
ment of the angular rotational position. On
the input side, a bearing unit supports the
pinion shaft. The half-shell design allows
the bearing concept to be adapted and the
gears to be changed quickly. The metal bel-
lows coupling allows axial displacements
of the drive shaft if an appropriate bearing
concept is provided. At the same time, the
metal bellows coupling enables stiff rotary
transmission behavior. On the output side,
the end shield supports the free shaft end of
the output shaft. Externally preheated oil is
continuously supplied to the gear meshes and
bearings, ensuring repeatable measurement Figure 8: Transmission error measurement – amplitude spectra at different loads.
results under stationary conditions.
A special feature is the bearing concept of the pinion shaft. In the
application, the pinion of the double helical gears is often mounted on In today’s quasi-static gear design
a floating bearing. This allows axial compensation movement of the
shaft, and load compensation between the halves, takes place indepen-
by means of tooth contact analysis,
dently during operation. A distinction is therefore made between two
types of bearing arrangement for the pinion shaft: the fixed/floating
which represents the state of
bearing arrangement and the floating bearing arrangement. In the industrial practice, these excitation
case of the fixed-floating bearing arrangement, one bearing is fixed so
no axial compensation movement is possible, whereas this is permitted mechanisms have not yet been taken
in the case of the floating bearing arrangement. For this reason, the
pinion shaft is mounted in a separate bearing unit in which the differ-
into account.
ent bearing concepts can be investigated. This is characterized by the
highest possible torsional stiffness while simultaneously releasing the sonable to assume that increased excitation of the second gear mesh
axial degree of freedom. order or sidebands are to be expected.
The reference gear was investigated in a series of tests. Furthermore, In this case, the number of the doubled meshing frequency results
the excitation behavior of one variant was investigated in which the from the number of teeth. On the drive side, the pinion has z = 18
two gear halves were rotated relative to each other by half a tooth pitch teeth. However, since the tooth meshes are offset by half a pitch over
both at the pinion and at the opposing gear, see Figure 7. The amplitude the circumference, there is also a time offset between the mesh starts
of the total transmission error is plotted over the drive torque for the with the mating gear. This results in a doubled excitation frequency
first two gear mesh orders. This variant proved to be particularly low f = 2 x 18 = 36 meshes per revolution. Nevertheless, a closer look at the
in excitation in the load-free calculation and was therefore used for the second gear mesh order reveals that the excitation at medium to high
experimental investigations. loads is only slightly higher or even lower than the excitation of the
First, it can be seen that its significant amplitude reduction reference variant. The order spectra for two different drive torques
occurs between the first and second tooth meshing frequencies. further confirm this statement, see Figure 8.
Furthermore, this can be understood in Figure 8, where a correspond- The first and second gear mesh order were marked correspond-
ing amplitude spectrum is shown with respect to the order. Also, a ingly. It can be clearly seen in the spectrum that no sidebands occur
significant reduction in the transmission error amplitude of the first either. In summary, it can be said the gears with a pitch offset of half
gear mesh order can be seen, particularly at medium to high loads, a pitch in the present application have a significantly reduced excita-
compared with the reference variant. However, since there are now tion of the first gear mesh order compared to the reference variant
theoretically 36 meshes per pinion revolution instead of 18, it is rea- and, in addition, do not negatively influence any other known excita-

38     gearsolutions.com
 results for the reference gear set are shown in
the center of the figure. In the test, a contact
pattern was determined that is slightly off-
center on both gear halves. The shift of the
bearing patterns to one side indicates a dis-
placement in the system. Also, slight spread-
ing of the contact pattern can be seen in the
tooth tip areas. The same is also evident for
the simulated contact patterns of the refer-
ence gear set. Measured topography data of
the gears were used for the calculations. In
addition, the experimental test setup showed
load- related displacements and deflections
of the shaft-bearing system. These displace-
Figure 9: Validation: contact pattern matching. ments have been taken into account in the
simulation method. The displacements from
the system were converted into the tooth
meshing plane as deviations. In summary, it
can be said the method reproduces the mesh-
ing conditions of the double helical gearing
well on the basis of the contact patterns.
Figure 10 shows both the measured and
the simulated transmission error curve vs.
torque. The simulation was carried out with
measured tooth flank topographies in order
to be able to represent possible manufactur-
ing influences. It can be seen that the simu-
lation slightly underestimates the measure-
ment for the first gear mesh order almost
over the whole torque range. The curve of the
Figure 10: Double helical gears – Transmission error simulation of the reference variant. measured data shows a large gradient that
is caused by the load-related displacement at
the test bench. This displacement behavior
has been taken into account in the plane of
action when calculating the rotational trans-
mission errors. Quantitatively, the simulated
rotational transmission error amplitudes of
the first tooth meshing frequency reproduce
well the measured data from the experimen-
tal investigations.
The second tooth meshing frequency
could also be well represented by the simu-
lation method. The simulated characteristic
curve of the rotational error over the torque
is similar to that from the measurement.
Figure 11: Double helical gears – Transmission error simulation of the pitch-offset variant. Furthermore, the quantitative values of the
amplitudes have also been well mapped by
tion mechanisms in the experiment. The effect can be explained by the simulation. However, the value at MIn = 400 Nm is overestimated
a more balanced meshing stiffness in the pitch-offset variant. The by the simulation compared to the measured data.
fact the teeth on the neighboring gear halves are in mesh offset by In addition to the reference variant, the pitch-offset variant was
half a pitch reduces the maximum fluctuation in mesh stiffness. This also simulated. The simulated and measured rotational transmission
confirms the method of design. errors for the pitch-offset variant are shown in Figure 11. An examina-
tion of the first tooth meshing order shows that the rotational trans-
6 VALIDATION OF THE METHODOLOGY mission error curve is well reproduced up to a drive torque of MIn =
The results of the test rig investigations on the double helical gears are 250 Nm. Only, above this value, the simulation overestimates the data
used in the following to validate the developed method. The valida- from the experimental measurements.
tion is carried out on the one hand by comparing the measured and Similar behavior — as can be seen for the first tooth meshing order
simulated transmission errors and on the other hand by the recorded — can also be observed for the second tooth meshing order. There is
and simulated contact patterns. a constant underestimation of the measurement by the simulation.
Figure 9 shows both the measured and the simulated contact pat- Up to a drive torque of MIn = 250 Nm, however, there is a qualitative
terns using the simulation method. The contact patterns were gen- similarity of the curve shapes between measurement and simulation.
erated in the simulation and in the test rig at the same torque. The Both the investigations on the reference variant and the pitch-offset

October 2023     39
variant have shown the simulation method is able to represent the REFERENCES
quasi-static excitation behavior by calculating the peak-to-peak total [1] M. Jaster, “Shake, Rattle and Roll: Software Providers Examine the Dynamic
rotational transmission error. The load-induced misalignments were Behavior of Gear Noise,” Gear Tech., vol. 35, no. 4, pp. 26–30, 2018.
taken into account. [2] H. Naunheimer, B. Bertsche, G. Lechner, J. Ryborz, and W. Novak, Vehicle
Gearboxes: Basics, Selection, Design and Engineering, 2nd ed. Berlin:
7 SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK Springer, 2007.
In recent decades, it has been possible to massively increase the power [3] H.-J. Tenberge, “Application of mathematical and knowledge-based meth-
density of gearboxes. This has made it possible to significantly reduce
ods for cylindrical gear design,” Diss., Laboratory for Machine Tools and
the axial distance between individual gear stages and the gear widths. Production Engineering (WZL) of RWTH Aachen University, RWTH Aachen
With the increase in the compactness of gear stages thus achieved, University, Aachen, 1996.
important comfort features such as noise behavior are now increas- [4] I. Römhild, “Design of multi-stage spur gears - ratio splitting for minimum
ingly coming into focus. Due to the increased proximity of individual mass and choice of profile shift on the basis of new calculation principles,”
meshes to each other, mutual interaction through excitation mecha- Diss., Institute of Machine Elements and Machine Design, TU Dresden,
nisms is intensifying. In today’s quasi-static gear design by means of Dresden, 1993.
tooth contact analysis, which represents the state of industrial practice, [5] G. Bansemir, “Design guidance system for end-to-end computer-based gear
these excitation mechanisms have not yet been taken into account. design,” Diss., Institute of Automotive Technology, TU München, Munich,
The aim of the research was therefore to develop a method for 2012.
taking into account the quasi-static, interactive stiffness behavior [6] J. C. Parlow, “Development of a method for the design of spur gears accord-
of double helical gears in gear design. Therefore, first a simulation ing to requirements,” Diss., TU München, Munich, 2016.
model was set up and then the calculation method was presented. [7] G. Niemann and H. Winter, Machine Elements: Volume 2: Gear units in
With the use of parameter studies, it was possible to determine influ-
general, Gear units - fundamentals, Spur gear units, 2nd ed. Berlin: Springer,
ences that have different effects on the excitation behavior of double 2003.
helical gears. A selection of the variations determined in this way was
[8] T. Schulze, “Determination of Load Distributions on Double Helical - Geared
then manufactured using the 5-axis milling process and checked for
Planetary Gear Boxes,” in AGMA Fall Technical Meeting, Pittsburgh, 2016.
dimensional accuracy. The experimental investigations of the manu-
[9] T. Schulze and K. Riedel, “Load distribution calculation on double helical
factured gears were carried out using a test rig adapted to the inves-
planetary gears,” in SAXSIM, 2016, pp. 1–12.
tigation requirements. Finally, the developed method was validated
on the basis of the test rig data obtained. [10] M. Elbs and D. Sterns, “Gear vibrations and Doppler effect,” in SIRM

First, contact pattern comparisons at low loads were performed to 2015 - 11. International Conference on Vibrations in Rotating Machines,
analyze the system behavior. Closer analysis of the contact patterns Magdeburg, 2015.
initially indicated a displacement in the test rig system. These could [11] D. Liang, B. Chen, and R. Tan, “Tooth profiles design and stress analysis

be considered and confirmed using the simulation method. When of double helical gear transmissions with geometric elements constructed
comparing the quasi-static transmission error data for the double heli- tooth pairs,” in International Conference on Gears 2017, Garching, 2017.
cal gears, a good match was noticed when considering the curves of [12] C. Wang, S. R. Wang, B. Yang, and G. Q. Wang, “Dynamic modeling of
the first gear mesh order of the reference and the pitch-offset variant. double helical gears,” J. Vib. Control, vol. 47, no. 5, 1–11, 2017, doi:
Similarly, the second tooth meshing frequency could be well repre- 10.1177/1077546317717885.
sented by the simulation. In general, however, the method frequently [13] M. Weck, H. Schlattmeier, and J. Schäfer, Eds., Contact model multiple gear
underestimates the measured data. mesh: Calculation of cylindrical gear pairs with multiple meshes using the
The developed method can be used to support during the design finite element method. Frankfurt a.M., 2003.
process. In the future, this will make it possible to take into account [14] C. Brecher, Ed., FE-Spur Gear Chain v4.2.19. Frankfurt a.M.: Self-printing,
excitation effects caused by the coupling of several interferences at 2017.
an early stage. Up to now, gears could only be considered as individual [15] K. Stahl, M. Otto, and B. Neubauer, Eds., User Manual RIKOR K: Calculation
uncoupled gear sets in tooth contact analysis. Thus, it was previously of the load distribution in transmission systems with arbitrarily arranged
not possible for cross influences from the neighboring tooth meshes planetary gear stages. Frankfurt a.M., 2016.
to be taken into account during simulations. [16] C. Weber and K. Banaschek, Change of shape and profile relief for spur gears
Looking forward, an investigation of the dynamic excitation and helical gears, 2nd ed. Braunschweig: Vieweg, 1955.
behavior of double helical gears is useful. This could be accompa- [17] Ma Ru Kang, “A Study of Quasi-Ststic and Dynamic Behavior of Double-
nied by the creation of a multibody simulation model (MBS). With the
Helical Gears,” Diss., Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, 2014.
aid of modal analyses of the test rig components, this can be used to
[18] C. Brecher, Ed., FE-Stirnradkette v4.2.19. Frankfurt a.M.: Eigendruck, 2017.
accurately predict dynamic excitation effects. Measurement data of
the rotational acceleration could be used to validate the MBS model. [19] B. Neupert, “Calculation of gear forces, pressures and stresses of spur

In addition, psychoacoustic analysis under dynamic operating condi- and bevel gears,” Diss., Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production
tions is also useful. In particular, variants with pitch offset should Engineering (WZL) of RWTH Aachen University, RWTH Aachen University,
Aachen, 1983.
be investigated in this regard. In this context, it would be useful to
[20] Cylindrical gears - ISO tolerance system - Part 1: Definitions and allowable
consider axial forces, as these can also lead to additional excitation
effects. values for deviations on tooth flanks, 1328-1, Norm, Berlin, 2013.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Alexander Mann M.Sc., Dr.-Ing. Jens Brimmers, and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christian Brecher are with the Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production
Engineering (WZL), RWTH Aachen University.

