GEAR SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

CFD SIMULATION OF POWER LOSSES AND LUBRICANT FLOWS IN GEARBOXES

CFD Simulation of Power

Losses and Lubricant
Flows in Gearboxes
ISSUE FOCUS
Lubrication
Broaching

COMPANY PROFILE
JM Performance Products
MARCH 2018

MARCH 2018
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 Power Your Skiving
We offer you the complete solution: machine,
automation, tooling, cutter pre-setting, as well as
simulation and technology software. All working
together to produce internal and external cylindrical
gears many times faster with hard finish quality.

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2 gearsolutions.com
© Gleason Corporation. All rights reserved.
 FEATURES

JM Performance Products

28
By Kenneth Carter
JM Performance Products has established itself as a model
shop leader for manufacturing development and quality
control of precision-turned parts.

CFD Simulation of Power Losses and Lubricant

32 Flows in Gearboxes
By Franco Concli and Carlo Gorla
Growing interest in the energy efficiency of gearboxes has led to the use of Computational Fluid
Dynamics (CFD) to calculate load-independent power losses as well as lubricant flows.

Improving the Friction Power of Gears and Bearings

42 By Dipl.-Ing. Stefan Bill
Proper lubrication can extend the overall fatigue life of gears by a factor of 2.6.

Induction Gear Hardening: Part 2

46 By Dr. Valery Rudnev
The second in a two-part series, this installment addresses induction gear hardening by encircling
the whole gear or sprocket with an induction coil, also known as ‘spin hardening.’

Root Fillet Optimization of Gears with Asymmetric Teeth

52 By Dr. A.L. Kapelevich and Dr. Y.V. Shekhtman
An analysis of the benefits of optimizing the tooth root fillet of thin rim planet gears with
asymmetric teeth.

MARCH  2018 3
Manufacturers of:

and Universal Gear Company

1605 Industrial Drive
Auburn, CA 95603
Phone: (530) 885-1939
Fax: (530) 885-8157
 DEPARTMENTS
08


INDUSTRY
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.
Jergens Inc. expands custom fixture Kapp promotes Johannes Hoehn
building design and manufacturing to service manager

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

22 MATERIALS 56
PRODUCT 64 Q&A
MATTER SHOWCASE
Kris Renner
E. Buddy Damm
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
OPTIMIZING GEAR PERFORMANCE
Slater Tools
The most significant factors to consider when it comes
to the impact of steels on gear design, manufacturing,
and performance.

23


TOOTH
TIPS
Brian Dengel
IS IT STRONG ENOUGH?
The selection of plastic as a material for gearing
applications.

24

HOT
SEAT
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:
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Richmond Hill, ON L4B4R6. Copyright®© 2006 by Media Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.
OIL QUENCHANTS – UNDERSTANDING THE CHEMISTRY
(PART III) No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic
A discussion of the mechanism of quench oil, focusing on 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
oxidation, thermal degradation, contamination, and additive magazine, or who are not specifically employed by Media Solutions, Inc., are purely their own. All “Industry
depletion. News” material has either been submitted by the subject company or pulled directly from their corporate web
site, which is assumed to be cleared for release. Comments and submissions are welcome, and can be submitted
to editor@gearsolutions.com.

MARCH 2018
VOLUME 16 / NO. 3
Cover illustration: Shutterstock/Rick Frennea
 EDITOR'S
LETTER David C. Cooper
PUBLISHER

Chad Morrison
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

EDITORIAL
Kenneth Carter
Spring is ushering in big things EDITOR

Russ Willcutt
2018 seems to be flying by as we already head into spring. We at Gear Solutions are very CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
excited to announce that there’s more than just more daylight, flowers, and pollen ahead Jennifer Jacobson
for us — and for you, our readers. ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Next month is Gear Solutions’ 15th anniversary, and we are launching our new website
to coincide with the magazine’s milestone year.
Be on the lookout for email announcements that will give you a head’s up on our new
SALES
online look. I’m very proud and excited to share it with you soon. Chad Morrison
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
Our new online look won’t take a backseat to all the great content that we will continue
to offer both in print and on the internet. And our March issue is no exception. Dave Gomez
This month’s issue focuses on lubrication and broaching, and we’ve got a lot of great REGIONAL SALES MANAGER
material highlighting those topics and more.
A technical paper from Franco Concli and Carlo Gorla goes into great detail about CFD CIRCULATION
simulation of power losses and lubricant flows in gearboxes. An article from Rewitec focuses Teresa Cooper
on how proper lubrication can almost triple the overall fatigue life of gears. MANAGER
In addition to our focus articles, Dr. Valery Rudnev presents the second part of his paper
devoted to spin hardening by induction and the contour hardening of small- and medium-
Jamie Willett
ASSISTANT
size gears. And Alex Kapelevich discusses root fillet optimization of thin rim planet gears
with asymmetric teeth. Cole Morrison
ASSISTANT
In our Q&A, an official with Slater Tools talks about what strides her company has
made with CNC broaching and other important gear-manufacturing areas.
That information, as well as the wealth of knowledge you’ll find from our amazing col- ART
umnists, will certainly keep you busy while we get ready for an even more amazing April. Rick Frennea
Until then, enjoy March, and, as always, thanks for reading! CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Michele Hall
GRAPHIC DESIGNER

CONTRIBUTING
WRITERS
Kenneth Carter FRANCO CONCLI
Editor CARLO GORLA
Gear Solutions magazine A.L. KAPELEVICH
editor@gearsolutions.com Y.V. SHEKHTMAN
(800) 366-2185 x204 VALERY RUDNEV
STEFAN BILL
JUSTIN SIKORSKI
D. SCOTT MACKENZIE
E. BUDDY DAMM
BRIAN DENGEL
Vertical Logo

Coop w
PUBLISHED BY MEDIA SOLUTIONS, INC.
P. O. BOX 1987 • PELHAM, AL 35124
(800) 366-2185 • (205) 380-1580 FAX
David C. Cooper Chad Morrison
PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT
Teresa Cooper
OPERATIONS
6 gearsolutions.com
 FELLOWS 10-4 GEAR SHAPERS REMANUFACTURED IN 2017

Y ea h , w e ’v e got t h at!

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!

REMANUFACTURED
RETROFITTING
CUSTOM MACHINES
860-223-7778
www.NewEnglandGear.com

343 JOHN DOWNEY DRIVE • NEW BRITAIN, CT 06051-2907 • PHONE 860-223-7778 • FAX 860-223-7776 • JEFF@NEWENGLANDGEAR.COM
MARCH  2018 7
 INDUSTRY NEW TRENDS, SERVICES,

NEWS AND DEVELOPMENTS

Jergens Inc. expands custom fixture building design and manufacturing

Jergens Inc. is pleased to announce the
expansion of its offering by adding cus-
tom design and build workholding to its
existing Fixture-Pro®, multi-axis, and other
workholding products. The addition of
custom design and manufacturing capa-
bilities will enhance Jergens’ time to mar-
ket and allow customers to enhance their
manufacturing productivity with efficient
quick-change products.
“By adding custom products, Jergens
will provide a valuable solution for our
manufacturing customers who cannot use
a one-size-fits-all approach. Today’s appli-
cations are complex and unique, so our
value-added fixture designs will provide
our customers with an efficient, man-
ufacturing solution,” said Joe Cousins,
Workholding Director of Technical and
Business Development for Jergens Inc.
“The addition of custom design and build
workholding will allow us to support our
customers for both standard products and
custom needs.”
Jergens, Inc. is an ISO 9001:2008 certi-
fied company committed to helping its cus-
tomers achieve leaner, more profitable man-
ufacturing, and continues to add products
and engineered solutions for an integrated
approach to manufacturing efficiency. Jergens adds custom design
and build workholding such as
FOR MORE INFORMATION: this modified cross column with
www.jergensinc.com Drop & Lock pallet changers.
(Courtesy: Jergens Inc.)

Fox Business Network show spotlights United Tool Supply

The February 22 episode of Manufacturing
Marvels on Fox Business Network featured
gear inspection equipment manufacturer
United Tool Supply. The second-generation
family-owned company in Cincinnati, Ohio,
is celebrating 45 years.
Manufacturing Marvels®  productions
are designed to promote North American
manufacturing, North American-made
products, and North American manufac-
turing jobs. The two-minute pods also
spotlight companies’ processes and cus-
tomers.
The February Manufacturing Marvels
video focuses on the Unite-A-Matic™
series of f lexible gear inspection gauges
manufactured by United Tool Supply. It
was a game changer in the 1980s; three
decades later, original units are still on
shop floors, and new state-of-the-art units
continue to ship globally today.
In a company profile in Gear Solutions
magazine, Curtis Criswell, head of busi-
ness development, said, “We are able to
help our customers cut costs on the front
end and increase profit and productivity
on the back end. The Unite-A-Matic is

Companies wishing to submit materials for inclusion in Industry News should contact the editor, Kenneth Carter, at editor@gearsolutions.com. Releases
accompanied by color images will be given first consideration.