40     gearsolutions.com
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October 2023     41
 6 TIPS TO
OPTIMIZE
THROUGHPUT
IN THE CGG
GRINDING
PROCESS
The grinding area can be
a bottleneck in a gear-
manufacturing facility,
especially if the wrong grinding
wheel is used. The choice of
wheel can significantly affect
cycle time and productivity
and have a negative or positive
impact on costs. (Courtesy:
Weiler Abrasives)

42     gearsolutions.com
Continuous generating gear grinding can deliver
numerous benefits if best practices are followed
for choosing the right wheel, operator training, and
system setup.
By DENNIS BROWN

G
ears are essential components in many machines the number of passes required.
and devices, such as cars, airplanes, robots,  Offers very short idle times, as the grinding worm
and wind turbines. Gears transmit power and can be moved quickly between different gears or work-
motion between rotating shafts, and they need pieces.
to be durable, efficient, and quiet.  Has a high degree of automation and integration
To achieve these qualities, gears are usually case with other machines, such as measuring devices or
hardened, which means they have a hard outer layer washing units.
and a tough inner core. However, case hardening intro-
duces distortions and surface defects that affect gear CGG GRINDING CHALLENGES
performance and quality. Therefore, gears need to One key challenge in CGG grinding is choosing the
undergo a hard finishing process after case hardening right grinding wheel for the job. The grinding wheel is
to remove unwanted material and improve surface fin- the cutting tool that generates the gear profile by roll-
ish and geometry. Continuous generating gear grind- ing with the gear. It must have a high cutting ability,
ing provides a stable, repeatable process that helps durability, profile accuracy, and free-cutting proper-
manufacturers ensure gear quality. Manufacturers ties. It’s also important to ensure the wheel has a suit-
of machines that perform this operation include able shape, size, module, pressure angle, helix angle,
Reishauer, KAPP, Gleason, and Liebherr. number of starts, pitch diameter, width, abrasive mate-
Getting the most out of the gear-grinding pro- rial, grain size, bond type, hardness grade, and porosity
cess requires attention to several factors, including level to match application needs.
grinding wheel selection, incoming part quality, and The grinding area can be a bottleneck in a gear-
machine fixturing and setup. manufacturing facility, especially if the wrong grind-
ing wheel is used. The choice of wheel can significantly
WHAT IS CONTINUOUS GENERATING affect cycle time and productivity and have a negative
GEAR GRINDING? or positive impact on costs. Wheels come in a variety
Continuous generating gear grinding, sometimes of abrasive combinations and bond types, as well as
referred to as CGG grinding, is one of several types of different widths, diameters, and thread types. It is
gear grinding, and it’s commonly used in high-produc- important to match the wheel to the gear material.
tion applications. It is a threaded-wheel process that Different materials have different grinding character-
uses a large-diameter grinding wheel with a thread istics, which affect the choice of the grinding wheel.
pre-formed on the outside diameter, similar to a hob- For instance, a softer material will need a different
bing tool. This threaded wheel is dressed, allowing type of wheel than a harder material. Likewise, the
the side of the thread tooth to have the same pressure type of wheel used for grinding steel will not be the
angle as the workpiece, and the workpiece and wheel same as the one used for grinding Inconel.
rotate in a fixed ratio. The workpiece is fed axially past Labor can be another challenge in CGG grinding.
the wheel while the generating motion occurs. Many manufacturers use automated CNC machines
So, why grind gears? The grinding portion of the for gear grinding that require specific training and
process finishes the profile of the gear flanks for opti- experience to properly operate. It is challenging to
mized performance. High-production applications that find skilled operators for these types of machines. This
must produce a lot of gears quickly can gain many ben- inherently makes it harder for gear manufacturers to
efits from this type of gear grinding because it helps apply new grinding wheel technology correctly and
operations meet tight tolerances and optimize gear to improve overall processes by ensuring the correct
performance. Benefits of CGG grinding include: wheel is being used.
 Corrects dimensional errors created by the rough- Following some best practices for gear grinding can
ing and heat treat process. help operations improve results while reducing cycle
 Enhances the surface finish of the tooth flank, times and costs. Consider these six tips:
allowing increased torque transfer and helping reduce
noise in the gear assembly. TIP 1: CHOOSE A WHEEL WITH
 Provides the capability to remove up to 1 mm of THE CORRECT GRAIN AND BOND
material per flank in one pass, reducing cycle time and Grinding wheels are composed of grains, which are

October 2023     43
Getting the most out of the gear grinding process requires attention to several factors, including grinding wheel selection, incoming part quality, and machine fixturing
and setup. (Courtesy: Weiler Abrasives)

held together by bonds that vary in strength. Examples of wheel

grains include aluminum oxide, zirconia, mono crystalline, and CBN. penetration.
Each type of grain and bond offers different properties. For instance, Operations that choose grinding wheels based solely on purchase
some wheels are designed to be stronger and have better form hold- cost may not realize that paying more for a high-performance wheel
ing, offering longer product life. Other wheels are designed to fracture can significantly prolong the life of the tool, enhance the productivity
readily so they maintain sharpness and withstand severe abuse — of the process, and improve the quality of the output. These advan-
which can increase the versatility of the application and offer more tages can lower the total costs of grinding in the long run. Therefore,
flexibility when selecting geometries to grind. To choose the right grinding wheels should not be selected based on purchase cost alone.
wheel, consider these factors: Sometimes a different wheel can solve problems or issues in the grind-
 Gear material: The wheel should be made of abrasive grains that ing cell.
are harder than the gear material. For example, for case-hardened Finding and applying the correct grinding wheel specification
gears, choose fused or sintered aluminum oxide grains with high requires knowledge and experience. It’s best to work with the wheel’s
hardness and toughness. manufacturer (like Weiler Abrasives, for example) to help determine
 Gear quality: The wheel should have a fine grain size relative to the correct specification. There are many wheel options and many
the gear geometry to achieve the required surface finish and preci- factors and priorities to consider, such as performance vs. cost and
sion geometry of the gear. the associated tradeoffs. In addition, new grain technologies available
 Material removal rate: The wheel should have a grain size related today have accelerated wheel performance, so it’s important to work
to the geometry of the gear tooth that allows high material removal with an application engineer and abrasives specialist to properly apply
rates while also achieving gear quality. the technology.
 Dressing frequency: The wheel should have a suitable bond type
and porosity level to maintain shape and cutting ability during the TIP 2: TRAIN OPERATORS PROPERLY
grinding process. For example, for gears with a high dressing fre- After the correct wheel is chosen, proper operator training is key to
quency, use vitrified bonded wheels with medium to fine porosity getting the best results. Different wheels or materials may require
(dependent on gear geometry) to facilitate chip removal and coolant an adjustment in machine parameters. Some wheel manufacturers

44     gearsolutions.com
 advantage of on-site training offered by some
wheel manufacturers to ensure safe machine
and wheel setup.

TIP 6: DOCUMENT
THE ENTIRE PROCESS
If the grinding process is a bottleneck, look at
it from start to finish to see where efficiencies
and improvements can be found. Chances
are, solutions are available to increase capac-
ity of the process and reduce cycle time or
increase throughput with longer wheel life
and fewer wheel changes. A review of the
entire process can help pinpoint challenges.
The process parameters are the variables
that control the grinding process. Parameters
that can be reviewed include grinding and
workpiece speed, infeed, feed rate, shifting
distance, coolant type, and coolant flow
rate. These factors affect material removal
rate, surface finish, profile accuracy, tem-
Grinding wheels are composed of grains, which are held together by bonds that vary in strength. Examples of perature, wear, vibrations, and noise of the
wheel grains include aluminum oxide, zirconia, mono crystalline and CBN. This image shows various grain types. grinding process. Therefore, they must be
(Courtesy: Weiler Abrasives) optimized to achieve the desired results and
avoid problems.
provide hands-on product training, either on-site at the gear manu- While such an analysis may seem daunting, it can deliver signifi-
facturer or in their own facilities. Weiler offers abrasives and machine cant benefits that save time and money. This analysis can be made
training for all precision products. easier by working with an expert who will review processes, docu-
ment challenges and problems, and then create and develop solutions
TIP 3: ENSURE INCOMING PART QUALITY and specifications for each application. If the solution involves a grind-
A good first step in optimizing the gear grinding process is to consider ing wheel change, the application engineer can help mount the tool,
prework and the parts coming into the grinding cell. The stock com- do a test run, collect data, and document results.
ing into the cell must be of high quality to achieve the best results. Some wheel manufacturers offer programs to help document pro-
When incoming parts aren’t high-quality — perhaps they are too cesses, see where the challenges are and provide solutions based on
big or have heavy burrs — it adds time and cost to the process. Often, that data. The Weiler Process Solution (WPS) program helps users
operations will make parts bigger than necessary upstream with the better manage grinding wheel costs and increase productivity by test-
intention of cleaning them up during grinding. They do this to avoid ing and evaluating different options to compare product life, reduce
creating excessive scrap. However, this method increases grinding cycle times, and eliminate bottlenecks.
cycle time and reduces throughput. Ideally, the incoming part should The program also helps eliminate process variability, rejections,
be as close to the necessary finished dimensions as possible to stream- and rework. Consider a real-world example from one grinding wheel
line the process. customer who was at capacity in its gear production operation and
was outsourcing some of that work.
TIP 4: CHECK THE FIXTURING A full evaluation of the entire process resulted in grinding wheel
The fixturing or work holding inside the grinding machine should be change and decreased cycle times in the gear-grinding process, so
correctly dialed in, clean, and in good working order. As issues happen they were able to take on more work.
inside the machine, the work holding may slip or move, which can
break the grinding wheel. Be sure to periodically check the fixturing FINAL THOUGHTS
to ensure that it’s located properly. Also, use a good coolant inside the In high-production manufacturing applications that must produce
machine for the grinding process. Mobil and Castrol make quality many gears quickly — while meeting tight tolerances and optimizing
coolants for grinding applications. gear performance — CGG grinding can deliver numerous benefits
if best practices are followed for choosing the right wheel, operator
TIP 5: PROPERLY MOUNT AND MAINTAIN THE WHEEL training and system setup. Selecting the correct grinding wheel is
Proper wheel mounting helps optimize grinding results and maintain critical and will help operations optimize throughput and reduce
safety. Be sure to follow all safety recommendations for wheel mount- cycle times in gear manufacturing.
ing and conduct regular inspection of the wheel, spindle, and blot- Because CGG grinding requires specific knowledge and experi-
ters. Operators should consult ANSI B7.1: Safety Requirements for the ence, an application engineer is critical to ensure process efficiency.
Use, Care and Protection of Abrasive Wheels. Improper mounting can Abrasives experts can provide necessary advice and guidance to help
damage the wheel and cause more downtime and added costs. Take manufacturers further optimize the process.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dennis Brown is technical sales manager with Weiler Abrasives.

October 2023     45
 IMPLEMENTATION OF
A GEAR HEALTH
MONITORING
SYSTEM
ON A POWER RECIRCULATING
TEST RIG

Printed with permission of the copyright holder, the American Gear Manufacturers Association, 1001 N. Fairfax Street, Suite 500, Alexandria,
Virginia 22314. Statements presented in this paper are those of the authors and may not represent the position or opinion of the American Gear
Manufacturers Association. (AGMA) This paper was presented October 2022 at the AGMA Fall Technical Meeting. 22FTM19

46     gearsolutions.com
Angle resampling and time synchronous averaging
(TSA) are used in conjunction with the Average Log
Ratio (ALR) to successfully detect pitting, bending
fatigue, scuffing, and loss of lubrication failures with
four square power recirculating test rigs.
By MATTHEW WAGNER, DR. WILLIAM D. MARK, and AARON ISAACSON

T
he ability to detect the onset of a gear-system to detect the onset of a variety of failure modes while
failure via accelerometer measurements is of tests are underway. The first goal of this article is to
interest in a research environment as well as provide an overview of the gear health monitoring sys-
in gear systems deployed in the field. The goal tem architecture and to illustrate how it has been used
in either case is to detect a failure as early as possible to monitor and shut down various types of gear tests
while simultaneously minimizing the risk of false when a failure is detected. Secondly, this article aims to
shutdowns. provide a concise introduction to all of the signal pro-
The accelerometer-based gear health monitoring cessing techniques used, some of which have only been
system described herein was developed for use in a presented separately in the second author’s prior work.
laboratory setting for monitoring power recirculating
gear tests. In this environment, it is desirable to detect 2 EXISTING WORK AND MOTIVATION
the early onset of failures so the primary failure mode A vast amount of data processing techniques has been
as well as the time to failure can be accurately deter- documented in literature related to detecting gear
mined. Minimizing false shutdowns is also critical to failures. For example, in Kundu et al.’s recent com-
maximizing rig uptime and testing efficiency. prehensive review of the state-of-the-art in this area,
The signal processing algorithm uses even-angle more than 25 different condition indicators (CIs) are
resampling along with time synchronous averaging compared [6]. Some examples of common CIs used for
to minimize the influence of vibration sources other gear health monitoring include RMS, Kurtosis, FM4,
than the gear mesh. In the case of hunting tooth ratio NA4, and crest factor. Other literature has focused on
gearsets it is shown that it is possible to completely the performance of CIs in more specific cases based on
separate the damage response of each gear in the pair failure mode, such as pitting [7] [8] [9] [10] and wear [11].
from a single accelerometer signal using these tech- Other more application specific comparisons of CIs are
niques. The average log ratio (ALR) algorithm is then also available, for example techniques commonly used
employed to monitor the time synchronous averaged in aerospace transmission diagnostics are documented
signals for the onset of damage. A summary of these in [12] [13] [14], while various metrics for detecting faults
signal processing concepts is given, along with an over- in planetary gearboxes are compared in [15]. In all of
view of system hardware, signal processing workflow, the works cited, a common theme is CIs tend to have
and sample data. strengths and weaknesses that depend on the applica-
tion and type of failure to be detected. Bechhoefer et
1 INTRODUCTION al propose the concept of a health indicator (HI), which
The ability to detect the onset of a gear system fail- is a mapping of several CIs into a common threshold
ure via accelerometer measurements is of interest value [16] [17]. This is shown to reduce the probability of
in a research environment as well as in gear systems false alarm and increase the sensitivity to fault detec-
deployed in the field. The goal in either case is to detect tion. In any case, for a given application, it is desirable
a failure as early as possible while simultaneously mini- to use a CI that is simple, has a low probability of false
mizing the risk of false shutdowns. This article outlines alarm, and that is sensitive to detecting the onset of
an accelerometer-based gear health monitoring system any type of failure that may be present.
used in a laboratory setting for monitoring power recir- The authors of this article frequently use gear
culating gear tests. health monitoring techniques in a laboratory setting
This gear health monitoring system described here in order to monitor various types of gear tests for the
uses the average log ratio (ALR), which has been shown onset of failure. This capability allows test rigs to run
to be a sensitive metric for the detection of gear dam- unattended for long periods of time and provides the
age in prior work [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]. All previous efforts in capability of automatic shutdown when gear damage is
evaluating the effectiveness of ALR have consisted of detected. The motivation for this work was to develop a
post-processing vibration data after testing had been system that could monitor various gear test types with
completed. The system developed here enables real- one CI that was simple and robust. The ALR algorithm,
time data processing and has successfully been used which had been developed in prior work, was found

October 2023     47
here to be extremely useful in monitoring
bending fatigue, pitting, scuffing, and loss of
lubrication tests.

3 TEST RIG OVERVIEW

The tests under consideration consist of a
highly loaded gear pair subject to constant
speed, using either constant or varying
torque. Tests can take anywhere from sev-
eral hours to more than a month running
24 hours a day to complete, so maximizing
test rig uptime is critical. These tests are
carried out on power recirculating test rigs;
an example is shown in Figure 1. Torque is
applied either statically through a moment
arm and torque applicator disc as shown or
can be varied on some test rigs dynamically
through a servo-hydraulic torque applicator
(not shown). In either case, a drive motor sup-
plies power to the four-square loop, and tests
are carried out until the desired failure mode
is developed. It is advantageous to be able to
detect the early onset of failures via acceler-
ometer data so the primary failure mode as
well as the time to failure can be accurately Figure 1: Power recirculating test rig and gear health monitoring system schematic.
determined.
Accelerometers are mounted to the struc-
ture of each test box in the locations shown
in Figure 1.
A tachometer signal on the motor shaft
provides one pulse per shaft revolution,
which is used in the signal processing work-
flow which follows. The signal processing
hardware consists of a National Instruments
(NI) chassis which is connected to a 2GHz
Windows PC via Ethernet. The user inter-
face, signal processing, and data storage are
all handled in NI LabVIEW. An analog input Figure 2: Frequency domain response of a meshing gear pair ([18], p.3).
card with a 51.2 kHz sampling rate is used
to acquire both the accelerometer signals
as well as the tachometer signal, while one
output on a digital I/O card is utilized to inter-
face with the variable frequency drive (VFD)
on the test rig’s drive motor. This interface
with the test rig’s VFD allows the gear health
monitoring system to shut down the rig when
a failure has been detected.

4 FREQUENCY DOMAIN BEHAVIOR

OF MESHING GEARS
A brief overview of the frequency domain Figure 3: Frequency domain response of an undamaged gear.
response of a meshing gear pair is outlined
here in order to aid discussion of the signal processing techniques tions of the working surfaces from perfect equi-spaced involutes [18].
which follow. Additional details can be found in the references cited. Sources of geometric deviations may include manufacturing errors
The following examples, as well as the signal processing techniques as well as tooth damage. A generalized example of the frequency
employed, assume constant speed and constant loading over the time domain response of a meshing gear pair is shown in Figure 2. The
interval in which data is collected. response is shown in terms of rotational harmonic number (n) i.e.
Static transmission error (STE) is the primary source of vibration oscillations per revolution of the gear, rather than oscillations per
caused by a meshing gear pair. The source of STE is the deviation of unit time. The first rotational harmonic (n = 1) coincides with one
the loaded tooth working surfaces from perfect equi-spaced involute oscillation per revolution of the gear. The first tooth meshing har-
(conjugate) surfaces. STE consists of two components, the load depen- monic (n = N) corresponds to one oscillation per tooth meshing event,
dent elastic deformation of the gear teeth, and the geometric devia- where N is the number of teeth on the gear. Several higher order tooth

48     gearsolutions.com
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meshing harmonics are typically present at
n = 2N, n = 3N etc.
If an otherwise perfect gear pair were to
have exactly the same transmission error con-
tribution from every meshing tooth pair, and
the gear pair were operated at constant speed
and constant loading, the only harmonics
present would be the tooth meshing harmon-
ics (A in Figure 2). The mean deviation from
perfect equi-spaced conjugate contact of the
elastically deformed tooth surfaces, averaged
over all teeth on each gear is the source of the Figure 4: Frequency domain response of gear from Figure 3 after bending fatigue failure.
tooth meshing harmonics [18] (p.112).
Individual tooth-to-tooth variations from
the mean elastically deformed tooth surface
deviation are the sources of non-tooth-mesh-
ing-harmonic rotational harmonics under
constant speed and constant loading [18]
(p.113). Tooth-to-tooth variations in an other-
wise undamaged gearset typically manifest
themselves as low order rotational harmon-
ics (B in Figure 2) and sidebands around the
tooth meshing harmonics (C in Figure 2).
An example of the frequency domain
response of an undamaged gearset is shown
in Figure 3.
Any damage, aside from perfectly uni-
form wear on every tooth, will contribute to
changes in the non- tooth-meshing-harmon-
ic rotational harmonics [1] [18] [19]. For this
reason, the rotational harmonics between
the tooth meshing harmonics and their
sidebands are of primary interest in dam-
age detection. An example of the frequency
domain response from the same gearset from
Figure 3 after undergoing a bending fatigue
(root fillet crack) failure is shown in Figure
4. The strong change in rotational harmon-
ics between the tooth meshing harmonics is
evident in this example. Figure 5: Overview of signal processing workflow.

5 SIGNAL PROCESSING WORKFLOW

An overview of the signal processing workflow is shown in Figure 5.
In summary, the raw vibration data is first resampled to be in terms
of even angular rotation increments instead of even increments of
time. Time synchronous averaging (TSA) is then used to compute an
averaged signal over one rotation for each gear in the meshing pair.
Depending on the gear ratio, the TSA process may be used to separate
the damage response for each gear in the pair from a single acceler-
ometer signal. TSA is also used to minimize the influence of vibration
sources other than the gear mesh. A discrete Fourier transform is then
used to examine the frequency domain behavior of the respective TSA
signals. Finally, the ALR algorithm is used to quantify gear health
based on analysis of the frequency domain data. Computed values of
ALR are tracked over time and thresholds are used to determine if
gear damage is detected. Figure 6: Time based accelerometer and tachometer data.
Figure 5 also shows locations in the workflow where data is saved.
First, one revolution of TSA data is saved for each gear after it is comput- the TSA data from a test that ran for 50 hours and that gathered a
ed. Since several hundred revolutions of the gear of interest are aver- sample of 44 kHz vibration data every 30 seconds from two acceler-
aged into one revolution of the TSA signal, saving data after the TSA ometers used only 250MB of disk space. After ALR is computed from
process is complete conserves a large amount of disk space compared the TSA data, the ALR response is also recorded for later evaluation.
to saving the unprocessed time domain vibration data. For example, ALR post processing tools have been developed to allow more detailed

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October 2023     51
analysis of the TSA data after test completion
if desired.

5.1 EVEN ANGLE RESAMPLING

The vibration data is first resampled in order
to obtain data points at evenly spaced angular
intervals based on the available tachometer
signal. As shown in Figure 6, the raw accel-
erometer and tachometer data is recorded at
evenly spaced time intervals per the sample
rate of the data acquisition system, which Figure 7: Resampled accelerometer data in terms of angular rotation.
is not conducive to the TSA process that is
performed next. The goal of the resampling
process is to obtain data points that represent
the same physical locations on the gear teeth
over subsequent shaft revolutions. Figure 6
shows the data recorded on a small-time scale
for clarity; however, in practice a 5- to 10-sec-
ond “snapshot” of data is recorded every 10
to 30 seconds.
The resampling process is performed such
that an integer number of samples per tooth
are used to determine the resampling rate. In
this manner the same resampled accelerom-
eter signal can be used to compute the time
synchronous average for either gear in the Figure 8: Detail of resampled accelerometer data.
pair as is shown in the following section.
Using an integer number of samples per
tooth ensures the beginning of every revolution of either gear in the
pair will always begin on a discrete data point.