8 gearsolutions.com
the most cost-effective gauging solution at
a fraction of the cost of a CMM. Being
a family-owned business, we know how
important every dollar is. Our competitive
price point makes our product affordable
for small and large companies alike.”
Basic operator training is all that’s
needed to use the Unite-A-Matic.
“In most cases, our gauge can be set up
within a few minutes and takes only sec-
FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.united-tool.com
Klingelnberg plans two-day workshop for April
On April 18-19, 2018, Klingelnberg will
present a package of technical knowl-
edge with live demonstrations and excit-
ing talks, and present attendees with the
opportunity to share experiences with its
gearing specialists in a practical, focused
setting. Klingelnberg encourages those
who are interested to take advantage of
the opportunity to discuss their applica-
tion questions with Klingelnberg experts
directly on site.
Attendees can expect two interesting
days at Klingelnber’s plant in Ettlingen
Oberweier, where they will get a first-hand
look at high-production generating grind-
FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.kl-workshop-2018.com
Romax sets dates for innovation summit, user conference
Romax is proud to announce dates and
locations for its eight global Innovation
Summit and User Conferences in
2018.  The theme of this year’s sum-
mit is “Multi-Physics Optimization of
Electrified Drivelines.” One key chal-
lenge in designing these drivelines is in
understanding the way different physical
phenomena interact with one another.
It is not sufficient to consider one type
of physical behavior in isolation, but nei-
ther is it acceptable to cross-couple every
conceivable interaction in a slow and con-
fusing multi-physics mega-model.
In this year’s Innovation Summit
and User Conference, attendees will see
how Romax has developed a pragmatic
approach, understanding where these
FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.romaxtech.com
onds to gauge a part,” Criswell said. “Ease THEEMAGVL MACHINES
of use, combined with the efficiency of MAX. PERFORMANCE
our Unite-A-Matic, gives our customers GUARANTEED
the ability to check parts at a higher fre-
quency while maintaining a robust pro-
HIGH FULL
duction schedule and an increase in gaug- STRENGTH AUTOMATION
COMPACT
ing confidence.” Manufacturing errors
are discovered much more quickly with
more part checks, which means fewer
scrap parts. VISITUS!
BOOTH 530
ing on the Speed Viper single- and dual- VERTICAL
spindle machine. They will even design MACHINING:
SAFE AND
your own generating grinding process. EFFICIENT
A series of talks, presented in English
and German, is planned. Topics include:
• Speed Viper – the new dimension for
high-production generating grinding
• Closed-Loop quality control in line
with Industry 4.0: What you design is
what you get
• SmartTooling – digital identification Workpiece
diameter, max.
Workpiece
diameter, max.
method; a 360-degree view of your pro- 4 in. 8 in.
Length, max. Length, max.
duction equipment 6 in. 8 in.
Powerskiving on a C 30 bevel gear
cutting machine - an all-in-one solution.
Workpiece Workpiece
diameter, max. diameter, max.
12 in. 16 in.
Length, max.
10 in.
Length, max.
12 in.
inf luences are significant and need to be HIGHLIGHTS
included, and identifying where they can + Smallfootprint=Reducedfloorspacecost
be discarded. A range of presentations + Simple workpiece conveyor & interlinking = Flexibility
andlowerautomationcosts
from Romax and its partners will illustrate + Integratedautomationfornoadditionalcost
how this innovation has been applied to + Shorttraversedistances=Minimalidletime,
increasedperformance
‘Right First Time’ design.
The 2018 Romax Innovation Summit + Standardizedpartsstrategy=Lowmaintenancecosts
and User Conference dates:  + Machiningofchuckedparts=Standardizedmachine
platform
+ Operatorfriendly=Quickset-upandchange-over
• May 22: Tokyo, Japan + Highenergyefficiency=Reducedenergycost
• May 25: Seoul, Korea
• May 29: Hangzhou, China 
• July 24: Pune, India
• July 26: Chennai, India
• September 25-27: Frankfurt, Germany
• October 10-12: Troy, Michigan, United
States
• October 16: Beijing, China
EMAG L.L.C.
38800 Grand River Avenue
Farmington Hills, MI 48335 · USA
Phone: +1 248 477-7440 · Fax: +1 248 477-7784
E-Mail: info@usa.emag.com
www.emag.com MARCH  2018 9
JTEKT Toyoda Americas announces Stone Machinery as Upper Midwest distributor
JTEKT Toyoda Americas Corporation is excit-
ed to expand its distribution network, having
now partnered with new distributor Stone
Machinery. The addition strengthens Toyoda
customers’ access to premier service and sales
throughout Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota,
South Dakota, and Western Wisconsin.
Toyoda welcomes Stone Machinery as
one of the most experienced machine tool
distributors in their lineup, having been
FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.toyoda.com or www.stonemachinery.com
OSU offering Gear Dynamics and Gear Noise Short Course in September
The Gear Dynamics and Gear Noise Short
Course will be offered this year on the Ohio
State campus from September 17-20. It has
been offered for more than 38 years and is
considered extremely valuable for gear design-
ers and noise specialists who encounter gear
noise and transmission design problems.
Attendees will learn how to design gears to
FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.nvhgear.org 
810-765-8302 • 1390 South Parker, Marine City, MI 48039 Quotations to: rfq@splineandgear.com
10 gearsolutions.com
established in 1927. Located in the heart of
the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area, Stone’s
6,000-square-foot corporate facility and its
Iowa City, Iowa, facility provide a full range
of services to customers. Both tech centers
are home to live machining demonstrations,
control, and application training.
“We are really looking forward to this
new partnership,” said Toyoda Regional
Sales Manager Mike Rzasa. “Orrin, Tom,
minimize the major excitations of gear noise:
transmission error, dynamic friction forces,
and shuttling forces. Fundamentals of gear
noise generation and gear noise measure-
ment will be covered along with topics on
gear rattle, transmission dynamics, and hous-
ing acoustics. This course includes extensive
demonstrations of specialized gear analysis
(Stone Machinery principals) and the rest of
their team have extensive knowledge of the
Midwest’s manufacturing landscape. Their
technical expertise and large, local service
team will be of great value to our customers
in these states.”
Stone Machinery will also welcome
Toyoda machining and turning centers to
their show floor for live demonstration and
applications testing/training.
software in addition to the demonstrations of
many Ohio State gear test rigs. A unique fea-
ture of the course is the interactive workshop
session that invites attendees to discuss their
specific gear and transmission noise concerns.
Cost: $2,200.00 per person (valid until
July 31, 2018, after that the fee will be
$2,400.00 per person.)
Riverside Spline & Gear, Inc. is proud
to announce the latest addition to its
gear grinding center with the puchase
of a Höfler 1500L from Gibbs Industries
LTD. This purchase will increase
Riverside’s make complete and gear
grinding capabilities up to 1.5 meter
in diameter and also features a 1.5
meter grinding stroke off of the table.
The Höfler 1500L is a class 14 (DIN 3)
machine. This is Riverside’s 5th Hofler
gear grinder. All are equipped with
the Siemens 840D controller.
The ribbon cutting ceremony took
place in early December 2017.
Pictured below is Jamie Gibbs of Gibbs Industries LTD
ceremoniously handing the keys over to Aaron Forest
President/CEO of Riverside Spline & Gear Inc. and the
Riverside team.
Kapp promotes Johannes Hoehn to service manager
Kapp Technologies announces the promotion of
Johannes Hoehn to service manager. In his new
role, Hoehn will lead service and parts efforts
to ensure and maintain customer satisfaction.
Hoehn joined the Kapp Niles group
in 2000 as an industrial technician in
Coburg, Germany. In 2012, he relo-
cated to Kapp Technologies in Boulder,
Colorado, together with his family. Since
relocation, Hoehn has been supporting
the Kapp Technologies team as a service
technician. This position allowed him
to strengthen his subject-specific knowl-
edge while deepening the relationships to
customers. “Close contact with our cus-
tomers paired with high-quality technical
The service manager role has been
handed over to Hoehn by Michael Kapp,
who pursues new challenges together with
his brother, Matthias Kapp, both filling
the position as Management Assistant with
Kapp Niles in Coburg, Germany.
Kapp Technologies thanks Michael Kapp
for his support as service manager and wishes
him all the best in his new position.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
www.kapp-niles.com Johannes Hoehn Michael Kapp
(Courtesy: Kapp Niles)

The
support was my philosophy as a service
technician. I’m excited to bring in these

Power
aspects among others in my new role as
service manager,” said Hoehn.

KISSsoft announces 2018

training schedule
of One2
The training schedule for 2018 is now avail- Your Objective:
able, with the objective to provide the best
One face in perfect alignment with another. For infinity.
training opportunities in order to deepen
and broaden user knowledge.
The concept has not changed: There are
introductory and advanced courses, KISSsys
courses, and special trainings. Trainings in
English include:
• KISSsys Training March 20-23:
Modeling gearboxes, system calculations,
vehicle gearboxes
• Special Training June 5-6: Precision No problems. No distress. No delays.
mechanics: Small cylindrical and worm That’s the same objective you have for choosing your gear producer.
gears in plastic or sintered material Circle Gear’s objective is to engage with every customer’s objectives.
• June 12-14: Contact Pattern Analysis  One to 1000 gears
for gears and planetary gearboxes with
workshop  Customer designed or reverse engineered
• June 19-20: Bevel and hypoid Gears  Gearbox repair, rebuild or redesign
 OEM or end-users
FOR MORE INFORMATION:  ISO 9001:2015 Certified
www.kisssoft.ag

1501 S. 55th Court, Cicero, IL 60804

ASF Metrology intends to
acquire the CMM business
from Nikon Metrology
Nikon Metrology announced that ASF
Metrology intends to acquire Nikon Metrology’s
coordinate measuring machines (CMM) busi-
ness. The closing of the transaction is expected
to take place in about 2 months.
(800) 637-9335
(708) 652-1000 / Fax: (708) 652-1100
sales@circlegear.com
www.circlegear.com
Spiral and Straight Bevel Gears (Cut, Ground or Lapped) • Spur Gears • Helical Gears •
Long Shafts • Herringbone Gears • Involute and Straight Sided Splines • Internal Gears •
Worm and Worm Gears • Racks • Sprockets • ISO Certified
Partnering with QualityReducer to provide
Gearbox repair, rebuilding and reverse-engineering.
MARCH  2018 11
 Nikon Metrology’s CMM activities, with
offices in Belgium, France, Germany, the
United Kingdom and the United States, repre-
sent approximately 25 percent of the total Nikon
Metrology worldwide consolidated turnover.
Coordinate measuring machines (CMM) are
used in sectors where accurate dimensions and
quality control are crucial, such as aerospace,
automotive, and medical implants.
Upon closing the transaction, all CMM
production, development, sales and service
activities, including the CAMIO software,
will be transferred to ASF Metrology, under
the ownership and management of Angelo
Where AEROSPACE Gets Its
Muscarella, who has a long and proven track
record in metrology and especially the CMM
business. Nikon Metrology will continue to
serve a number of selected accounts as part
of a strategic marketing partnership where
both companies will promote each other’s
products and services. All employees mainly
dedicated to the CMM business, a crucial
asset to the knowhow of the company, are
intended to transfer to ASF Metrology.
Hajime Kosawa, CEO of Nikon
Metrology, based in Leuven, Belgium, wel-
comed the plans. “This business transfer is
in line with the 2017 Nikon Corporation
strategic review for industrial metrology to
focus on non-contact inspection, based on
optical and X-ray technology and will allow
both companies to focus on a more efficient
growth strategy for each of their businesses.”
Angelo Muscarella, CEO and owner of
ASF Metrology, said, “Thanks to our long-
term experience in the CMM market and
the close cooperation with Nikon Metrology,
I believe that ASF Metrology’s competitive
position in the industry and its focus on
CMM will enable us to expand the existing
solid customer base. We will focus on growth
in all regions by expanding our market cov-
erage worldwide, leveraging on the former
LK brand name of the CMM business and
its track record.”
Both companies will work closely togeth-
er to ensure a smooth transition with suppli-
ers, customers, and resellers.

LIFT FOR MORE INFORMATION:

www.nikonmetrology.com

Samuel R. Haines (Courtesy: Gear Motions)