Equation 1a

Equation 1b

Where:
N(1) = Number of teeth in Gear 1.
N(2) = Number of teeth in Gear 2.
is = Integer samples per tooth for resampling process.
An upper practical limit on the number of samples per tooth
will depend on the available data sample rate and rotational speed;
however, as a general guideline, 20-30 samples per tooth were used
in this work and was found to be adequate to detect small amounts of
damage; 10 samples per tooth have also been suggested in literature
as a minimum value [20]. As an example, in a gear pair where Gear 1
has 41 teeth and Gear 2 has 49 teeth, suppose 30 samples per tooth
are desired. The time domain signal for Gear 1 would be resampled
to have 41*30 = 1,230 samples (evenly spaced in angular rotation)
over each revolution of Gear 1. Likewise Gear 2 would have 47*30 =
1,410 evenly spaced samples over each rotation.
The resampling process uses the square
wave from the tachometer signal to mark the
beginning of each rotation of the gear on the
tachometer signal shaft. Linear interpolation
is used between each tachometer pulse to
resample the time-based signal into incre-
ments of even angular rotation as shown in
Figure 7.
Speed is assumed to be constant
between each tachometer pulse. Although
the response of the accelerometer data is
unchanged, the resulting signal no longer
uses time as the abscissa coordinate, but is Figure 9: Output of time synchronous averaging process for a 41-tooth gear.

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October 2023     53
now in terms of number of rotations of the
gear of interest. Each accelerometer data
point now represents a discrete angular
position of the gear, and thus represents
the location of a specific contact location on
specific tooth working surfaces as shown
in Figure 8. These contact locations will be
consistent over subsequent shaft revolutions,
within the bounds of uncertainty from varia-
tions in speed, sample rate, and tachometer
pulse jitter. The resampled data in Figure 7 is
shown over just a few revolutions for clarity;
however, in practice, several hundred revolu-
tions of data were recorded at each recording
interval.
A useful implication of the resampling
process is that subsequent Fourier analysis
results will be in terms of cycles per revo-
lution of the gear (rotational harmonics)
instead of cycles per unit time. The value for
number of gear rotations is computed sepa-
rately for each gear in the mesh if the ratio is
not 1:1; however, due to the previously cho-
sen resampling rate, one rotation of each gear
will always align with a discrete data point.

5.2 TIME SYNCHRONOUS AVERAGING

The technique of time synchronous averag-
ing (TSA) is then used to reduce or eliminate
the presence of non-tooth meshing rotational
harmonics from the mating gear in a gear
pair [21] [20] [22]. The TSA process also reduces
the influence of non-synchronous vibration
Figure 10: Illustration of log-ratio computation for gear with bending fatigue damage.
excitations that might arise elsewhere in the
system, such as other rotating shafts, pumps,
bearings, etc. by a factor of 1/√r where r is the number of revolutions Equation 2a
used in the TSA process [21].
For gear ratios that are not 1:1, the TSA process can be performed Equation 2b
for each gear in the pair, such that the non-tooth-meshing-harmonic Where:
rotational harmonics can be monitored for damage independently iTSA = Integer multiple for TSA process.
on each gear. In the case of hunting tooth gear ratios, the non-tooth- An example of the output of the TSA process for one gear in the
meshing-harmonic rotational harmonics from the mating gear can be mesh is shown in Figure 9. This represents an averaged response of
eliminated, and for non-hunting tooth ratios, the non-tooth-meshing- the gear of interest over exactly one revolution, and each oscillation
harmonic rotational harmonics from the mating gear can be mini- represents the response from a specific individual tooth. The gear
mized. [22] As was previously discussed, the non-tooth-meshing-har- used in the computation of the data in Figure 9 had 41 teeth, which
monic rotational harmonics are the harmonics of primary interest corresponds to the 41 oscillations shown.
when monitoring for gear tooth damage.
After the previous step of resampling, each accelerometer data point 5.2.1 TSA BEHAVIOR WHEN MATING GEAR
now represents a discrete angular position of the gear, and thus rep- TO GEAR OF INTEREST IS DAMAGED
resents the location of a specific and repeatable roll angle and contact A rigorous explanation of why the damage response from each gear in
location on specific tooth working surfaces. The same angular positions a hunting tooth ratio gear pair can be separated is developed in [22].
(and thus the same contact locations) are represented by the interpo- An intuitive explanation of this behavior is as follows: In the case of
lated data on each subsequent revolution. The TSA process averages data a gear pair with a hunting tooth ratio, after the specified number of
points representing the same contact location from multiple revolu- rotations from Equations 2a and 2b, each tooth on the gear of interest
tions of the gear of interest, in order to produce an averaged signal for will have mated with each tooth on the mating gear exactly iTSA times.
exactly one rotation of the gear of interest. As is shown in [22], averaging In an example where only one tooth on the mating gear is dam-
over a specific number of rotations of the gear of interest (Equations 2a aged, after the TSA process every undamaged tooth on the gear of
and 2b) is required to minimize or eliminate the damage response from interest will have mated with the damaged mating tooth exactly iTSA
the mating gear. The value of iTSA will depend on the length of each times. Although the meshing action of an undamaged tooth on the
recorded vibration data “snapshot”. Larger values of iTSA will incorporate gear of interest with the damaged mating tooth will produce a change
more data into the average but will require longer samples of data at in transmission error and accelerometer response, this change will be
constant speed and constant loading. incorporated into the averaged signal on every undamaged tooth of

54     gearsolutions.com
the gear of interest exactly the same number
of times. Since the techniques employed here
are based on monitoring differences in trans-
mission error between teeth (by monitoring
non-tooth-meshing-harmonic rotational
harmonics), the damage response on the
non-damaged gear of interest is not affected.
The tooth meshing rotational harmonics of
the gear of interest will be affected, however
these are excluded from the ALR analysis.
Another way to visualize this behavior is
that the transmission error and accelerom-
eter response due to damage moves to differ-
ent locations of angular rotation on each sub-
sequent rotation of the gear of interest since
the damage is on the mating gear, and the
damaged tooth is “hunting” between all of
the undamaged teeth on the gear of interest.

5.2.2 TSA BEHAVIOR WHEN Figure 11: Computing ALR from log-ratios.
GEAR OF INTEREST IS DAMAGED
Following on the previous example, if the
gear of interest in a hunting tooth ratio
gear pair has exactly one damaged tooth,
the change in transmission error due to the
damage will remain in the same locations of
angular rotation on every revolution aver-
aged into the TSA signal. The change in
transmission error from the damaged tooth
will be incorporated into the TSA signal in
the same location of angular rotation.
N(d)iTSA times, where N(d) is the number of
teeth on the damaged gear of interest. This
will result in a TSA signal in which the accel-
erometer response on the damaged tooth Figure 12: Pitting damage on one meshing tooth pair.
is significantly different from the other
teeth on the gear of interest, since the other Where:
undamaged teeth on the gear of interest have only mated with other |y(n)|a = Amplitude of nth rotational harmonic, after potential
undamaged teeth on the mating gear. damage.
|y (n)|b = Amplitude of nth rotational harmonic, from baseline
5.3 DISCRETE FOURIER TRANSFORM data before damage.
The TSA signal for each gear is then processed using a fast Fourier When accelerometer measurements are used to monitor gear
transform (FFT) to examine the content of each TSA signal in the fre- health, there is inevitably a structural path between the location of
quency domain. No windowing function is needed, since the TSA sig- the meshing action of the gear teeth and the physical measurement
nal represents exactly one revolution of the gear of interest and thus location of the output of the accelerometer. Even when an acceler-
exactly one cycle of the fundamental rotational harmonic period. The ometer is mounted as closely as possible to the mesh, the vibration
end of the TSA signal marks the exact point where the signal would caused by the tooth meshing action must still travel through the
theoretically begin to repeat indefinitely (assuming constant speed, body of the gear, shafts, bearings, mounting structures, etc., before
loading and tooth condition). The FFT analysis is repeated separately the accelerometer can record it. This structural path introduces a
for the TSA signal of each gear in the pair. Figure 3 and Figure 4 show transfer function that can attenuate the frequency domain response
examples of the frequency domain data produced from this step. of the gear pair. A significant advantage of the ALR algorithm is by
taking the ratios of rotational harmonic amplitudes, the effect of the
5.4 AVERAGE LOG RATIO OVERVIEW transfer function between the gear mesh and accelerometer output
The average log ratio (ALR) algorithm is employed next to monitor for measurement location is cancelled out, thus the resultant ratio is
damage via analysis of the amplitudes of the rotational harmonics directly related to tooth damage. Furthermore, if rotational harmon-
computed from Fourier analysis of the TSA signals. A detailed descrip- ics that may already have small amplitudes experience a comparably
tion of the ALR algorithm is provided in [1] and examples of its applica- small change due to damage, the use of amplitude ratios allows these
tion are shown in [2], [4], [5] and [23]. It is defined as: harmonics to contribute significantly to the overall average despite
their relatively small amplitudes. [1] [3]

Equation 3 5.5 COMPUTING THE AVERAGE LOG RATIO

The ALR algorithm requires baseline vibration data in which the gear

October 2023     55
pair is known to be in an undamaged state.
The rotational harmonic amplitudes of the
TSA signal for each gear in the pair are com-
puted in this undamaged state at a constant
speed and constant torque. These rotational
harmonic amplitudes are stored for later use
as a baseline for comparison. An example of
a spectrum of baseline rotational harmonic
amplitudes |y (n)|b from an undamaged gear
up to the fifth tooth meshing harmonic (n =
5N) is shown in Figure 10a.
In a similar manner, vibration data is
then recorded from the gear in an unknown
state of damage, and the rotational harmon-
ic amplitudes are computed from the TSA
signals. This computation yields the “after
potential damage” rotational harmonic
amplitudes |y (n)|a. An example of a spec-
trum of rotational harmonics |y(n)|a from a
gear which has undergone a bending fatigue
failure is shown in Figure 10b.
The log ratio loge[|y(n)|a/|y(n)|b] is then
computed from the amplitude of each rota-
tional harmonic after potential damage to
before damage, yielding a log ratio spectrum
as shown in Figure 10c. Positive log ratio val-
Figure 13: ALR, FM4, and RMS computations from pitting fatigue failure.
ues indicate that the rotational harmonic
amplitude at the time under consideration
has increased relative to the baseline, likewise
negative values indicate a decrease. The base-
line rotational harmonics |y(n)|b are taken
from data where the gear is subject to similar
speed as in the after potential damage data.
The average log ratio (ALR) is then computed
by taking an average of the absolute value of
the log ratio spectrum values as shown in
Figure 11. Averages are computed from the
log ratios in windows that exclude the tooth
meshing harmonics as well as applicable side-
bands. [1] Figure 11a shows a log-ratio spec-
trum of an undamaged gear compared to the
baseline, while Figure 11b shows the log-ratio
spectrum of the same gear (also from Figure
10b), which has undergone a bending fatigue
failure as compared to the baseline.
Unless damage present on the teeth
contributes exactly the same change in
transmission error to every tooth, the dam-
age will manifest itself as changes in the
rotational harmonics between the tooth
meshing harmonics. Increasing values of
ALR on non-tooth-meshing harmonics sig-
nify changes (either increases or decreases)
in these rotational harmonic amplitudes,
thereby implying non-uniform changes on Figure 14: ALR, FM4, and RMS computations from bending fatigue failure on Gear 1.
the tooth working surface(s). This change in
the log-ratio values between tooth meshing harmonics on a dam- the ALR value of individual windows, for example n = 0 to n = N, n = N
aged gear is evident in Figure 11b. to n = 2N, etc., may be tracked separately in order to extract additional
ALR may be computed as an average over several windows, information about the type of damage and progression to failure [4]
for example from zero to the fifth tooth meshing harmonic [5] [24]. In either case, the ALR value(s) are recorded for the particular
(n = 0 to n = 5N). This type of overall average value will provide a gen- data snapshot and their trends are tracked over time as shown in the
eral assessment of whether any type of damage is present. Alternately following section.