Gear Motions announces

retirement of CFO Haines
Samuel R. Haines retired from his position
as CFO of Gear Motions, Inc. effective the
Aerospace is striving to reach new heights. We’re a power end of 2017, following 44 years of service.
in aerospace gear production, with an unparalleled precision In 1973, Haines was in graduate school
gear facility, over 60 years of aerospace gear experience – and
and in search of a thesis topic to complete
Aerospace AS 9100 compliance.
his MBA at Babson College in Wellesley,
Aim higher, go farther, Massachusetts. His father was in need of
with aerospace gears from a business plan for a bank loan for a small
Forest City Gear. gear manufacturing company that he had
acquired a few years earlier. Following grad-
Excellence Without Exception uation, and in the midst of the 1973 ‘oil
recession,’ Haines signed on (temporarily) to
help work through the newly formed Gear
815.623.21 6 8 | www.forest city g ear. co m
Motions’ first acquisition of Oliver Gear in
Buffalo, New York.
12 gearsolutions.com
 Still on ‘temporary assignment’ in 1980,
Haines and the family moved to Syracuse,
and he assumed management of the recently
acquired Nixon Gear as VP/GM. In 1985, he
was named president of Gear Motions when his
father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
In 2005, in anticipation of his eventual
retirement, he began the sale of the company
through the establishment of an Employee
Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) and became
chairman and CFO. This created a 10-year
financial plan for transferring 100 percent
ownership of the company to its employees,
assured that the company would remain
at its current location and viable for many
years, and created a phased financial transi-
tion for the owners.
Under Haines’ leadership, the company
won numerous awards, including the 1999
Donlon Award for Employee Centered
Practices, and many customer awards for out-
standing performance. He has always been
active in the community and industry. He
served on the American Gear Manufacturers
Association (AGMA) Board of Directors
from 1988-2000, and was Chairman of the
Board from 1998-1999. He was a member of
the AGMA Foundation Board from 1999-
2006. In 1993 he received the AGMA’s high-
est honor, the E.P. Connell Award, and in
1997 The Board of Directors Award.
Locally, Haines has served on the Board of
Directors of the Manufacturers Association
of Central New York (MACNY) since 1989,
chaired the Factory Managers Council from
1985-1988, and was Chairman of the Board
from 1995-1997. In 2006, he was recognized
for his distinguished service to manufactur-
ing in central New York and named to the
MACNY Wall of Fame.
He plans to continue in his role as
Chairman of the Board of Directors for
Gear Motions until at least the end of 2018.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:  Global Service Centers
www.gearmotions.com
RÖHM appoints new
regional sales managers
RÖHM Products of America, a leading
provider of high-quality clamping and
gripping technology for the metalworking
industry, has appointed three new regional
sales managers to support growing sales of
the company’s chucks, centers, vises, tool
clamping, and automation systems as well
as customized solutions for turning, milling,
drilling, and grinding. Mark Thompson
now works with customers in
the Midwest; Josh Vanderveer
works with customers in Texas,
Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas
and Kansas; and Jonathan
Napier works with customers in
Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and
western Tennessee.
Napier joins the team from
outside the machine tool indus-
try and brings wide-ranging Jonathan Napier
sales and business experience
that will help RÖHM’s customers drive busi- one suppliers and jobs shops to first-time
ness growth and capitalize on new revenue users of CNC equipment. A territory sales
ALD Thermal Treatment, Inc.
 Limbach-Oberfrohna
Germany
 Port Huron, Michigan
USA
 Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila
Mexico
www.aldtt.net
ALD is a subsidiary of AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V.
potentials. He has exceptional
leadership, organizational, and
communication skills and pre-
viously owned his own busi-
ness. Napier attended Valdosta
State University and Emmanuel
College.
Thompson comes to RÖHM
with extensive experience pro-
viding custom-engineered man-
ufacturing solutions to a wide
range of companies, from tier
High Tech is our Business
ALD is a leader in vacuum
process technology and Heat
treatment services.
LEADERS IN THE
CONTROL OF DISTORTION
+ Low Pressure Carburizing
+ High pressure gas quenching
+ Gas Nitriding
+ Ferritic Nitro-Carburizing
+ Plasma Carburizing
+ Normalizing
+ Hardening
+ Annealing
+ Brazing
+ Cryogenic Treatments
+ Engineering services and
process development
+ Prototype and trials
Enrique Lopez – Sales and Marketing
Email: sales@aldtt.net
Phone +1 (810) 357-0685
ALD Thermal Treatment, Inc.
2656 24th Street
Port Huron, MI 48060, USA
MARCH  2018 13
manager for a leading cutting tool suppli-
er before joining RÖHM, his career has
spanned decades and includes many other
sales engineering positions with leading
machine tool and cutting tool providers. He
graduated from Southern Illinois University
with a degree in mechanical engineering.
Vanderveer also brings solid sales and
manufacturing expertise to RÖHM and
its customers. Before joining the company,
he also was a territory sales manager for
a leading cutting tool supplier, where he
was responsible for supporting customers
in Oklahoma and Arkansas. He previously
Mark Thompson Josh Vanderveer
served as a senior account executive for a
global media company. He earned his bach-
elor of science in business administration
from Oklahoma State University.
“Adding Mark, Josh, and Jonathon to
our team enables us to strengthen our pres-
ence in these regions,” said Matthew Mayer,
chief executive officer of RÖHM Products
of America. “They all bring solid experience
and proven success that will help us grow our
business and enhance support to our new
and existing customers.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
www.rohm-products.com

Three Motion Industries

Why ETC? service centers become
Rexnord certified
Motion Industries, Inc., a leading distributor of
maintenance, repair, and operation replacement
parts and a wholly owned subsidiary of Genuine
Parts Company, is pleased to announce that its
service centers in Charleston, West Virginia;
NEW and RECONDITIONED
CUTTER BODIES for Sale.
Pensacola, Florida; and Salt Lake City, Utah;
have become certified Rexnord partners in Falk
gear drive repair. These three Motion Industries
service centers each passed an extensive facility
and process audit to verify repair execution to
Rexnord’s original OEM work standards.
Ray Tingle, Vice President of Vertical
Marketing - Material Handling at Rexnord said,
“Rexnord is expanding our service network as
customers are seeking more – and local – options
for high-quality gearbox repair services. Rexnord
Certified Shop service technicians undergo the
same rigorous training and follow the same
industry-leading Falk RENEW standards of
work and quality as Rexnord Service Centers.
This allows Rexnord and our partners to extend
the network of service centers to deliver high
Customer Service, Speed, Quality, & Value quality gearbox repairs locally. We are impressed
by the workmanship at these Motion Industries
service centers, and are pleased to announce

Choose the stick that works,
cause work doesn’t stop!
2710 West Caro Rd.
Caro, MI 48723
Phone: (989) 673-8733
1307 E. Maple Rd., Suite “G”
Troy, MI 48083
Phone: (248) 619-1616
engineeredtools.com
14 gearsolutions.com
ETC
Engineered Tools Corporation
Complete line of Bevel Gear Tooling
Cutter Body Reconditioning to O.E.M. Specifications
Cutter Body Maintenance Program
Precise Wire EDM Forms for Stick Blades
their certifications. They earned it!”
With the certifications, these service
centers expand their offerings to provide
customers with shorter lead times, yet with
enhanced quality. Gearbox repairs at these
sites are approved to Rexnord’s standards
for quality, process, and authentic OE parts
content. Certification also ensures that all
repairs are completed with authentic Falk
or Rexnord parts.
Tony Cefalu, Motion Industries Senior Vice
President Hose, Shops, and Service Centers,
said, “Motion Industries has been committed
to the repair business for many years and our
footprint of shops demonstrates this. We are
extremely pleased to partner with Rexnord on
this certification program. This allows our cus-
tomers to send their gearboxes to Motion for
repair, knowing that it has been serviced by
trained technicians following the same stan-
dards as the factory.”
Rexnord, headquartered in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin, is comprised of two strategic plat-
forms, Process & Motion Control and Water
Management, with approximately 8,000
employees worldwide.
Motion Industries, with annual sales of $4.6
billion, is a leading industrial parts distributor
of bearings, mechanical power transmission,
electrical and industrial automation, hydraulic
and industrial hose, hydraulic and pneumatic
components, industrial products, safety prod-
ucts, and material handling. Motion Industries
has over 530 locations, including 13 distribution
centers throughout North America and serves
more than 300,000 customers.
Technology Center, one of Mazak’s eight North
American Technology Centers. As with all of
Mazak’s technology centers, customers can take
advantage of opportunities to receive training,
collaborate with Mazak partners on developing
new solutions, test the latest Mazak machines,
and work with experts to develop new processes
and applications. The Northeast Technology
Center also has particular expertise in regional
industries that include medical and aerospace.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
www.mazakusa.com
Emuge Technology Center
available to manufacturers
Emuge’s Technology Center is a resource for
metalworking facilities throughout the U.S. and
Canada. The Technology Center is designed to
make leading edge advancements in machin-
ing techniques and tool designs. Exploring new
technology and tooling designs is the best way
for progressive manufacturers to stay ahead of
the competition.
New tooling solutions can some-
times be the best way to reduce cycle
times and improve product quality. But

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

www.motionindustries.com

Mazak appoints new GM to

oversee Northeast region
Mazak Corporation has named Jim
Rutan as the new general manager for the
Northeast region. Rutan, formerly the man-
ager of the Mazak sales office in Allentown,
Pennsylvania, will now ensure that custom-
ers throughout the Northeast receive sales,
service, and applications support to help
them better compete in a booming regional
manufacturing market.
As the general manager, Rutan is respon-
sible for Mazak’s sales and profitability
across the Northeast by working alongside
the service and applications managers to
provide Mazak customers with innovative Jobs always ship within a week —
technology backed by stellar support and
training. The region, comprised of the east- DEFINITELY no complaints! Thank you
ern halves of New York and Pennsylvania as all for doing such an awesome job!
well as New England, has been identified Keep up the great work!
by Mazak North America President Daniel
Janka as a crucial target for future growth.
“Jim has been an asset for Mazak in
Gear Manufacturer / Southeast USA
Allentown,” said Janka, “and we expect he
will be an even greater asset managing the
company’s service, applications, and sales teams
throughout the Northeast while working to 1.800.569.1420
support the customers and distributors who www.McInnesRolledRings.com
are making the region one of America’s most 533 E 12TH STREET • ERIE, PA 16511
dynamic manufacturing markets.”
Rutan will also manage the Northeast
MARCH  2018 15
breaking into production or tying up Emuge engineers and machinists can nal resources. Now there is no need to
critical machines for testing new tools take a fresh look at an existing process tie up your own production machine tool
styles is not always an option. Using a and create a tooling solution for manu- and manufacturing engineer, because
piece part or an existing application, facturers who might be limited by inter- Emuge is abale to help.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.emuge.com

IFHTSE elects Dr. Scott MacKenzie as vice president

At the executive council meeting of the – Metallurgy, Houghton International, Inc.,
International Federation of Heat Treating Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, was elected to serve
and Surface Engineering (IFHTSE), D. as vice president for a two-year term.
Scott MacKenzie, PhD., Research Scientist Dr. MacKenzie, born in 1956 in Lafayette,

D. Scott MacKenzie

Indiana, has been the ASM representative to the

IFHTSE executive committee since 2015. He
completed his B.S. Metallurgical Engineering
at The Ohio State University in 1982; his M.S.
Metallurgical Engineering in 1993 from the
University of Missouri – Rolla, and his Ph.D.
Metallurgical Engineering from the University
of Missouri – Rolla, in 2000. His disserta-
tion was on “Quench Rate and Aging Effects
on Al-Zn-Mg-Cu Aluminum Alloys.” He was
awarded ASM Fellow in 2007. He is presently
Research Scientist – Metallurgy, responsible
for sales and technical support of heat-treating
customers globally. He has more than 150 pub-
lications and books, mainly in the field of heat-
treating and quenching. He is an active member
in ASM (American Society of Metals) and its
Choose from one of our portable numerous heat-treating conferences.
or laboratory systems, or utilize Previously, Dr. MacKenzie was an associate
our ISO 170 5 laboratories for technical fellow at Boeing, St. Louis, responsible
accurate and efficient contract for conducting failure analysis of structural aero-
measurement services. space components. He was also a manufacturing
engineer at McDonnell Douglas, responsible
For more information contact us at for all aluminum, steel, and nickel-based super
info@protoxrd.com or 1-313-965-2900 alloys at the St. Louis facility. He is a regular
contributor to Gear Solutions magazine.
The IFHTSE is a not-for-profit body found-
ed in Switzerland in 1971. It is an international
group of scientific/technological societies, asso-
ciations, groups, companies and individuals
whose primary interest is heat treatment and
surface engineering.  