56     gearsolutions.com
October 2023     57
6 SAMPLE DATA
Four sample data sets are shown here from
tests that developed pitting, bending fatigue,
scuffing, and catastrophic loss of lubrication
failures. In all cases, one value of ALR was
computed up to the fifth tooth meshing har-
monic (n = 5N), excluding the tooth meshing
harmonics and one sideband.
For comparison, RMS and FM4 were also
computed from the same TSA signals used in
the calculation of ALR. RMS was computed
simply by taking the root-mean-square value
of the time domain TSA signal. FM4 was cal-
culated by first removing the tooth meshing
harmonics, each closest sideband, and the
first five low order harmonics from the fre-
quency domain TSA signal. An inverse FFT
was then used to go back to the time domain,
and kurtosis was computed on this signal
yielding FM4 [7] [23].
In all of the following figures, ALR is plot-
ted on the same scale regardless of the test
type. In all cases, an ALR threshold of 1.0 to 1.2
would be appropriate to set as failure criteria.
RMS and FM4 both have scales and thresholds
that vary much more significantly.
Figure 15: ALR, FM4, and RMS computations from scuffing failure.
6.1 PITTING (HERTZIAN FATIGUE)
FAILURE
Figure 12 shows an example of pitting dam-
age on a highly loaded spur gear pair with
a 1:1 ratio. This test was conducted at a con-
stant torque and speed. The meshing teeth
shown were the only teeth with pitting
damage present when the test was stopped.
Despite the fact that only one tooth on each
gear pitted, resulting in a modest pit size rela-
tive to the total available tooth working sur-
faces, the ALR response (Figure 13) shows the
clear onset and progression of damage. Since
the gear ratio in this test was 1:1, it was not
possible to differentiate between damage on
each gear in the pair through time synchro-
nous averaging.
Figure 13 also shows that FM4 did success-
fully detect the growth of the pit, however the
behavior of FM4 before damage was present
was somewhat less stable than ALR. RMS did
not successfully detect the onset of pitting.

6.2 BENDING FATIGUE FAILURE

Figure 14 shows an example of the ALR
response from a bending fatigue failure on
a very highly loaded hunting tooth ratio
spur gear test. This test was conducted at a
constant torque and speed. In this case, the
hunting tooth ratio allows the calculation of
the CI values for each gear in the pair. The Figure 16: ALR, FM4, and RMS computations from loss of lubrication failure.
ALR data for Gear 1 clearly shows the onset
and progression of bending fatigue failure near the end of the test. is represented by the plateau period in the Gear 1 ALR data in the last
Although it could have been stopped earlier, the test was allowed seven data points. The Gear 2 ALR data, which was computed from
to run until a single tooth on Gear 1 had broken off completely, which the same raw accelerometer data as the Gear 1 ALR data, shows that

58     gearsolutions.com
the damage response from the bending fatigue failure on Gear 1 was trends further upward also correlated with increases in out-of-mesh
able to be completely separated from the ALR data for Gear 2. This was oil temperature and friction loss.
made possible by using time synchronous averaging over the specific Figure 15 also shows FM4 does detect the onset of mild scuffing;
number of revolutions described in [22]. It should be noted the progres- however, as damage progresses to scuffing failure, the FM4 response
sion to failure in this case was rapid due to the highly loaded nature becomes less consistent. In contrast, ALR remains at an elevated value
of the test. Bending fatigue failures at more moderate loads have been once significant scuffing damage is present. RMS is shown to be very
found to progress more slowly with additional time between damage torque dependent but does not provide significant information in
initiation and complete tooth breakage. regard to scuffing progression.
Figure 14 also shows that FM4 did successfully detect the onset
of bending fatigue failure on Gear 1. The behavior of FM4 after the 6.4 LOSS OF LUBRICATION FAILURE
tooth was damaged, where ALR reached and remained at a plateau, Figure 16 shows an example of the ALR response from a loss of lubrica-
was not as consistent. It is interesting to note that the FM4 response tion test on a pair of spur gears. Similar to the scuffing test outlined
for Gear 2 was also successfully separated from the Gear 1 response. in Figure 15, the gears are run at a constant speed with progressively
This is due to the fact that the FM4 values were processed from the increasing torque as indicated. In this case, the oil to the gear mesh
same TSA signal as the ALR data. RMS did not successfully detect the is turned off at each torque for a fixed period of time, as indicated by
bending fatigue failure in this case. the intervals in Figure 15. This test protocol was introduced in addi-
tional detail in [25]. Oil is then turned back on during the transition
6.3 SCUFFING FAILURE to each higher torque step if failure is not detected. The ALR response
Figure 15 shows an example of the ALR response from a scuffing clearly shows an initial scuffing event during the first instance of
test on a pair of spur gears. In this type of test, the gears are run oil-off. The presence of this initial scuffing event was confirmed on
at a constant speed but are subjected to increasing torque levels as preliminary tests by visual inspection. This test then progressed to
indicated in Figure 15. Torque is increased in a stepwise manner until quasi-steady state operation at progressively higher torques, followed
a scuffing failure is achieved. Scuffing failures can progress slowly by catastrophic failure at the highest torque. The ALR response shows
in some cases, starting as mild non-progressive scuffing on one or increasing damage during the second to last torque step, followed by
several teeth, followed by runaway catastrophic scuffing at higher catastrophic failure during the last step. As in previous examples,
loads. Figure 15 shows the ALR response can be somewhat torque once damage is present, the ALR signal remains elevated. FM4 also
dependent before failure occurs; however, the authors have found clearly detected the onset of catastrophic failure in this case; how-
this behavior is very predictable on undamaged gears. At the “onset ever, the increasing damage during the next to last step, as well as
of mild scuffing” point indicated, the ALR trends at both low and high the initial scuffing damage, were not as apparent. RMS also did suc-
torques start to trend upward. During preliminary tests, the onset cessfully detect catastrophic failure in this case, as well as the initial
of mild scuffing was confirmed by stopping the test between load scuffing failure; however, the RMS response varied more than ALR
steps for visual inspection. The “scuffing failure” point where ALR as test conditions changed throughout the test.

October 2023     59
 [8] H. Ozturk, I. Yesilyurt and M. Sabuncu, “Detection and Advancement
7 SUMMARY AND FUTURE WORK Monitoring of Distributed Pitting Failure in Gears,” Journal of Nondestructive
In conclusion, this article outlined the hardware and signal pro- Evaluation, vol. 29, pp. 63-73, 2010.
cessing techniques used in a gear health monitoring system imple-
[9] P. Kundu, A. K. Darpe and M. S. Kulkarni, “A correlation coefficient based
mented to evaluate gear health on four square power recirculating
vibration indicator for detecting natural pitting progression in spur gears,”
test rigs. Even angle resampling and time synchronous averaging Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, no. 129, pp. 741-763, 2019.
(TSA) were used in conjunction with the Average Log Ratio (ALR)
[10] P. D. McFadden, “Detecting Fatigue Cracks in Gears by Amplitude and Phase
to successfully detect pitting, bending fatigue, scuffing and loss of
Demodulation of the Meshing Vibration,” Journal of Vibration, Acoustics,
lubrication failures. ALR was shown to be a stable metric for moni- Stress, and Reliability in Design, vol. 108, pp. 165-170, 1986.
toring for all four of these failure modes, and in all cases, the ALR
[11] C. Hu, W. A. Smith, R. B. Randall and Z. Peng, “Development of a gear
response was shown to increase predictably as increasing amounts
vibration indicator and its application in gear wear monitoring,” Mechanical
of damage were developed. Systems and Signal Processing, no. 76-77, pp. 319-336, 2016.
The performance of ALR was also shown to be more consistent
[12] P. D. Samuel and D. J. Pines, “A review of vibration-based techniques for
than FM4 and RMS in these applications. Implementation of the gear
helicopter transmission diagnostics,” Journal of Sound and Vibration, vol.
health monitoring system described herein has significantly reduced 282, pp. 475-508, 2005.
false shutdowns, improved test rig uptime, and has provided critical
[13] P. D. Samuel, D. J. Pines and D. G. Lewicki, “A Comparison of Stationary
data relative to failure onset in the authors’ work.
and Non-Stationary Metrics for Detecting Faults in Helicopter Gearboxes,”
It was also shown that, in the case of hunting tooth ratios, it is pos- Journal of the American Helicopter Society, vol. 45, no. 2, pp. 125-136,
sible to use the TSA process to compute separate responses for each 2000.
gear in the pair, and that damage on one gear can be successfully
[14] J. J. Zakrajsek, D. P. Townsend, D. G. Lewicki and R. F. Handschuh,
isolated from the ALR or FM4 response of the mating gear. “Transmission Diagnostic Research at NASA Lewis Research Center,”
The techniques outlined here were developed for use in a single in Second International Conference on Gearbox Noise, Vibration, and
gear mesh under constant speed conditions. Future work includes Diagnostics, 1995.
development of techniques to implement the ALR algorithm in appli- [15] D. G. Lewicki, K. E. LaBerge, R. T. Ehinger and J. Fetty, “Planetary Gearbox
cations where speed may vary, and where multiple gear meshes may Fault Detection Using Vibration Separation Techniques,” NASA/TM—2011-
also be present. The authors also wish to compare ALR to several of 217127, 2011.
the other signal processing techniques in literature using the avail- [16] E. Bechhoefer, D. He and P. Dempsey, “Gear Health Threshold Setting
able data sets. Based On a Probability of False Alarm,” in Annual Conference of the
Prognostics and Health Management Society, 2011.
8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS [17] E. Bechhoefer and B. Butterworth, “A Comprehensive Analysis of the
The authors wish to express their appreciation to Jeremy Wagner, Performance of Gear Fault Detection Algorithms,” in Annual Conference of
John Deere, and Rolls Royce for the support of the testing outlined in the Prognostics and Health Management Society, 2019.
this paper, as well as the Gear Research Institute for the grant that [18] W. D. Mark, Performance Based Gear Metrology, Chichester, U.K.: John
made writing this article possible. Wiley and Sons, 2013.
[19] W. D. Mark, “Analytical approximations to damaged gear tooth transmis-
BIBLIOGRAPHY sion-error contributions for gear-health monitoring,” Proc IMechE Part C:J
[1] W. D. Mark, H. Lee, R. Patrick and J. D. Coker, “A simple frequency-domain Mechanical Engineering Science, vol. 230, pp. 1157- 1182, 2015.
algorithm for early detection of damaged gear teeth,” Mechanical Systems
[20] E. Bechhoefer and X. Zhang, “Improved Fault Detection by Appropriate
and Signal Processing, vol. 24, pp. 2807- 2823, 2010.
Control of Signal Bandwidth of the TSA,” in Annual Conference of the
[2] J. A. Hines and W. D. Mark, “Bending-fatigue damage-detection on Prognostics and Health Management Society, 2015.
notched-tooth spiral-bevel gears using the average-log-ratio ALR algorithm,”
[21] E. Bechhoefer and M. Kingsley, “A Review of Time Synchronous Average
Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, vol. 43, pp. 44-56, 2014.
Algorithms,” in Annual Conference of the Prognostics and Health
[3] W. D. Mark, “Behavior of the average-log-ratio ALR gear-damage detec- Management Society, 2009.
tion algorithm in cases of a single damage form,” Journal of Mechanical
[22] W. D. Mark, “Time synchronous averaging of gear meshing vibration trans-
Engineering Science, vol. 235, no. 9, pp. 4447-4457, 2021.
ducer responses for elimination of harmonic contributions from the mating
[4] M. E. Wagner, W. D. Mark and A. C. Isaacson, “Implementation of the gear and the gear pair,” Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, Vols.
Average-Log-Ratio ALR gear-damage detection algorithm on gear-fatigue- 62-63, pp. 21-29, 2015.
test recordings,” Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, vol. 154,
[23] W. D. Mark and J. A. Hines, “Frequency-domain assesment of gear-tooth
2021.
bending-fatigue damage- progression using the average-log-ratio, ALR, algo-
[5] W. D. Mark, M. E. Wagner and A. C. Isaacson, “Early detection of gear- rithm,” Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, vol. 45, pp. 479-487,
tooth bending-fatigue damage by the Average-Log-Ratio ALR algorithm,” 2014.
Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, vol. 171, 2022.
[24] W. D. Mark, A. C. Isaacson and M. E. Wagner, “Transmission-error fre-
[6] P. Kundu, A. K. Darpe and M. S. Kulkarni, “A review on diagnostic and prog- quency-domain-behavior of failing gears,” Mechanical Systems and Signal
nostic approaches for gears,” Structural Health Monitoring, pp. 1-41, 2020. Processing, vol. 115, pp. 102-119, 2019.
[7] D. G. Lewicki, P. J. Dempsey, G. F. Heath and P. Shanthakumaran, “Gear [25] A. C. Isaacson and M. E. Wagner, “Oil-Off Characterization Method Using
Fault Detection Effectiveness as Applied to Tooth Surface Pitting Fatigue In-Situ Friction Measurement for Gears Operating Under Loss-of-Lubrication
Damage,” NASA/TM—2009-215667, 2009. Conditions,” in AGMA Fall Technical Meeting Proceedings, 2018.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Matthew Wagner and Aaron Isaacson are with the Applied Research Laboratory – Pennsylvania State University. Dr. William D. Mark is with the
Applied Research Laboratory and Graduate Program in Acoustics – Pennsylvania State University.