LXRD LXRD LXRD iXRD mXRD FOR MORE INFORMATION:

STANDARD WIDEBODY MODULAR MAPPING STANDARD ULTRA PORTABLE www.houghtonintl.com

16 LXRD LXRD
gearsolutions.com LXRD iXRD mXRD
STANDARD WIDEBODY MODULAR MAPPING STANDARD ULTRA PORTABLE
 American Jenny Blackford

Gear Manufacturers Vice President

Justin
AGMA
Sikorski of
Communications
Staff Engineer
Association AGMA

Special thanks to the 2017

AGMA technical committees
AGMA technical committees have completed another year of devel- without significant disruptions to their day-to-day responsibilities.
oping the standards and information sheets that help the gear Most committees also meet at least once a year face-to-face to allow
industry operate effectively and efficiently. The development of for a more intense focus on the work at hand and to facilitate mean-
these documents would not have been possible without the dedicated ingful networking opportunities.
support and expertise that the AGMA membership provides to the Looking forward to 2018, there are several exciting projects being
association. The AGMA Technical Division Executive Committee pursued by AGMA Technical Committees:
would like to thank these individuals and their companies for all • The Powder Metallurgy Committee is starting the revision of
their hard work. ANSI/AGMA 6008, Specifications for Powder Metallurgy Gears,
AGMA has always relied on the volunteerism and expertise of where they will provide an in-depth understanding on how to
our membership to develop the technical standards and informa- specify PM gears and a discussion on aspects that make PM gears
tion sheets that continually advance the gear industry. Members different from wrought gears.
of AGMA technical committees are the authors of the standards • The Helical Gear Rating Committee is continuing its revision of
that benefit the gearing industry worldwide. These benefits are not ANSI/AGMA 2101, Fundamental Rating Factors and Calculation
limited to the users of these standards. Technical committee mem- Methods for Involute Spur and Helical Gear Teeth.
bers and their companies find the opportunity to participate in the • The Spline Committee is continuing its revision of the new spline
development of these documents professionally and intellectually application and design Information Sheet, AGMA 945.
beneficial. Each member of a technical committee can interact with A full listing of AGMA technical committees, including a scope
and learn from his or her peers from all around the gear industry, as of their activities, is in the Technical Committees section of the
well as gain an intimate understanding of the information contained AGMA website, www.agma.org. For additional information about
within the document being developed. AGMA technical committees, standards and information sheets, or
I recently had a conversation with a group of technical committee AGMA software, please contact the AGMA Technical Division at
members. All of them have been on AGMA technical committees tech@agma.org. Make 2018 the year you can share your knowledge
since at least the early 1990s. We discussed why they continue to with the gearing industry!
participate on committees in their near-
retirement and even post-retirement years.
They jokingly talked about their spouses’
eyes instantly glazing over at the first men- The ISO TC60 committee
tion of gears and how these meetings are the meeting in Milan, Italy.
only place that they can talk to others with
the same passion for gears. The conversa-
tion ended with the committee members
discussing the sentiments of a late committee
member. This member felt that the best way
for him to share his knowledge was through
his work on AGMA Technical Committees.
He felt that writing his knowledge into a
standard would ensure it would have greater
visibility and longevity in the industry than
in any other medium. This is the essence
of why these committees are so important.
The majority of the technical committee
meetings take place via web conferences,
allowing participants to attend the meetings
MARCH  2018 17
Upcoming Education
AGMA is officially accredited! Grow your gear knowledge, work
on your professional development, and earn CEUs from AGMA’s
education courses. Check out the upcoming courses:

GEARBOX CSI
March 20-22 | Concordville, Pennsylvania
In this course, you will gain a better understanding of various
types of gears and bearings. Learn about the limitations and
capabilities of rolling element bearings and the gears they sup-
port. Grasp and understand how to properly apply the best gear-
bearing combination to any gearbox from simple to complex.

BASIC TRAINING FOR GEAR MANUFACTURING

April 3-6 | Chicago, Illinois
Learn the fundamentals of gear manufacturing in this hands-
on course. Gain an understanding of gearing and nomencla-
ture, principles of inspection, gear manufacturing methods,
and hobbing and shaping. Using manual machines, develop a
deeper breadth of perspective and understanding of the process
and physics of making a gear as well as the ability to apply this
knowledge in working with CNC equipment commonly in use. Forecasting Webinar. Tom Runiewicz will be giving the high-
lights of the Gear Market Report during the two-hour session.
NEW! MARKETING & FORECASTING WEBINAR Get the benefits of the report from the comfort of your office
May 17 | Webinar chair. If there are any questions, please contact Jill Johnson at
Join AGMA and IHS Markit for the Spring Marketing & jill.johnson@agma.org. 

American
Gear Manufacturers
Association

The Latest Tech Deck Is Up!
AGMA’s Emerging Technology Committee is committed to
identifying, investigating, and informing AGMA members of
emerging technologies that may disrupt or make a significant
impact on the gear manufacturing industry. Our committee
posts the latest articles from the most knowledgeable resources
out there for you to access in one place! These articles are
collectively called AGMA’s Tech Deck. Check it out: https://
www.agma.org/resources/emerging-technologies/
All Eyes On You! Write A Blog! Thank you to all our current
AGMA's blog has been read thousands of times. Each entry is averaging AGMA/ABMA sponsors
more than 100 views. Have you or someone from your company be a
part of this conversation and get your name out there. AGMA strives
to bring gears into the conversation any way we can. With technologies
changing and manufacturing at the forefront of this change, we want
to make sure you have a way to get your thoughts out there. Consider
putting those thoughts into a blog post for Gears Matter. We want
to make sure we give you and others the best information we can.
Contact brinkley@agma.org if you are interested.
Need an intern? We can help!
Students who contact AGMA for information on gear industry
internships are referred to a list of companies on the AGMA
Foundation’s internship webpage. These companies are reaching
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
a motivated, qualified pool of applicants — free of charge. To list
your company, email us at foundation@agma.org
AGMA/ABMA Annual Meeting
New and exciting updates are happening to the Annual Meeting each
week. We encourage members to check out the website and see all the
incredible speakers and events we have for the 2018 Annual Meeting.
Don’t miss out on the unparalleled lineup of presentations and fun
activities planned for attendees. Members should visit www.agma.
org/events/agma-abma-annual-meeting/ and sign up to be a part of
one of the best networking events in the gear industry.
The Annual Meeting’s success relies on AGMA and ABMA members’
engagement. This meeting would not be the truly amazing event that
it is without the sponsors. Thank you to the following companies
that have signed up for sponsorships so far:
American Roller Bearing Company, Brelie Gear, Comer, Cotta
Transmission, Croix Gear, Doppler Gear, Ellwood City Forge, Forest
City Gear, Innovative Rack & Gear Co., Klingelnberg, Liebherr North
America, McInnes Rolled Rings, Meritor, Naylor, NSK, Ovako, Pre-
cision Plus, Reishauer, Schaeffler Group, Scot Forge, Somaschini, Star
SU, Tsubaki Nakashima, and WFL Millturn Technologies.
Visit www.agma.org/events/agma-abma-annual-meeting/ to see
the spaces available and fill out the sponsorship form to get started.
Please contact Leah Lewis for any sponsorship inquiries at lewis@
agma.org
 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
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 events@agma.org.
Events are open to AGMA members only. Not a member? Send an email to membership@agma.org.

March 20-22 — Gearbox CSI — Concordville, Pennsylvania

MARCH

March 20 — Powder Metallurgy Committee Meeting — WebEx

March 21 — Computer Programming Committee — WebEx
March 28 — Fine-Pitch Gearing Committee Meeting — WebEx

April 3 — Wormgearing Committee Meeting — WebEx

April 3-6 — Basic training for Gear Manufacturing — Chicago, Illinois
April 4 — Lubrication Committee Meeting — WebEx
APRIL

April 5 — Gear Accuracy Committee Meeting — WebEx

April 10-11 — TDEC Meeting — Alexandria, Virginia
April 12 — Fine-Pitch Gearing Committee Meeting — WebEx
April 13 — Emerging Technology Committee Meeting — WebEx
April 25-28 — AGMA/ABMA Annual Meeting — Naples, Florida (Members Only)

May 1 — Fine-Pitch Gearing Committee Meeting — WebEx

May 2 — Bevel Gearing Committee Meeting — WebEx
MAY

May 3 — Nomenclature Committee Meeting — WebEx

May 4 — Computer Programming Committee Meeting — WebEx

AGMA LEADERSHIP

Jim Bregi: Chairman Nitin Chaphalkar: DMG Mori USA

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Doppler Gear Company

Michael Engesser: Reishauer Corporation
John Cross: Treasurer
ASI Technologies Inc. David Long: Chalmers & Kubeck Inc.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

John E. Grazia: Chairman, BMEC Michael McKernin: Circle Gear and Machine Company
GearTec Inc.
Todd Praneis: Chairman, TDEC Cory Ooyen: Global Gear & Machining, LLC
Cotta Transmission Company, LLC Carl D. Rapp: The Timken Company
Dean Burrows: Chairman Emeritus
Gear Motions Inc. Tania Sabados: Rapid Gear
Andrea Scanavini: Somaschini North America
Matt Croson: President
Greg Schulte: Bonfiglioli USA
Amir Aboutaleb: Vice President, Technical Division
STAFF

Jenny Blackford: Vice President, Marketing Brian Schultz: Great Lakes Industry, Inc.
Jill Johnson: Director, Member Services George Thomas: Bison Gear & Engineering Corp.
Casandra D. Blassingame: Director, Education Hastings Wyman: Klingelnberg America, Inc.
General requests: webmaster@agma.org | Membership questions: membership@agma.org | Gear Expo information: gearexpo@agma.org
Technical/Standards information: tech@agma.org | AGMA Foundation: foundation@agma.org

20 gearsolutions.com
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kapp-niles.com info@kapp-niles.com (303) 447-1130
 MATERIALS E. BUDDY DAMM
STEEL SOLUTION SCIENTIST
MATTER TIMKENSTEEL CORPORATION
OPTIMIZING GEAR PERFORMANCE
The most significant factors to consider when it comes to the impact
of steels on gear design, manufacturing, and performance.
Our technology experts at TimkenSteel have discussed various topics in
Materials Matter around steel used in the gear industry – clean steel and
why it matters, standards for cleanness measurement, gear failure analysis,
the importance of modeling, power densification, lessened distortion and
improved machinability. Collectively, these topics highlight how far indus-
try has come in terms of understanding the impact of steels on gear design,
manufacturing, and performance. Here’s a recap of what we believe are the
most significant factors to consider when it comes to gear performance:
Affordable clean steel: It’s been proven many times over that highly
loaded components like gears benefit from clean steels. Gear designers
worked for decades to improve manufacturing and assembly practices
to optimize designs. However, the impact steel choices have on the
design and performance were often overlooked. Now, as demands on
gears continue to grow, one should investigate the impact that steel
design and steel cleanness can have.
Importance of measurement: With improved processing practices
that make cleaner air-melt steels available, gear designers have new
options to aid in achieving the higher performance levels. Measurement
is key to achieving this: knowing what attribute of the material is
actually being measured, how it’s being measured, and whether this
attribute actually correlates to the desired steel cleanness performance
characteristic all contribute to understanding how steel processing
practices need to be controlled. Measurement methods like high-
resolution ultrasonic tests are good predictors of fatigue performance
because they analyze volume as well as area. And, in cases when gears
falter, conducting a full failure analysis – which includes understanding
the design and function of the gear as well as gathering information
about the processing history and service life of the part – can identify
a root cause for gear failure, which provides invaluable information.
Updated standards and adoption of steel manufacturing/prod-
uct advancements: Today’s industry standards for measuring steel
cleanness are limited. Steel cleanness has improved over the years, but
measurement practices and advancements often lagged behind these
shifts. The level of discrimination in measurement or the requirements
defined in the standards often have not improved to meet increasing
demands. Accurate measurement now depends on using the right mix
of methods rather than relying on just one technique. Ultrasonic testing
evaluates volume as well as area, allowing much more material to be
inspected. Scanning electron microscopy together with simultaneous
energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy combines optical imaging of rela-
tively large areas and the chemical analysis of each inclusion detected.
While traditional measurement techniques and cleanness standards
provide for timely and cost-effective order fulfillment, they lack the
sensitivity necessary to fully characterize inclusion population.  where technology needs to go to ensure continued optimum performance.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR  E. Buddy Damm is a steel solutions scientist at TimkenSteel Corp. He can be reached at e.buddy.damm@timkensteel.com.
Learn more at www.timkensteel.com.
22 gearsolutions.com
In addition, existing clean steel standards are not effective in advanc-
ing material performance. Often, designers do not analyze material
choices because existing materials meet the current standards. By
implementing a new set of standards that pays attention to more aspects
of steel cleanness measurement, designers will have a tools to define
materials that allow them to capture desired performance.
Affordable higher-strength, higher-toughness steels: Increased
strength means higher loads or better endurance at existing loads.
Increased fatigue strength, wear resistance and resistance to bending
overload damage have driven steel designers to develop more capable
steels. The classical trade-off in all materials is that increasing strength
nearly always results in reduced toughness, but with careful design and
processing, steels can achieve significant strength improvement and still
display excellent toughness properties.
Lower system cost via modeling and material selection: Cost is
king, and understanding and managing system-level costs drives overall
success. Today’s steel solutions can save costs over the long term with
reduced processing costs and achieving first-time quality requirements.
Advanced modeling tools may be used to decrease the time and money
spent designing and implementing new steel solutions. Material models
become more powerful when used with refined measurement methods.
Another area for savings is in machining and gear-tooth cutting,
where material modifications can make a significant impact. By opti-
mizing the gear blank material, designers can maximize the life of
machine tooling and increase options for manufacturing routes.
Reducing distortion effects – or unplanned dimensional changes of
the final part – can have a major impact on costs. Material manufac-
turing methods can introduce numerous potential sources for distor-
tion. With in-depth material knowledge, designers can select the right
chemistry for the application. Having a steel supplier that can maintain
precise control of the steel’s manufacturing processes reduces the likeli-
hood of distortion and allows for easier achievement of dimensional
requirements, resulting in less scrap and reduced cost.
Finally, manufacturing advancements in gear design may also help
to optimize quality and minimize costs. Selecting the right steel grade
and corresponding heat-treat process is a foundational step for achiev-
ing the highest quality. For example, vacuum carburizing may offer
many benefits for some designs, including consistent hardenability for
each application, robust material response to varying quench rates,
high-temperature grain coarsening resistance and a cost-effective, lean
alloy design. All of these aspects can help achieve cost-reduction and
performance-enhancement opportunities.
In the next column we’ll look at what’s next for the gear industry, and
 