60     gearsolutions.com
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October 2023     61
 PRODUCT
SHOWCASE NEW PRODUCTS, TRENDS, SERVICES & DEVELOPMENTS

the best quality tools, and now they can stay

ahead of the game with the FX7 ULTRA,” said
Pat Boland, ANCA co-founder. “After years
of dedicated research and development, the
FX7 ULTRA is set to revolutionize the way we
manufacture small tools.”

MORE INFO www.anca.com

Fixtureworks offers
TG GripSerts for
low-profile clamping
Fixtureworks®, a leading North American
manufacturer and supplier of clamps, fix-
turing accessories, machine tool components,
and rollers and bumpers now offers a line of
low-profile inserts called GripSerts.
These grippers are made to grip steel
workpieces. With only 3.5 mm of clamp sur-
Designed for small tools, the new FX7 ULTRA is the latest game-changing innovation in ANCA’s premium ULTRA
face needed to securely hold the workpiece,
machine range. (Courtesy: ANCA)
TG GripSerts workholding grippers are ideal
for 5-axis machining operations. Because of
ANCA’s FX7 ULTRA motion.
 System and mechanical upgrades
the geometry of the grippers, the inserts cre-
ate a pull-down effect that prevents any lift-
offers unparalleled enhance stiffness and rigidity. ing of the workpiece while clamping. These

accuracy for small tools  In-process measuring, balancing and

runout compensation for consistent accuracy.
durable inserts combine a tough-coated
cemented carbide with specialized teeth and
With exceptional accuracy and quality,  Motor Temperature Control (MTC) – triangular shapes that are uniquely designed
ANCA’s FX7 ULTRA takes small tool manu- ANCA’s patented innovation. to penetrate steel.
facturing to new heights.  Specialist training support from ANCA TG GripSerts workholding inserts offer
“The FX7 ULTRA introduces cutting-edge engineering experts on how to grind perfect many advantages over traditional clamping
technologies that revolutionize precision cutting tools. systems. Their special triangular shape with
grinding for small tools down to 0.1mm The FX7 ULTRA not only grinds tools fast- a 5° tapering and teeth geometry combine
diameter,” said Darren Fox, ANCA product er than other machines, but also produces to provide exceptional clamping stability
manager. “If you produce tools such as ball- tools with both finer surface finishes and with no need for pre-machining or dovetail-
nose, corner radius endmills, and complex greater accuracy — which means superior ing workpieces. They are designed to absorb
or intricate profile tools, then this machine tool performance and quality. and dampen vibrations, providing secure
is for you.” “The ULTRA technology has enabled pro- and stable holding at lower clamping forces,
New software, hardware, and design fea- duction of high-quality small tools with the which prevents deformation of the work-
tures significantly improve surface finish, capability to grind down to a size as small as piece. This results in a higher cutting rate
accuracy, and controlled runout, ensuring 0.1mm,” Fox said. “The nanometer control and less waste of materials than traditional
batch consistency from the first ground tool enables micro-adjustments for smoother axis clamping systems. TG GripSert carbide grip-
to the last. These advancements ensure that movement resulting in optimal tool geometry, per inserts are designed for ultra-low profile
the FX7 ULTRA is the go-to solution for preci- ensuring superior cutting performance and 0.14 in. (3.25 mm).
sion grinding in industries that rely on small surface finish. These advancements will have With only 3.5mm of clamp surface
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tions, medical devices, aerospace, automo- range, enabling precise and efficient grinding GripSert workholding inserts are ideal for
tive, diemold, and general machining. operations for a variety of applications.” 5-axis machining operations. These durable
Features of the FX7 ULTRA include: “Our customers who supply to industries inserts can penetrate materials including
 One nanometer control system. where intricate and precise machining oper- steel, hardened steel/titanium (up to 50-54
 New servo control algorithm for smooth ations are paramount are always striving for HRC) as well as aluminum.

62     gearsolutions.com
 machine tool to the simulating computer.
This feature allows operators to use real-time
data to mirror exact machine tool functions
and behaviors to optimize performance.
The OSP-P500 is designed with the user
in mind. Built on a Microsoft Windows,
open-architecture platform, coupled with
FXW-205 Fixtureworks TG Gripserts along with a typical vise formation. (Courtesy: Fixtureworks) on-board conversational programming
capabilities, the OSP-P500 is among the easi-
A retrofit GripSerts vise jaw kit is avail- the OSP- P500 is designed to enhance user est machine controls to program on the mar-
able, including jaw pair, wrench, and screw experiences and fully optimize modern ket. Additionally, new ergonomic features,
pack for a Kurt 6” vise. TG GripSert grippers manufacturing operations. including screen tilt and swivel capabilities,
and jaws can also be used with all TriMax The OSP-P500 is designed with today’s allow for comfortable machine operation by
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finish pre-machined insert seats, you can operations in mind. The new control comes As modern manufacturing practices
also install GripSerts on any custom jaws or standard with dual-core computer processors become more reliant on digital data collec-
clamping devices. The suggested clamping which provide increased levels of machine tion, assessment, and transfer, the need for
force is 30 ft.lb. For correct clamping, make processing power by enabling multiple pro- data protection is paramount. The Okuma
sure to use the proper screw length for your cesses to operate simultaneously. This results OSP-P500 is designed with robust protec-
specific vise. Proper length is determined in reduced cycle times per machined part tive features to manage data exposure
by adding the thickness of the TG GripSert and shortened production run times. The risks, including, tamper-proof protection;
jaws and the depth of the thread of your vise. dual-core processors also provide redundant whitelisting of the machine’s API; anomaly
Accessories are also available such as the operations, thus ensuring uninterrupted detection; required operator identification
exclusive Snap-in parallels, available in vari- machining operations. and authentication; and regularly scheduled
ous heights and sold in pairs. The self-locking Most notably, the OSP-P500 is fully software and data back-ups.
design of the parallels allows for the quick equipped with Digital Twin Technology, a In addition to its smart, cutting-edge
and easy installation on the TG GripSert jaws technology that enables high-precision machining performance capabilities, the
with no additional tools, and the aluminum machining simulations to be created on a OSP-P500 is also designed with the envi-
protective covers (TG-PRO) in the empty computer, while also providing real-time ronment in mind. The new control comes
pockets that keep out dirt and debris. data feedback loops from the operational standard with Okuma’s proprietary ECO
In addition to TG GripSerts, Fixtureworks
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custom gear
boxes
Okuma debuts
next-generation
CNC machine control
The leadership team at Okuma America
Corporation announced the launch of the ISO9001:2015 & AS9100D,
company’s next-generation machine con- ITAR Registered, NIST.SP800-171R1,
trol for its expansive line of CNC (computer Trace Certified,
numeric control) machine tools. The new
Class 100 clean room Gears 2mm to 500mm
control — the Okuma OSP-P500 — is the com-
pany’s latest innovation within its OSP con-
trol line which dates back to 1963. Leveraging Nordex.com I [email protected] I [email protected]
the OSP line’s 60-year history, coupled with 800-243-0986 I 203-775-4877
today’s digital transformation technologies,

October 2023     63
 PRODUCT
SHOWCASE

suite plus technology, a collection of digital

features that monitor, control, and perfectly
balance energy consumption with optimal
machining performance.
Additionally, the ECO suite plus applica-
tion affords the ability to report on CO2 emis-
sions at the machine level.
Notable features of the OSP-P500 CNC
control:
 Two sizes: 15” screen or 21.5” screen
based on machine size.
 Space-saving, modern design.
 Ergonomic tilt and swivel capabilities.
 QWERTY keyboard.
 Full-color touchscreen.
 Pulse handle options available.
 Windows-based operating system.
 Open architecture platform for integra- An inside view of the Profilator 300-V by German Machine Tools of America. (Courtesy: GMTA)
tion to Apps on Okuma App Store.
T he OSP-P500 made its Wester n-
hemisphere debut at the Gosigerfest event in
GMTA introduces This modular machine platform used to
cut gears is equipped with one or two work-
September. It will be available for purchase new Profilator 300-V piece spindles in a compact design. It offers
in the Americas beginning in the Fall of 2023
on select Okuma machine tool models. The
with linear drives maximum flexibility due to modular design
and is individually configurable for various
new control will become available on a wider German Machine Tools of America (GMTA), machining processes (i.e. SCUDDING®, hob-
variety of Okuma models throughout 2024. Ann Arbor, Michigan, is now selling bing, cycloidal milling, pointing, chamfer-
Profilator 300-V with linear drives in the ing, and deburring). State-of-the-art linear
MORE INFO www.okuma.com/cnc-osp-p500 North American market. drives in the X and Y axis, as well as a torque

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York 14302-0235| T.| 905.356.1327
T. 905.356.1327| F.| 905.356.1817
F. 905.356.1817
P.O. Box 235, Niagara Falls, New York 14302-0235 | T. 905.356.1327 | F. 905.356.1817

CUSTOM SYSTEMS
To explore how CAN-ENG’s customFOR
systemsCUSTOM PRODUCTS
can help with your individual needs
visit us online www.can-eng.com or email [email protected]

To explore how
64     gearsolutions.com
CAN-ENG’s custom
systems can help with
drive in the A axis offers high machine for this environmentally friendly machine. It machine shop floor, resulting in highly effi-
dynamics for short cycle times and maxi- saves energy and money by not requiring a cient, productive operations with optimized
mum accuracy/low costs. High machine coolant and extraction system. Lower operat- processes, reduced downtime and minimized
rigidity is available for HARD SCUDDING ® ing costs are achieved thanks to a reduction waste. Renishaw will demonstrate how
of inner and outer diameters. in energy costs and media supply. Central delivers the factory of the future at
Additional features include an intuitive the Quality Show, October 24-26 in Rosemont,
user interface for easy setup and program- MORE INFO www.gmtamerica.com Illinois, and at WESTEC, held at the Long
ming and is industry 4.0 ready (optionally Beach Convention Center in Long Beach,
equipped with additional sensors). Various California November 7-9. The exhibit (booth
automation concepts are easily adaptable. Renishaw Central data #1027 at Quality and #2045 at WESTEC) will
The 300-V is easy to set up and maintain due feature Renishaw’s Central platform, and
to the “walk-in” machining area. An option- platform delivers factory other smart manufacturing solutions, includ-
al tool charger is available for maximum
machining efficiency.
of the future, today ing the Renishaw Equator™ gauging systems.
Renishaw Central collects metrology, sta-
All Profilator machines are designed for Renishaw Central is a new smart-manufac- tus, and alarm data from connected devices
dry machining. This brings several advan- turing data platform that collects, presents, across the shop floor. Devices include additive
tages such as an optimized machining area, and initiates accurate process and metrology manufacturing (AM) systems, on-machine
no coolant, and no coolant mist. The inverted, data. The platform connects to measurement measurements systems, shop floor gauging,
vertical spindle(s) allow free chip fall into the devices across the manufacturing process and coordinate measuring machines (CMMs).
central chip conveyor at the bottom, while no and provides valuable insights that manufac- With insight into the process performance
coolant means no washing of the workpiece turers can use to analyze, identify, predict, of each workstation, manufacturers have a
is required, and the lack of coolant mist signi- and correct process errors before they occur. better understanding of where to take correc-
fies an extraction system isn’t needed. Renishaw’s new Central manufacturing tive measures. In unattended processes, the
Users of the Profilator 300-V reap benefits connectivity and data platform is poised to status of devices can be monitored remotely.
regarding the environment, energy efficien- transform the productivity, capability, and If any errors occur, they are detected and
cy, investment, and operating costs. There efficiency of manufacturing operations. displayed within the Central platform’s dash-
is no carryover of the coolant outside the The new data-driven manufacturing solu- boards or other third-party applications.
machine. Therefore, no disposal is required tion brings the power of connectivity to the “The platform operates on-premises,

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October 2023     65
PRODUCT
SHOWCASE

Renishaw provides solutions for tool set-

ting, broken tool detection, component set-
up, in-cycle gauging and first-off component
inspection, with automatic offset updates.