 TOOTH BRIAN DENGEL
GENERAL MANAGER

TIPS
KHK-USA

Table 1:

IS IT STRONG ENOUGH?
The selection of plastic as a material for gearing applications.Assumed Face Width Max Allowable Applied
Module (mm) Torque (Nm) Torque (Nm) Acceptable
0.8 8 9.96 24 No
1 10 19.5 30 No
While walking through a field of wildflowers one might find a
feather nestled amongst the flora. The feather is light, airy and
It is not that the nylon gear cannot
1.25 12.5 37.9 37.5 No

delicate. Beneath the floral landscape, one might find a stone. It withstand the loading or have the same
1.5
2
15
20
65.7
156
45
60
Yes
Yes
is heavy, solid and strong. Based on these quick observations, one
might decide that the stone is superior to the feather. This same life as a carbon steel gear. The only
2.5 25 304 75 Yes
3 30 525 90 Yes
thought process occurs daily when designers consider metal vs. difference is that the size of the tooth has
plastic as a material for gearing.
Table 2:
The fundamental flaw with this analysis is the comparison to be increased in order to account for the
of observable features while neglecting density. Plastics used in
gearing are lighter in weight that steel. They are typically self-
differential in density.
lubricating, and due to their ability to absorb vibration, they are
Assumed Face Width Max Allowable Applied
quieter. However, a pound of feathers weighs the same as a pound Module (mm) Torque (Nm) Torque (Nm) Acceptable
of stones. The same holds true for plastic gearing. Take the fol-
0.8 8 1.466 24 No
lowing example:
1 10 2.871 30 No
1.25 12.5 5.58 37.5 No
Applied force = 1200 N
1.5 15 9.674 45 No
Number of Teeth = 50
2 20 22.97 60 No
Material = Carbon Steel
2.5 25 44.763 75 No
Module = TBD
3 30 77.304 90 No
able 1: 4 40 153.137 120 No
In order to properly size this gear, we need to determine the
5 50 298.911 150 Yes
Module which will resist the applied torque. If we assume a face
width of 10mm per Module, we get the data shown in Table 1. Table 2
In this case the proper selection would be Module 5.
Assumed Face Width Max Allowable Applied
Module (mm) Torque (Nm) Torque (Nm) Acceptable So why is it that we can design a steel gear in Module 1.5 but
we need the nylon gear to be Module 5? Let us consider the tooth
0.8 8 9.96 24 No
geometry, the material and the applied load.
1 10 19.5 30 No
For the example given, the applied load is 1200N. The selection
1.25 12.5 37.9 37.5 No
of material will not change this value. The change in Module
1.5 15 65.7 45 Yes
will change the surface area which the load acts upon. For a
2 20 156 60 Yes
2.5 25 304 75 Yes
Module 1, the tooth face is 2.25mm high and 10mm wide. This
gives a surface area of 0.225cm 2 . For Module 1.5, the tooth face
3 30 525 90 Yes
is 3.375mm high and 15mm wide. This gives a surface area of
Table 1
able 2:
0.5062cm 2 . At Module 3, the tooth face is 6.75mm high and
For this case, we would select Module 1.5. 30mm wide. This gives a surface area of 2.025cm 2 . At Module
However, if the material was to be nylon, then the maximum 5, the tooth face is 11.25mm high and 50mm wide. This gives
allowable torque for these identical gears would be less. The factor a surface area of 6.25cm 2 . This change in surface area is not
forAssumed
which the
Facevalues
Width would be reduced Applied
Max Allowable are equal to the propor- affected based on material selection. The only change that does
tion of the (mm)
Module density of each
Torquematerial.
(Nm) Carbon
Torque steel
(Nm) has a density
Acceptable occur with a change in material selection is the density.
of 7.810.8g/cm 3, whereas
8 the density 1.466of unfilled nylon
24 Nois 1.15 g/ So, it is not that the nylon gear cannot withstand the loading
cm 3. Thus,
1 the carbon 10 steel gear2.871 is 6.79 times denser
30 No than the or have the same life as a carbon steel gear. The only difference is
same Module
1.25 nylon
12.5gear. 5.58 37.5 No that the size of the tooth has to be increased in order to account
In order
1.5 to properly15
size the same gear,
9.674but made from45 nylon,
No we would for the differential in density.
have to calculate
2 which20Module would22.97resist the applied60
torque.
No Since the If given a choice between a pound of feathers and a pound of
Applied2.5
force remains25the same, the44.763
calculations are shown75 Noin Table 2. stones, I prefer a pound of vanilla ice cream. 
3 30 77.304 90 No
4 40 153.137 120 No
ABOUT THE AUTHOR  Brian Dengel is general manager of KHK-USA, which is based in Mineola, New York. Go online to www.khkgears.us.
5 50 298.911 150 Yes
MARCH  2018 23
 HOT D. SCOTT MACKENZIE, PHD, FASM

SEAT
SENIOR RESEARCH SCIENTIST-METALLURGY
HOUGHTON INTERNATIONAL INC.

OIL QUENCHANTS – UNDERSTANDING THE CHEMISTRY (PART III)

In this issue, a discussion of the mechanism of quench oil, focusing on oxidation,
thermal degradation, contamination, and additive depletion.

In the last two installments, the effects of base oil and additives on the
performance of quench oil were described. In Part III, the mechanism of
quench oil oxidation will be discussed.
The life of quench oil is dependent upon its thermal stability. The
thermal stability is a function of the quality of the base oil, the antioxidant
package used, and the presence of heat and catalysts. Premium quality
heat-treating quenching and martempering oils are formulated from
refined base stocks (usually paraffinic) of high thermal stability with addi-
tives to improve performance and increase tank life. These additives are a
combination of specially chosen ingredients compatible with the base oil;
in particular, carefully selected and tested antioxidants, which retard the Fig. 1: Deposits on ring gears due to severely degraded quench oil.
aging process. Quench oils degrade due to four primary reasons:
• Oxidation
• Thermal Degradation
• Contamination
• Additive Depletion
The degradation of quench oil is aggravated by residues on parts,
washer residues from oil reclaimed from washers; high energy density
heater or radiant tubes, and excessive peak temperatures. The addition
of robust additive packages prolongs a quenchant life and provides for
repeatable quenching.
Oxidation of quench oil is caused by exposure to oxygen. As operat-
ing temperatures increase, the kinetics of oxidation approximately double
with each 10° C. This is especially true with mar-tempering oils because
of their elevated temperature of use.
Thermal degradation is from exposure to temperatures that cause the
base oil and additive package to change. This results in the formation of
insoluble products of reaction that can cause deposits on parts and sludge
Fig. 2: Effects of oxidation on the cooling curve of a high viscosity martempering oil.
the quench tank. Oxidation shows a destabilization of the vapor phase, and an increase in the nucleate
Contamination can be from many sources. Water, dust, scale, and boiling to convection transition temperature.
soot are not the direct result of oil degradation but can contribute to other
degradation issues. Soot can act as nucleation sites for thermal degradation tant part in chain initiation reaction. Typically, reactions are slow
products, and it can mimic oxidized oil. at room temperatures but become increasingly faster above 100° C.
Additive depletion is normal and expected. The anti-oxidants are This is why, for high-quality quenching oil, “cold” oils (those used
consumed as part of their function. Anti-oxidants are replenished as below 80 ° C) do not experience the severe oxidation with attendant
make-up oil is added. increases in viscosity and Total Acid Number (TAN) than martem-
Oil degradation is manifested by a viscosity increase, acidity increase pering oils experience (Figure 2). There are generally two types of
(as measured by Total Acid Number), varnish and lacquer deposits, sludge, initiation reactions:
and changes in the quench speed [1]. Examples of staining of parts are
shown in Figure 1. RH+O 2  R•+HOO•
There are many papers covering the mechanism of oxidation of oils 2RH+O 2  2R•+H 2 O 2
and the function of antioxidants [1-5]. There are three primary steps in
the oxidation of oil: Chain Initiation; Chain Propagation and Branching; There is a second class of reactions that are catalyzed by the
and Termination. presence of iron or copper. These are hydroperoxide decomposition
initiation reactions:
CHAIN INITIATION
The oxidation mechanism of quenching oils is very complex. The Fe +3 +ROOH  Fe +2 ROO•+H+
presence of iron and copper catalyze the reactions and play an impor- Fe +2 +ROOH  Fe +3 +RO•+HO –
24 gearsolutions.com
CHAIN PROPAGATION AND BRANCHING
The chain propagation step involves the reaction to produce addi-
tional radicals that propagate the oxidation sequence. Alkyl radicals
(R•) react with oxygen in the oil and create peroxy radicals (ROO•).
These peroxy radicals react with additional hydrocarbon molecules
to produce hydroperoxides (ROOH) and additional akyl radicals:
R•+O 2  ROO•
ROO•+RH  ROOH+R•
Additional chain branching occurs by several different reactions.
This is dependent on the base oil and the temperature. Examples
are shown below:
ROOH  RO•  +HO•
RO•+RH  ROH+R
HO•+RH  H 2 O+R•
There are many other initiation, propagation, and chain branch-
ing reactions that have been reviewed elsewhere [1, 2].
The side reactions of the formation of aldehydes and ketones are
probably the most important in maintenance of quench oils because
their subsequent reactions eventually form sludge and deposits. While
there are a number of different paths that lead to the formation of alde-
hydes and ketones, the most accepted mechanisms are shown below:
The first two reactions are a chain scission step that forms two
lower molecular weight hydrocarbon fragments and the formation
of an alkyl radical. These reactions affect the physical properties of
the oil quenchant by decreasing the viscosity, increasing the volatility
and decreasing the flashpoint, and finally, by increasing the polarity
of the quenchant. The alkyl radials are then free to react with oxygen
in the propagation steps above. The scission that occurs is very rare
in quenchants, but can occur in other lubricants.
The last reaction above is a chain termination that consumes two peroxy
radicals and produces an alcohol and a carbonyl compound. The polarity of
the hydrocarbon will increase, but the molecular weight will be unchanged.
This also means that the viscosity, flashpoint will also be unchanged.
FORMATION OF CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
As the oxidation increases, the acid levels from the formation of
carboxylic acids increase. This increase leads to further oxidation
because the carboxylic acids promote oxidation. This is why, once
oil starts to oxidize, it does so in an exponential fashion, with the
oxidation rapidly increasing. Carboxylic acids are formed by the
oxidation of aldehydes and ketones. This is measured by ASTM
D664. It is a measure of the amount of organic acids present in the
oil, and is useful for determining when staining is likely, or the oil
is reaching the end of its useful life. For most oil quenchants, when
the TAN (Total Acid Number) is greater than 1.5-2.0, it is indicative
of staining or deposits on parts being quenched.