MORE INFO www.renishaw.com

New Walter tap generates

short chips, produces
best thread surfaces
Walter has launched the TC130 Supreme tap-
ping tool with a new patent-pending geom-
etry for improved surface quality even when
Renishaw Central, the smart manufacturing data platform, connects multiple machines and devices across the threading large batch sizes. Straight grooves
shop floor. (Courtesy: Renishaw) produce short, controllable chips, resulting
in high process reliability when threading
allows shop administrators to own their data, show dedicated to connecting quality with the TC130 tap. In turn, the special geom-
and ensures that process control is automat- manufacturing professionals with process etry means that the fine surface finish of the
ed without depending on an internet connec- improvement vendors. WESTEC is part of threads is maintained longer, so the tap does
tion,” said Brandon Golab, machine tool prod- the Manufacturing Technology Series that not need to be replaced prematurely because
uct manager at Renishaw Inc. “Connectivity, includes EASTEC, SOUTHTEC, and HOUSTEX. of decreasing thread quality.
consistency and control drives confidence The Renishaw exhibit for both shows includes To achieve this capability, the last thread
and, in turn, the development of future fac- examples of essential process control rou- in the chamfer section of the tap is designed
tory concepts.” tines, along with the latest advancements for to “finish” the thread. This results in an
The Quality Show is a three-day trade- precision component measurement. excellent thread surface.

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66     gearsolutions.com
 The tap with axial internal coolant has a 2023, October 24-26. In booth #1509 at the For turning, Ceratizit will highlight index-
tough HSS-E substrate to prevent fractures Greenville, South Carolina, show, the com- able inserts and the KOMtronic U-axis system.
and total breakage. The innovative WY80EH pany will feature innovative cutting tool With common steel turning operations in
HiPIMS coating improves wear resistance solutions that prepare shops of all sizes to mind, Ceratizit’s standard coated-carbide
and thread quality, and the tool features an machine a broad spectrum of materials and ISO-P steel insert grades are highly engi-
additional WY80AA titanium nitride (TiN) improve sustainability. neered for increased productivity and feature
coating to provide the best thread quality. A “We listen to our customers,” said Dan advanced substrates and geometries.
chamfered guide section prevents fractures Cope, executive vice president of Cutting From Ceratizit’s X7 Line of index-
at the end of the profile. Tools, Ceratizit USA. “Shops of all sizes are able inserts, the company’s CTPX710 and
With the ability to cut blind-hole threads faced with machining a variety of materials CRPX715 are designed specifically for diffi-
up to 3.5 × DN, the TC130 Supreme tap is tar- or new materials to stay competitive, and we cult to machine materials. The X7 Line turn-
geted for applications in general mechanical are meeting the challenge with them.” ing grades are next generation, high-perfor-
engineering and the energy industry, such as
for threading wind turbines. The tap is suit-
able for threading steel and cast iron (ISO P
and K workpiece groups). Also, the tool is

The
ideal for interference contours and series
production.
The TC130 Supreme tap has a tolerance
of 6HX and is available in a variety of dimen-
sions: UNC ¼ to UNC 1.0, M4 to M42 (metric),
Power
of One2
and MF10×1 to MF33×2. (metric fine)
The Walter lineup of products consists of
three categories of tools. Supreme tools (such
as the TC130) indicate the highest level of tech-
nology and performance available. Advance
tools indicate products efficiently balanced Your Objective:
between price and performance, and Perform One face in perfect alignment with another. For infinity.
tools are products that provide an economical
solution with focused importance on price.
Walter, a global leader in the metalwork-
ing industry for more than 100 years, offers
a wide range of precision tools for milling,
turning, drilling and threading applica-
tions. The company helps customers in the
aviation and aerospace industries, automo-
tive, energy, and general metalworking
industry improve process reliability and
No problems. No distress. No delays.
increase productivity. As an innovative That’s the same objective you have for choosing your gear producer.
partner capable of creating digital process Circle Gear’s objective is to engage with every customer’s objectives.
solutions for optimal efficiency, Walter is
One to 1000 gears
pioneering Industry 4.0 throughout the
machining industry. With regional head- Customer designed or reverse engineered
quarters in Greer, South Carolina, Walter Gearbox repair, rebuild or redesign
markets its competence brands Walter,
OEM or end-users
Walter Titex, Walter Prototyp, and Walter
Multiply through a network of channel part- ISO 9001:2015 Certified
ners and field engineers across the United
States, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil.
1501 S. 55th Court, Cicero, IL 60804
(800) 637-9335
MORE INFO www.walter-tools.com/us (708) 652-1000 / Fax: (708) 652-1100
[email protected]
www.circlegear.com
Ceratizit will tackle
multiple materials with Spiral and Straight Bevel Gears (Cut, Ground or Lapped) • Spur Gears • Helical Gears •
Long Shafts • Herringbone Gears • Involute and Straight Sided Splines • Internal Gears •

offerings at SOUTHTEC Worm and Worm Gears • Racks • Sprockets • ISO Certified

Partnering with QualityReducer to provide

Shop readiness was top of mind when Gearbox repair, rebuilding and reverse-engineering.
Ceratizit planned its line-up for SOUTHTEC

October 2023     67
PRODUCT
SHOWCASE

mance substrates that offer outstanding per- The MaxMill Slot-SX is

formance when machining steel, stainless a milling cutter system
steel, superalloys, and non-ferrous metals. that closes the gap
of milling tools with
Both ISO-P and X7 Line inserts are rein-
indexable inserts to
forced with an AITin-based coating applied machine steel, stainless
by the company’s proprietary Dragonskin steel, cast iron, non-
coating technology. The microstructure of ferrous and HRSA.
the coating has been optimized to resist heat, Internal coolant holes
less tool wear, and process security. ensure optimum chip
For non-rotationally symmetrical parts, control. Ceratizit will
feature it at SOUTHTEC.
Ceratizit’s freely programmable KOMtronic
(Courtesy: Ceratizit)
U-axis system makes any turning and con-
touring operation possible. When combined
with custom-made front tools and the opti-
mum selection of inserts, the system success-
fully performs contours in bores as well as
external machining operations. Additionally, based alloys respectfully. The inserts cross- wide range of applications. The tools provide a
the system allows shops to use standard over to other HRSA materials as well, includ- high value-to-performance ratio, an H6 shank
machines. ing Inconel. tolerance, unequal index, and variable helix.
SOUTHTEC guests seeking milling solu- The MaxMill Slot-SX is a milling cutter Additionally, the four flute P007 and five flute
tions can visit Ceratizit’s booth for insert system that closes the gap of milling tools P556 designs will set the stage for new prod-
grades to machine heat-resistant superalloys with indexable inserts to machine steel, ucts Ceratizit has planned in 2024.
(HRSA), slot milling cutters, and solid carbide stainless steel, cast iron, non-ferrous and “It is our responsibility on behalf of our
end mills. HRSA. Internal coolant holes ensure opti- customers to look to the future,” said Cope.
Ceratizit’s CTCS245 and CTC5240 inserts mum chip control. “We will bring that forward thinking to the
also include Dragonskin coating technology Ceratizit’s P007 and P556 solid carbide end show in October.”
and were specifically developed for milling mills are protected with the Dragonskin coat-
applications of nickel-based and titanium- ing and built for roughing and finishing for a MORE INFO www.cuttingtools.ceratizit.com

YOU’VE GOT THE PRODUCTS.

YOU’VE GOT THE SERVICES.
NOW, LET US SHARE YOUR STORY.
Gear Solutions wants to make sure the best possible audience
knows your company. Through our print, online, and social
media presence, our experienced staff can get your message
to an industry that wants to know what you can do.

To learn more, contact vice president for sales

Dave Gomez at [email protected]
or call 800.366.2185 ext. 207

68     gearsolutions.com
 TRUE DIMENSION 50th
GEAR INSPECTION ™
1973 2023
A NNIV ER SARY

ANNOUNCING THE NE WEST PRODUC T DEVELOPM™ENTS

MODEL 8600-Z MEASURES OD 0MM – 300MM

• ADJUSTABLE Z AXIS FOR FLEXIBLE PART LOCATION.
• IDEAL FOR INSPECTING ASSEMBLIES AND PARTS WITH
MULTIPLE GEARS OR SPLINES
• NO PLATENS REQUIRED • EVEN AND ODD TEETH FLEXIBILITY
• DOUBLE ROLLER BEARING PLATEN LOCATOR FOR RIGIDITY

MODEL 8600-30G MEASURES OD 0MM – 760MM

• SAME GREAT FEATURES AS ALL STANDARD 8600 MODELS
• FOUR POSITION TAILSTOCKS FOR MULTIPLE GAUGING
CENTERLINES
• 300LBS PART LOADING CAPACITY
• GRANITE GAUGE BASE

MODEL 2000-VC MEASURES OD 0MM – 75MM

• +/- .001MM REPEATABILITY • VERTICAL CENTER PART LOCATOR
• SEALED DIGITAL READOUT SYSTEM WITH INCH/METRIC
CAPABILITIES
• ABILITY TO INSPECT EVEN AND ODD TOOTH GEARS AND SPLINES
• INTERCHANGEABLE LOWER CENTERS TO ACCOMMODATE FAMILIES
OF PARTS

SHOP HARDENED • CUSTOM BUILDS & TOOL ING AVA IL ABLE • FLEX IBLE DESIGN

851 OHIO PIKE – CINCINNATI, OHIO – 513-752-6000 – [email protected]

October 2023     69
 MARKET
PLACE Performance
Dependability
Contact Gear Solutions SPECIALISTS IN PRECISION Value
at 800-366-2185 to CONTROLLED HEAT TREATING
• GAS CARBURIZE & NITRIDE
feature your business • PRESS/PLUG/ROLL QUENCH
in the Marketplace! • NEUTRAL & PRECIPITATION HARDEN
• VACUUM CARBURIZE
• SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

PERFORMANCE ~ INTEGRITY ~ IMPROVEMENT

• CERTIFIED WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESS
• NADCAP ACCREDITED
• ISO 9001:2015 • AS9100D • IATF 16949:2016

www.sst.net • 586.293.5355 • [email protected]