RR'HCO•  RCH=O+R' CONDENSATION REACTIONS

RR'R''CO  R R'C=O+R'' As oils become increasingly oxidized, whether in the quench tank, or
2RR'CHOO•  R'RC=O+RCHOHR'+O2 in oxidation tests, the viscosity increases. This occurs by condensation

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reactions that become important as the levels
of aldehydes and ketones increase. These reac-
tions are known as Aldol Condensations [1]. It
is this reaction that causes varnish on parts and
sludge in quench tanks.

SLUDGE AND DEPOSIT FORMATION

The condensation products described in
the above section have a limited solubil-
ity in the quenchant. These are high
molecular weight oligomers. These are
molecules that have a few monomer units,
in contrast to a polymer that can have
an unlimited number of monomers. As
oil oxidizes the amount of carboxylic Fig. 3: Overall schematic of the oxidation of quench oil.
acids will increase. These acids are very
effective catalysts for Aldol condensation
reactions. These then convert the low molecular weight carbonyl can also act as a nucleation site for the formation of oligomers
compounds into higher molecular weight oligomers. formation, resulting in oligomers coated soot particles. These
As the reactions progress, chemical changes in the oligomers accumulate at the bottom of the quench tank in low velocity
will result in making them insoluble in the quench oil. At this areas, and are deposited on parts. The overall oxidation reac-
point the insoluble oligomers will precipitate from the quench tions are shown in Figure 3.
oil and create sludge on the bottom of the quench tank, and In the next installment, examples of the effect of base oil
deposits on the hot metal part. and additive packages on the oxidation resistance of quench
The higher kinetic rate of aromatic group oxidation increases oil will be discussed, as well as methods to help mitigate the
sludge and deposits. Because paraffinic oils have fewer aromatic effects of oxidation. 
groups than naphthenic oils, paraffinic oils are preferred for
quenchants. Metal scale and soot, base oil sulfur, additive sulfur REFERENCES
can also promote the formation of sludge and deposits. Soot 1. G. Totten, C. Bates, N. Clinton, “Handbook of Quenchants
and Quenching Technology,” ASM International, Metals
Park, OH, 1993
2. Scott, G., Atmospheric Oxidation and Antioxidants, Elsevier
Publishing Company, Amsterdam, 1965.
3. Shlyapnikov, Y. A., “Antioxidant Stabilization of Polymers,”
Russ. Chem. Rev., Vol. 50, 1981, pp.581–600.
4. Colclough, T., “Lubricating Oil Oxidation and Stabilization,”
Atmospheric Oxidation and AntioxidantsVolume II, G. Scott,
Ed., Elsevier Science Publishers B. V., Amsterdam, 1993,
pp. 1-70.
5. Rasberger, M., “Oxidative Degradation and Stabilization of
Mineral Oil Based Lubricants,” Chemistry and Technology
of Lubricants, R. M. Motier and S. T. Orszulik, Eds., Blackie
Academic and Professional, London, 1997, pp. 98-143.
6. V. Gatto, W. Moehle, T. Cobb, and E. Schneller, “Oxidation
Fundamentals and Its Application to Turbine Oil Testing,”
J. ASTM, April 2006, V3 #4, p.1
7. AL-Malaika, S., “Autoxidation,” Atmospheric Oxidation
and Antioxidants Volume I, G. Scott, Ed., Elsevier Science
Publishers B. V., Amsterdam, 1993, pp. 45-82.
8. Uri, N., “Mechanism of Autoxidation,” Autoxidation and
Antioxidants Volume I, W. O. Lundberg, Ed., John Wiley
& Sons, Inc., New York, 1961, pp. 133-170.
9. March, J., “The Aldol Condensation,” Advanced Organic
Chemistry, 3rd ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York,
1985, pp. 829-834.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR  D. Scott MacKenzie, Ph.D., FASM, is senior

research scientist-metallurgy at Houghton International Inc. Go online to
www.houghtonintl.com.

26 gearsolutions.com
60 Years on the Cutting Edge

Southern Gear
Then and ... Southern Gear & Machine is celebrating 60
years of leading the way in custom precision
gear manufacturing. Our ongoing investment in
technology and personnel keeps us on the cutting
edge of gear manufacturing, providing the highest
quality gears to the world’s most demanding
industries.

CALL US TODAY TO FIND OUT HOW WE CAN

NOW HELP WITH YOUR PRECISION GEAR NEEDS!

• Our machinists and engineers have an

average of 26 years experience in gear
manufacturing.

• Our employees have been with our

company an average of 15 years.

• We have more than 50 gear cutting

machines alone.

• We have invested close to one million

dollars in new equipment each year for the
past six years.

SOUTHERN GEAR & MACHINE, INC.

3685 NW 106 Street
Miami, Florida 33147
(305) 691-6300
(800) 248-5152
www.southerngear.net
sales@southerngear.net

Cutting Edge Technology in Experienced Hands

MARCH  2018 27
 COMPANY
PROFILE

JM Performance Products

JM Performance Products offers patented High

Torque retention knobs designed to reduce
or eliminate toolholder expansion. (Photos
courtesy: JM Performance Products)
28 gearsolutions.com
JM Performance Products has established itself as
a model shop leader for manufacturing development
and quality control of precision-turned parts.
By Kenneth Carter
Editor | Gear Solutions
JM Performance Products may be a small company,
but the products and services it offers are anything but.
“We are a small company that manufactures
with the traceability and quality standards gained
from years working from a defense manufacturer’s
standpoint,” said Plant Manager Craig Fischer.
“We buy all U.S. steel. Our products are guar-
anteed not just for quality but performance as
well. No other retention knob manufacturer has
a guarantee like ours.”
JMPP offers patented High Torque knobs designed
to reduce or eliminate toolholder expansion, a flaw
in the tooling system that can create expensive issues
from CNC milling, according to Fischer.
“By eliminating that expansion and adopting
maintenance and procedural changes, manufactur-
ers — especially those in the gear industry — will
recognize improved finishes due to reduced chatter
and vibration, hold tighter tolerances, and produce
precision gears for a myriad of industries,” he said.
SPINDLE OPTIMIZATION
SYSTEM PRODUCTS
JMPP’s Spindle Optimization System products are
designed to maximize the contact between tapered
toolholders and the spindle, Fischer said.
“Gears must have flawless edges and finishes in
order to work precisely,” he said. “Chatter, vibration,
and run-out affect the finishes, which result in lengthy
secondary processes and bench time to remove imper-
fections and finish and polish the parts.”
JMPP’s products increase toolholder-to-taper con-
tact, which eliminates tool vibration and chatter,
reduces run-out, increases tool rigidity, and improves
the performance of every tool, according to Fischer.
These enhancements improve the finish of the gears
and significantly reduce those secondary processes and
finishing-and-polishing times.
Being a small company allows JMPP to give its
customers the attention they need, much of which
can easily be done by phone.
“Our technical and engineering staff know what
questions to ask,” Fischer said. “Once they determine
the problem, we make suggestions to them that will
help our customers resolve their issues. Sometimes
we will have to send them to someone else, such as a
spindle service company, but we always try to provide
them with the tools to fix their problem. In rare occa-
sions, we travel to a customer to see firsthand a specific
issue they are having.”
JMPP also offers alternatives for cash-strapped
customers, according to Fischer.
“We understand that not everyone is in a position
to make the commitment to purchase our gages, so we
have an easy and affordable rental program in place
so that our customers can get the benefit of our gages
without having to purchase them,” he said.
UNEXPECTED BENEFIT
JMPP’s High Torque knobs were originally designed
to get rid of vibration and chatter caused by toolholder
JM Performance
Products offers a
variety of retention
knobs.
MARCH  2018 29
In order to stay technologically ahead,
JMPP continues to enhance and refine
its technology, quality, and production
methods through research, education,
and advanced equipment.

expansion by the standard retention knob, but Fischer said the pat-
ented product had an unexpected benefit.
“We knew we could improve tool life at least a little,” he said.
“We had no idea of how beneficial changing out standard knobs
for High Torque knobs could be until our customers started calling
and sending emails telling us about the enormous improvements
they were seeing in their shops. We are still regularly surprised by
what a huge impact our invention has had and the potential for the
ever-changing requirements of CNC milling.”
In addition to High Torque knobs, JMPP has other products on
the horizon designed to help the company’s customers even more,
according to Fischer.
The taper toolholder cleaner and resurfacing unit will be able
to resurface the taper and restore seating to a like-new condition.
“We realized that most customers were not addressing issues with
the toolholder,” Fischer said. “Nicks, gouges, grit, and grime were
causing the toolholder to not seat correctly in the spindle.”
The taper toolholder tightening fixture combo will allow large
companies to reduce the number of steps to attain a correctly
installed knob.

BUILDING A REPUTATION
JMPP has been manufacturing its own products exclusively
since 2009, but the actual company began 56 years ago in the
basement of company founder John Stoneback’s grandfather as JM Performance Products manufactures more than 400 different styles of
J&M Machine. retention knobs.

30 gearsolutions.com
“We knew we could improve tool life at least a
little. We had no idea of how beneficial changing out
standard knobs for High Torque knobs could be until
our customers started calling and sending emails
telling us about the enormous improvements they
were seeing in their shops. We are still regularly
surprised by what a huge impact our invention
has had and the potential for the ever-changing
requirements of CNC milling.”
High Torque retention knobs are longer than a traditional retention knob, but share the same head dimensions.
It was there that Stoneback gained
a reputation for manufacturing preci-
sion parts quickly and correctly for the
aerospace and defense sector, according
to Fischer.
That reputation served as a catalyst
that saw the business grow from its origi-
nal location in Euclid, Ohio, to a second
location across the street to meet the need
for increased production.
In 1991, Stoneback bought six acres
in Fairport Harbor, Ohio, where JMPP’s
current 18,000-square-foot facility now
sits, providing the proper expansion for
the growing business.
JMPP’s facility is engineered to allow
the interfacing of a computerized process
environment, which will help the com-
pany become a paperless manufacturing
plant. Computer technologies allow for
traceability of the manufacturing pro-
FOR MORE INFORMATION jmperformanceproducts.com
cesses on a real-time basis. With JMPP’s
advanced scheduling system, production
flow and process time can be determined
and calculated to the minute. By artificially
changing selected variables in the schedule,
necessary requirements can be calculated
to accommodate customer demands. This
allows possible adverse effects to a future
schedule change to be detected and cor-
rected before they happen.
In order to stay technologically ahead
in this field, JMPP continues to enhance
and refine its technology, quality, and
production methods through research,
education, and advanced equipment.
With its skilled, team-oriented crafts-
people, state-of-the-art equipment, and
innovations, JMPP’s goals of satisfying
its customers and becoming the “next
generation” manufacturing company can
be accomplished. 
MARCH  2018 31
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 2017 at the AGMA Fall Technical
Meeting in Columbus, Ohio. 17FTM01