1.866.HOB.TOOL
w w w . h o b s o u r c e . c o m

#3 Fellows
Gear Shaper
with Fanuc 4
Axis CNC

SERVICING FELLOWS GEAR SHAPERS

SERVICING FELLOWS
The Voice of Manufacturing On Site Service: Emergency & Scheduled
GEAR SHAPERS
Technical Support: Via Telephone, Fax or E-mail
every Tuesday On SiteOperator,
Training: Service:Set-up
Emergency & Scheduled
& Maintenance (Electrical
www.mfgtalkradio.com & Mechanical)
Technical Support: Via Telephone or E-mail
Preventive Maintence Plan: Customized to Your Needs
Training:
Parts: Operator,
New and/or UsedSet-up & Maintenance
(Electrical
Retrofi & Mechanical)
ts - Counters, Servo Controllers, or Single and
with Multiple Axis CNC
Preventive Maintenance Plan: Customized
Lewis Weiss Hydrostatic Guides: Repair Service or Purchase New
to Your Needs
and Allen
Parts:Adams
New and/or Used
Tim Grady SHAPER SERVICES, Inc.
ALLEN ADAMS SHAPER SERVICES, INC.
Retrofits: Counters, Servo Controllers, or
174 Innovation Drive N. 174 Innovation Drive • North Clarendon, VT 05759
Single and Multiple Axis CNC
Clarendon, VT 05759 Telephone: 802-226-7891
Hydrostatic
Telephone: and Mechanical Guides: Repair
802-226-7891 E-mail: [email protected]
Service
E-mail: or Purchase New
[email protected] Website: www.shaperservices.com
Website: www.sharperservices.com

We have the world’s largest stock

of used late-model Fellows Gear Shapers
WE OWN WHAT WE SELL, AND WE KNOW WHAT WE’RE SELLING!
HOB & SKIVE CUTTER SHARPENING BY PROFESSIONALS…
FOR THE PROFESSIONAL GEAR MANUFACTURER. • Fellows 10-4 gear shaper with Fanuc OI 4 axis • Fellows 4B steering sector gear machine with
color screen control. (2023 100% rebuild) Fanuc 16 control. Has not been used since 100%
• HOB SHARPENING rebuild
• Fellows 20-4 gear shaper with Fanuc OI 4 axis
• SKIVING & SHAPER CUTTER color screen control. (2023 100% rebuild) • Fellows 36-6 gear shaper with 6" riser. (Has had
a partial rebuild)
SHARPENING • Pfauter P1251 vertical gear hobber (mint condition)
• BROACH SHARPENING • Fellows 50-8 Hydrostroke gear shaper
• Fellows FS 630-200 Hydrostroke gear shaper with
• STRIPPING, EDGE Fanuc 16MB 6 axis color screen control. (Excellent) • Fellows 50-12 Hydrostroke gear shaper
PREPARATION & PVD COATINGS • Barber Colman 15-56 gear hobber with extended • Gleason/Pfauter GP 300 ES gear shaper
over arm. (Excellent) (excellent)
www.IndexTechnologiesInc.com
216-642-5900 REMANUFACTURED
RETROFITTING 860-223-7778
Fax: 216-642-8837 • Email: [email protected] CUSTOM MACHINES www.NewEnglandGear.com
5755 Canal Road, Valley View, OH 44125

70     gearsolutions.com
ADVERTISER
INDEX See us at
Booth 2526

CONTENTS PAGE NO. www.toolink-eng.com

303-776-6212
www.toolink-eng.com 303-776-6212
Aalberts Surface Technologies ...............................................................15

ALD Vacuum Technologies.....................................................................14

Allen Adams Shaper Services.................................................................70

All Metals & Forge Group.................................................................. 3, 70

Precision products
for gear and rotor
American Clean Power...........................................................................66

Atlas Bronze.........................................................................................49

Avers Machine and Gear........................................................................13

B&R Machine and Gear Corp.................................................................17

manufacturing
Precision Products for Gear and Rotor Manufac
Broach Masters Inc...............................................................................53
Hydraulic & Mechanical
Can-Eng...............................................................................................64
Hydraulic &• Arbors
Drewco.................................................................................................51
Mechanical•• Chucks
Fixtures
Excel Gear Inc......................................................................................19 Clamping • Special Flanges

Federal Broach & Machine Company .....................................................12

__________________________________________________________________
Forest City Gear...................................................................................IFC CNC Gear Cutting Mach
• Hobbers
Hobsource............................................................................................70 • Shapers
• VTL’s (vertical turning la
Horn USA, Inc. ....................................................................................20

Index Technologies Inc..........................................................................70

CNC Gear & Thread Gr
Involute Gear & Machine.......................................................................18 CNC Gear Cutting Machines
• Gear Flank – Profile
• Gear Flank – Continuous
KHK-USA.............................................................................................57 • Spiral Bevel Cutters & G
• External & Internal Threa
KISSsoft USA LLC................................................................................13

Liebherr..................................................................................................1

Nidec Machine Tool America................................................................. BC

Machine
TendingMachine
– Part Tending – Part
New England Gear.........................................................................6–7, 70
Auto-loading
• Compact
• Flexible
CNC-Boxy M
Nordex.................................................................................................63
• Economical Design
Oelheld US Inc ....................................................................................16 • Short Run or Lights Ou
__________________________________________________________________
OTEC Precision Finishing.......................................................................37

P&G Machine & Supply Co. Inc..............................................................16

Tool Sharpening Machin
Piselli Enterprises Inc................................................................ 5, 25, IBC • Compact, Flexible, w/Int

Platinum Tooling Technologies................................................................12

Tool Sharpening Machine•• –Can Sharpen Virtually all
Including Hobs & Shaper

Reishauer...............................................................................................9
5-Axis CNC • Swiss Quality & Precisio
__________________________________________________________________

RHH Inc...............................................................................................31

Solar Atmospheres ...............................................................................41

Southern Gear & Machine........................................................................9 CNC Gear &

For additional information contact Joe Passalacqua x101, [email protected]

SMT.....................................................................................................65 Thread Grinding

4665 Nautilus Pl. South, Ste 502A, Boulder CO 80301, Phone: 303-776-6212 www.Tooli

Specialty Steel Treating ........................................................................70 Machines

STD Precision Gear & Instrument Inc.....................................................31

Toolink Engineering Inc.........................................................................71

United Tool Supply................................................................................69

October 2023     71
 Q& A CHRIS WELLMAN
INTERVIEW WITH AN PRESIDENT  AVERS MACHINE
INDUSTRY INSIDER
IVAN TORRES
VICE PRESIDENT  AVERS MACHINE

“Before the Hera 90, we would run higher volume jobs on more
manual equipment, putting a lot of strain and load on the
operators; the Hera 90 brought us automation.”
Avers Machine recently partnered with Helios Gear Products to install all we had to do was go up to the control and change the number of
a new, automation-equipped Hera 90 CNC gear hobber. Avers’ Chris teeth; we never had to change the work arbor, never had to change
Wellman and Ivan Torres discuss the installation. the hob, and because of the CNC control and the accuracy of the
machine, we just put in exactly what size we wanted.
Who are your typical customers?
Wellman: Most of our niche customers are going to be OEM (orig- What are your top three favorite benefits of the machine and
inal equipment manufacturers), and we’re making a specialized what changes has it brought about?
component that goes into their assembly or into their machine to Wellman: Our top three are the capability of the machine, the
be used in whatever industry that they happen to be in. We’re a repeatability of the machine, and the accuracy of the machine. With
rack manufacturer; we’re a gear manufacturer. We’re a machining the Hera, we’ve been able to save so much time because the machine
company and we’ve become a little bit more of a one-stop shop for automatically goes back to the settings where we were successful.
our customers over the years. We’re using the same hob, the same tooling, and our setup times
have been significantly cut. We also appreciate the rigidity of the
As a leader at Avers Machine, what are your primary goals for now machine.
and how are you looking forward to the future?
Wellman: If we’re not changing and we’re not looking at some- What are cycle times now looking like with the Hera?
thing new, then we’re stagnant, which is not a good thing in our Wellman: In the Barber-Colman we were limited by a 600 RPM
industry because the technology is always changing; the tooling hob spindle. In the Hera, we’ve got 6,000 RPMs, so we’re not limited
is always changing, and you always need to be looking at the new at all, and it really becomes a limitation of how fast the tool can run.
things. We were running a high-speed steel hob that was coated so we were
able to ramp that up to 1,000 RPM without a problem. We even now
How did you first get connected with Helios, and what is the have the ability to utilize carbide hobs, which we have done on some
relationship today? jobs, and we can take that 1,000 RPM up to 2,000 or 3,000 RPMs. But
Wellman: We were always good friends with the people at Koepfer even more importantly, there’s a deburring disk in the Hera 90. The
America (formerly Helios Gear Products), and we always knew their deburring disk comes up and deburrs each part so all we need to do
products and had their equipment and machines. When I moved is just a very light brush when the part comes out of the machine,
over to Avers, we didn’t have any Koepfer machines or equipment, so which saves a tremendous amount of deburring and handling time.
we started a conversation with them. And it was probably about two
years later that we bought our first Helios machine. We knew that How has your manufacturing process changed since you added
they knew gearing, and they knew hobs, and they knew processes, the Hera 90?
and how to make everything, so it was a good relationship. Wellman: Before the Hera 90, we would run higher volume jobs
on more manual equipment, putting a lot of strain and load on the
What was the Hera 90 installation process like? operators. The Hera 90 brought us automation. Since we were able
Wellman: The machine came in, and we powered it up the next to make the tooling in-house with our own machine shop, we were
day. Then Helios was in the following day to start training and instal- up and running immediately. The machine is loading and unload-
lation. From the time that the machine hit our floor, we ran our first ing faster than any operator could do manually, and it takes all that
part three days later. Helios will answer all the questions, and they’ll load off of the operators.
send their service person and their tech person to help. Most com-
panies won’t send a person unless you give them a PO and they’re How is the Hera helping you prepare for the future?
going to charge you. When Helios says they’re there to support you Wellman: The Hera 90 platform allows us to do a couple of differ-
and help you, they really do mean that. ent things. It allows us to use our creativity and think outside the
box when it comes to making new tooling, and re-engineer jobs
How has the machine been working for you? so they can be so much smoother to set up and so much easier on
Torres: The machine has made us so much more productive. There our operators. The main focus is the accuracy and efficiency of the
are jobs that used to take a week, and now we are knocking them machine, and we’ve been able to save a lot of floorspace.
out in two days or less. It’s been a game-changer for us. We’ve done
spurs, helicals, worm gears, and now we’re doing worms, so basically
everything it’s made to do, we’ve run through it.
MORE INFO heliosgearproducts.com
Wellman: We ran seven jobs back-to-back on the same arbor and

72     gearsolutions.com
 Mitsubishi Model ST25 CNC 5 axis, Gleason Model 24A
guideless Gear Shaping machine straight Bevel Generator

2010 Liebherr LC 3000 CNC Gear Hobber

includes Hob Head

2005 Kashifuji Model KN80 6 axis CNC Fellows Model 7125A special
Gear Hobber, Fanuc controls guideless vertical Gear Shaper

Heckert Model ZFWVG 250 x 2000, 19” Diam x 80”

Gleason Model 350 GMM CNC Gear Testers, 2000 Gleason Model 600 HTL Turbo
cut length horizontal hobber with differential updated software 2016 & Renishaw probes Lapper, Fanuc 160I-M control

2012 Luren Model LFG-8040 CNC Gear 1982 Liebherr Model L-652 Gear Hobber, 2005 Gleason Model Phoenix 125GH CNC Fellows Model 36-8 12” Riser Cutter
Grinder, CNC dressing, Fanuc controls 26.6” max diameter, 2-cut, crowning 6-axis Gear Hobber, 180-position loaders Elevating Gear Shapers

325 N Miller Ave Statesville, NC 28677 THE #1 SOURCE FOR USED GEAR MEMBER
704.609.0766 • [email protected] MACHINERY — AND MORE!
www.pisellient.com Contact us to add your surplus machinery MEMBER
 CF26A
Gear Chamfering Machine

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