32 gearsolutions.com
CFD Simulation of Power
Losses and Lubricant Flows
in Gearboxes
Growing interest in the energy efficiency of gearboxes has led to the use
of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to calculate load-independent
power losses as well as lubricant flows.
By Franco Concli and Carlo Gorla
Energy efficiency represents one of the most relevant
drivers in many application fields, and power trans-
mission and gears play a critical and fundamental
role in many of them, contributing to improve the
overall efficiency and to reduce energy consumption
and emissions.
In the design phase, the availability of tools
able to reliably anticipate the losses of a gearbox
can provide a relevant contribution to the aim of
improving efficiency. The power losses of gearboxes
are the sum of different contributions. For some of
them, the available analytical models can provide
acceptable information but they are not suitable
for an accurate prediction of the load-independent
losses that are generated by the interaction of the
gears with the lubricant.
Computer simulation, in particular the applica-
tion of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD),
represents an approach to overcome the problem
of predicting load-independent power losses accu-
rately. Moreover, it can provide a description of
the lubricant flows inside the gearbox, describing
the oil supply to the critical components of the
transmission, thus assessing the effectiveness of the
lubrication system with respect to reliability.
Nevertheless, the application of CFD to gears
is challenging due to the geometrical properties of
the volume domain to be studied and its variation
during the meshing cycle, with the consequent
complexity of the volume mesh handling. Many
approaches have been proposed to apply CFD to
gearboxes, and they differ in the accuracy of the
results and of the simulation time.
This paper, on the basis of a preliminary review
of the different approaches, describes the applica-
tion of CFD to gearboxes based on an original
global-remeshing technique, which enables accurate
predictions in relatively short simulation times,
compatible with the industrial design practice.
The method is validated with data obtained by
means of experimental tests, both on laboratory
back-to- back test rigs and on industrial gearboxes,
including planetary gearboxes, for which the load-
independent power losses are particularly relevant.
The results of the CFD simulation are in very
good accordance with the tests, both for the amount
of the losses and for the flow distribution, and they
also provide a tool to understand the origin of the
losses, including the effects of churning, windage,
pocketing, and cavitation. The results of the practi-
cal application used for the validation are included
and discussed in the paper.
1: INTRODUCTION
The power losses of gearboxes are the sum of dif-
ferent contributions and typically are classified
according both to the machine element respon-
sible for their occurrence and their dependency or
independency from the transmitted load. For some
of them, the available analytical and empirical
models can provide acceptable information, but for
the load-independent losses of gears, generated by
the interaction with the lubricant, these types of
models generally do not provide accurate or even
acceptable forecasts. Instead, the availability in the
design phase of tools able to reliably anticipate the
losses of a gearbox, including the load-independent
ones, can provide a relevant contribution to the
aim of improving efficiency.
Computer simulation, in particular the appli-
cation of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD),
represents an approach to overcome the problem
of predicting load-independent power losses accu-
rately. Moreover, it can provide a description of
the lubricant f lows inside the gearbox, describing
the oil supply to the critical components of the
transmission, thus assessing the effectiveness of
the lubrication system with respect to reliability.
Nevertheless, the application of CFD to gears is
challenging due to the geometrical properties of
the volume domain to be studied and its variation
during the meshing cycle, with the consequent
complexity of the volume mesh handling.
Many approaches have been proposed to apply
CFD to gearboxes, and they differ in the accu-
racy of the results and of the simulation time: a
preliminary review of the different approaches
has been presented by the authors in [1]. Starting
from that, the application of CFD to gearboxes,
based on an original global-remeshing technique,
MARCH  2018 33
which enables accurate predictions in relatively short simula-
tion times, is presented here. The proposed approach represents
a good tradeoff between the accuracy of the results and the
compatibility with the real industrial design practice in terms
of simulation time.
For this reason, the software tools that have been generated
represent an effective contribution to the design of gearboxes
because they provide, since the preliminary design phases, reli-
able information concerning the oil supply to critical elements
and the power losses. The availability of this information in
the early stages of design enables corrective actions that would
be costly if applied later, typically when the tests on the first
prototypes can be performed.
Concerning the simulation tools, the approach followed by
the authors has been implemented utilizing open source codes,
which, with a suitable definition of user interfaces and data
preprocessing, can be effectively applied to generate computer
programs specifically tailored for the application to gears and
gearboxes, thus enabling their application by gear designers who
are not necessarily experts in the application of CFD simulation
by means of general purpose codes.
The method proposed by the authors and the software tools
implemented have been validated on the basis of data obtained
by means of experimental tests, both on laboratory back-to-
back test rigs and on industrial gearboxes, including planetary
gearboxes, for which the load-independent power losses are
particularly relevant.
The results of the CFD simulation are in very good accor-
dance with the tests, both for the amount of the losses and for
the f low distribution.
One other relevant aspect is the possibility to understand the
origin of the losses, including the effects of churning, windage,
pocketing, and also cavitation, which for some cases represent
a way to justify results that would be otherwise difficult to
explain. Moreover, a deep understanding of the losses and their
dependency from the single effects in each specific application
case represents an effective input to address their reduction.
2: POWER LOSSES IN GEARBOXES
The power dissipation in a gearbox is the combination of the losses
generated by different mechanical parts. They can therefore be
separated in losses related to gears, to bearings, to seals, and to
other components, such as clutches and synchronizers. Moreover,
the gear and bearing losses can be subdivided further, according to
a second criterion, into load dependent and load-independent losses.
The former are directly proportional to the transmitted torque and
are associated to the friction between matching parts or, better, in
the case of oil lubrication, by the shear actions in the oil film due
to sliding. The latter are instead generated by the interaction of the
lubricant and the mechanical components.
The classification of the losses is here summarized according to
Niemann [2]: identifying the load-independent with the suffix 0, and
considering gears (PLG), bearings (PLB), seals (PLS) and other generic
losses (PLX) such those of clutches and synchronizers, the total loss
can be written as follows
PL = PLG + PLG0 + PLB + PLB0 + PLS0 + PLX [1]
The load-independent power losses of gears, indicated by the
symbol PLG0, which are the main objective of this paper, can be
34 gearsolutions.com
subdivided further into churning (PLG0,C), windage (PLG0,W ), and
squeezing/pocketing losses (PLG0,S).
PLG0 = PLG0,C + PLG0,W + PLG0,S [2]
3: CFD APPLICATION TO LUBRICATION OF
GEARBOXES
Windage differs from churning since churning involves the interac-
tion with a fluid mixture (multiple phases), while windage involves
a single phase. Churning losses are generally present in all splash-
lubricated gearboxes, while windage implies also a significant effect
of the interaction with air. Windage can therefore be typical and
relevant for large grease-lubricated gears, for which there is no splash
and the tangential speeds can be high, or for injection-lubricated
high-speed gearboxes which imply a single-phase interaction between
the gears and the air. Generally speaking, both phenomena are
present in an operating gear transmission. The third source of load-
independent losses in gears is squeezing, also named pocketing,
which is determined by the rapid variation of the volume between
mating teeth when they enter and exit gear mesh, thus producing
axial flows of the lubricant or of the lubricant mixtures, responsible
for losses generated by viscous effects that, in general, are of a lower
order of magnitude when compared with the previously described
phenomena.
Load-independent power losses are also present in bearings, and
for them, due to a more standard geometry, equations of general
application can be defined and used, such as those provided by the
manufacturers. Instead, for the gears where the losses are strongly
dependent from the specific arrangement and by the boundary con-
ditions determined by the casing geometry, an approach based on
analytical/empirical equations of general application does not seem
effective, and only numerical methods are appropriate to obtain
accurate results.
3.1: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
As a consequence of the previous discussion, the calculation of the
load-independent power losses of gears requires the description of the
behavior of the lubricant in the operating conditions, which requires
the solution of the internal fluid dynamics. An analytical approach
to the solution of such a problem is not realistic in the case of gear-
box lubrication, due to the complex shape of the domain, which is
bounded by the surfaces of the gears, the shafts, and the bearings,
which move during the operations. Furthermore, the shape of the
casing, which can also be very different from gearbox to gearbox
and is typically only partially filled, strongly affects the lubricant
fluxes and, therefore, the power losses. The shape of the volume
available for the fluid is therefore continuously variable, and the
portions occupied by the oil, the air, and the mixture change dur-
ing the operation. For these reasons, only numerical approaches, i.e.
CFD can provide reasonable results. At present, as pointed out in [1],
the methods based on particle models are reasonably applicable to
calculation aimed at a qualitative description of the flow of lubricant
inside the gearbox, while an approach based on finite volumes is
required when the numerical evaluation of the losses is the aim. In
the present work the numerical solution of the fluid domain inside
the gearbox is performed with a finite volume method, which is based
on the subdivision of the volume into cells and on the numerical
solution of two governing equations, which represent the mass and
momentum conservation; in particular:
on the subdivision of the volume into cells and on the numerical solution of two governing equations,
which represent the mass and momentum conservation; in particular:

𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 [3] explicit solution [4], which limits the flux

+ ∇ ∙ (𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌) = 0 [3] of the variables to guar-
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 antee a bounded solution. More details concerning the techniques
used by the authors can be found in [5].
[4]
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕(𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝒗𝒗𝒗𝒗) 𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇 )]
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕
+ ∇ ∙ (𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝒗𝒗𝒗𝒗𝒗𝒗𝒗𝒗) = −∇𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 + ∇ ∙ [𝜇𝜇𝜇𝜇(∇𝒗𝒗𝒗𝒗 + ∇𝒗𝒗𝒗𝒗 + 𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌 + 𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭 3.2 MESH HANDLING [4]
The continuous variation of the geometry of the volume during
on the subdivision of the volume into cells and on the numerical solution
Where: of two governing
the operation, determinedequations,
by the meshing cycles of the gears, gives
which represent the mass and momentum conservation; in particular:
𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌 = density origin to the major complexity in the simulation of internal fluid
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 dynamics of gearboxes, because it requires an update of the mesh
∇ ∙ (𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌)
𝒗𝒗𝒗𝒗𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕=+velocity =0
vector after a few time steps. Actually, the evolution [3] of the volume in the
𝜇𝜇𝜇𝜇 = viscosity region of teeth meshing gives origin to a severe degeneration of the
volume elements, and therefore determines instability of the solution.
𝒈𝒈𝒈𝒈 = gravity
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕(𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝒗𝒗𝒗𝒗)
+ ∇ ∙ vector = −∇𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 + ∇ ∙ [𝜇𝜇𝜇𝜇(∇𝒗𝒗𝒗𝒗 + ∇𝒗𝒗𝒗𝒗𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇 )] + 𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌 + 𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭
(𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝒗𝒗𝒗𝒗𝒗𝒗𝒗𝒗) The approaches typically adopted by commercial [4] software are not
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕
𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭 = external forces effective for gears. For instance, the most diffused, which is based
Where: on a mesh smoothing with a replacement of the elements which
These
These twotwo equations equationsgovern governthe thebehavior
behavior of of aa transient
transient incompressible
incom- do notflow satisfy
andthe selected
must criteria, does
be enforced in not represent an acceptable
each 𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌 cell
pressible = density
flow
in which and must be enforced in each
the computational domain cell isindiscretized.
which the com- solution because, despite the possibility of handling large topological
putational
𝒗𝒗𝒗𝒗 = domain
velocity vectoris discretized. modifications, in this case they give origin to much smaller elements,
The numerical approach is based on a solution performed with techniques based on a PIMPLE (merged
The
PISO-SIMPLE) numerical approach is based on a solution performed with thus implying a reduction of the time steps and therefore a growing
𝜇𝜇𝜇𝜇 = viscosityalgorithm
techniques
[4]. Actually, the SIMPLE algorithm has been developed for steady-state
conditions based and therefore, on a PIMPLE even(merged PISO-SIMPLE)
if it is effective, does not include thecomputational
algorithm time information. effort.
On the other hand,
[4]. Actually,
the 𝒈𝒈𝒈𝒈
PISO = gravity algorithm,thevector SIMPLE developedalgorithm for has been developed
transient simulations, for steady- For this reason,
is time conservative, but thethe original solution
convergence of theproposed by the authors is
state
solution conditions requires and,thetherefore,
reduction even of theif it time
is effective
step, does
thus not include theconstituted
increasing computational by complete
effort and meshthesubstitutions of the mesh after some
the 𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭
necessary
time = external time for
information. forces theOn completion.
the otherThe hand, PIMPLE
the PISO algorithm operates
algorithm, in the SIMPLE
iterations. With this mode for allwhich
approach, the is based on a global-remeshing
iterations
developed for transient except the last one, in which
simulations, it operates
is time in PISO
conservative, butmode.
the Ittechnique,
is therefore thepossible
regenerationto combine the being based on predefined
of the grids,
These two
results of a equations
stable govern
solution, the behavior
which does not oflose
a transient
in incompressible
information, with an flow and must
acceptable be enforced
computational in
effort.
convergence of the solution requires the reduction of the time step, topological rules, can be much more controlled with respect to
each cell in which the computational domain is discretized.
thus
The increasing
applicationthe of computational
splash lubrication, effortwhich
and the is necessary
characterized time forby thethe substitution
formation of the degenerated
of a mixture of oil/air, elements only, the geometry of
Thecompletion.
the
requires numerical the introduction approach
The PIMPLE is an
of based
algorithm on a solution
additional operates performed
in the SIMPLE
scalar quantity, with volume
called techniques
whichfraction, based
is not on ain
known
used toPIMPLE
advance. (merged
the identifyThus,
themore homogeneous element
PISO-SIMPLE)
proportion
mode for allofthe algorithm
theiterations
two phases. [4].
except Actually, the
is calculated
𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼 the SIMPLE
last one, inforwhich algorithm
eachitcell, has been
with an size
operates additionaldeveloped
balance
and quality for steady-state
can equation.
be ensured. The results are then mapped from
conditions
in PISO mode. and It therefore,
is therefore even if it is to
possible effective,
combinedoes not include
the results of a thethe time
old information.
to the new grid On by theinterpolation.
other hand, More details are provided
the PISO algorithm, developed for transient simulations, is time conservative, but the convergence of the
stable solution, which does not lose information, with an acceptable about where the approach has been applied to simple cases, such as
solution
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕
𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼 +requires
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕
(𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼 the reduction of the time step, thus increasing the computational effort and the
computational effort. 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 ) = 0 back-to-back test rigs [6].for all the [5]
necessary
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 time
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 for the completion. The PIMPLE algorithm operates in the SIMPLE mode
The application
iterations except the of splash lubrication,
in which which is characterized by It isThe main possible
limitationto of the original
the approach proposed, as
After
the formationthe calculation of a mixture oflast one,
𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼 the properties
of oil/air, requires
itofoperates
the
the fluid in PISOinmode.
mixture
introduction
therefore
of an withdescribed in [7], was
combine
the practical limitation to its direct applica-
results of a stable solution,
the cell are computed with an average, with weight 𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼 from which does not lose in information, an acceptable computational effort.
additional scalar quantity, called volume fraction, used to identify tion to cases for which a 2D generation of a mesh and subsequent
those
The applicationof the different of splash phases. lubrication, which is characterized by the formation of a mixture of oil/air,
the proportion of the two phases. α is calculated for each cell, with extrusion is not feasible. For this reason, in order to simulate the
requires the introduction of an additional scalar quantity, called volume fraction, used to the identify the
an additional
𝜙𝜙𝜙𝜙 = 𝜙𝜙𝜙𝜙𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔of∙ 𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼
proportion balance
the + two (1 − 𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼) 𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼 is calculated for each cell, with an lubrication
𝜙𝜙𝜙𝜙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙 ∙equation.
phases. additional balanceand the equation.
power losses of real [6] cases, a new partition-
ing-based technique has been applied and integrated with the
where global-remeshing method as described later. The new technique
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 [5] removes the limitations in applicability[5] and opens the possibility
𝜙𝜙𝜙𝜙 𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼= + generic property
(𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼 )
𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 = 0
to calculate (density, viscosity, etc.)
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 of simulating whatever gearbox design, and, in particular, also
Subscript 𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔 = gas
After the calculation of 𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼 the properties of the fluid mixture in planetary gears, which represents the application on which the
the cellSubscript are computed 𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙 = liquid.with an average, with weight 𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼 from present is mostly focused.
those of the different phases.
A relatively 4:discretization
MODEL VALIDATION
𝜙𝜙𝜙𝜙 = 𝜙𝜙𝜙𝜙 recent
∙ 𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼 + 𝜙𝜙𝜙𝜙development
𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙 ∙ (1 − 𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼)
uses a compressive scheme[6] for the of the gaseous volume [6]
fraction 𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼.𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔An artificial supplementary velocity field 𝒗𝒗𝒗𝒗𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 is defined inBefore applyingofthe
the proximity themodel to complex
interface in such cases,
a for which the differ-
way
where that the local flow steepens the gradient of the volume fractionent aspectsand
function andthetheinterface
differentresolution
causes of complexity
is can be present
improved. A number of different approaches to define the compressive at thevelocity fieldthe
same time, areapproach
reportedhasin been validated on the basis of
𝜙𝜙𝜙𝜙 = generic
literature, e.g. CICSAM property(Compressive
to calculate (density,
Interfaceviscosity,
Capturing etc.)
Schemeexperimental
for Arbitrarydata,
Meshes)
eitheras described
referred by geometric condition, or
to simpler
Ubbink [3] and𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔the
Subscript currently used multi-dimensional universal limiter
= gas with explicit solution [4], which limits
to some single specific aspects. Some steps of the validation process
the flux of the variables to guarantee a bounded solution. More details concerning the techniques used by
are described.
Subscript
the authors can 𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙 =beliquid.
found in [5].
A relatively recent development uses a compressive scheme for 4.1.1: BACK-TO-BACK TEST RIG
A relatively
the recentofdevelopment
discretization uses a fraction
the gaseous volume compressive
α. Anscheme artificialfor the discretization
In the of the
past the authors gaseous
have volume
validated the above-mentioned approach
fraction 𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼. An artificial supplementary velocity field 𝒗𝒗𝒗𝒗4 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 is defined in the proximity of the interface in such a
17FTM01
supplementary velocity field vc is defined in the proximity of the by comparing the results in terms of resistant torque due to the
way that the local flow steepens the gradient of the volume fraction function and the interface resolution is
interface
improved. in Asuch a wayofthat
number the local
different flow steepens
approaches the gradient
to define of interaction
the compressive with
velocity theare
field lubricant
reported and
in the lubricant distribution on a
the
literature, e.g. CICSAM (Compressive Interface Capturing Scheme for Arbitrary Meshes) as described by part was performed by
volume fraction function and the interface resolution is improved. back-to-back test rig [6]. The experimental
AUbbink
number [3]ofand
different approaches
the currently usedto define the compressive
multi-dimensional velocitylimiter
universal Otto
withetexplicit
al. [8-9]. Tests [4],
solution werewhich
performed
limits for different geometries,
field are reported
the flux in literature,
of the variables e.g. CICSAM
to guarantee (Compressive
a bounded solution. Interface rotational
More details speeds,the
concerning filling levels, and
techniques usedpressures.
by The authors have
the authorsScheme
Capturing can befor found in [5].Meshes) as described by Ubbink numerically simulated the above-mentioned configuration, both
Arbitrary
[3] and the currently used multi-dimensional universal limiter with with general-purposes software based on local-remeshing and with
MARCH  2018 35
4 17FTM01
Figure 1: Comparison between the experimental data [8-9] and the results of the numerical simulation with the original global-remeshing approach [5].
the original global-remeshing approach.
Figure 1 shows a comparison between the experimental results
by Otto and the numerical predictions according to the original
method presented by the authors.
The three curves represent, for a C-PT gear pair, the power losses
as a function of the rotational speed. The dotted line with squares
refers to the complete filling of the case and the application of an
overpressure of 6bar. The striped line with triangles represent the
complete filling of the case without overpressure. The continuous
line with circles represents the condition in which the gears are sub-
mersed into the lubricant up to the axis. The first curve represents the
typical example of windage losses (note: according to the definition,
windage means single phase, even if there is oil alone instead of air
alone). From a theoretical point of view, also the curve that refers
to the non-pressurized condition represents an example of windage.
But this is true only as far as the pressure during operation does not
decrease up to the vaporization pressure for which the liquid lubricant
transforms into vapor. In this case, the proper classification of the
losses classification becomes churning. The presence of some vapor
regions can also explain the differences between the pressurized and
the non-pressurized measurements that, neglecting cavitation, should
not be influenced by the static pressure.
The numerical results, besides providing a very accurate pre-
diction of the different kind of losses, can also provide additional
information that sometimes cannot be measured experimentally or
Figure 2: Comparison between the numerical simulations [5] and the results of experimental test [10].
36 gearsolutions.com
help in understanding “strange” experimental evidence, providing
a physical explanation like in the case of cavitation.
The lower curve, in turn, represents another churning loss condi-
tion in which the two phases are the liquid lubricant and the air.
Figure 2 shows a comparison between the observed and predicted
lubricant distributions. Simulations are capable to capture the main
phenomena such as the air trapping below the contact or the oil
rivulets leaving the upper teeth.
With the approach based on the use of an open source code with
global remeshing, each simulation took about 21h on a single 3.2
GHz CPU (12.8 GFLOPS). The same simulation, using a general-
purpose software and a local-remeshing technique, was performed
on a 16 CPUs hpc (3.2GHz) (205 GFLOPS):
in this case, it took
about 20h. Considering a linear scalability, the gain in terms of
computational time is 93.5 percent.
4.1.2: INDUSTRIAL PLANETARY GEARBOX 2D
Another test case used in the past by the authors to validate the results
was an industrial planetary gearbox [11]. In such gearing, the load-
independent power losses significantly affect the efficiency: the presence
of the planet-carrier and the related motion of the planets produce a
significant interaction with the lubricant and relevant churning phe-
nomena. Dedicated test and data post processing were performed in
order to be able to separate the load-independent power losses of gears
from the total losses. Figure 3 shows those results and the comparison
 smoothing (idealization of the mesh as a
network of interconnected springs) and a
subsequent local replacement of the elements
that quality does not satisfy the selected
criteria. This method is effective and is able
to manage big topological modifications but
is not efficient. The newly generated element
results are significantly smaller than the
initial ones, imposing a sudden reduction of
the time steps (in order to ensure the solution
stability), with a significant impact on the
computational effort.
The original global-remeshing technique
presented by the authors relies on the com-
Figure 3: Comparison between the numerical simulations and the results of experimental test (three different
lubricant levels) [11] and lubricant distribution.
plete mesh substitution after few iterations
and the mapping of the results between the
with the 2D numerical simulation using the global-remeshing approach. grids. The generation of the new grids can be better controlled than
The comparison shows that 2D simulations underestimate the the regeneration of the distorted elements, ensuring a more homo-
load-independent power losses. This can be explained considering geneous element size and quality.
Couette’s theory as shown also by other authors [12]. Figure 4 shows how the local-remeshing, also for simple topo-
From the above-mentioned examples, it appears on one side that logical modifications, produces very small and/or distorted elements
the CFD global-remeshing approach can provide very accurate results while the new approach is capable to maintain the mesh quality,
in a short manner, and on the other side, it appears clearly that for also for complex geometrical modifications such as mating gears.
such kinds of studies, the planar simplification cannot be used for In both cases, only a planar 2-dimensional tetrahedral mesh is
a precise power loss estimation. newly generated. This planar grid is successively extruded. This is the
limiting factor that prevents the direct application of such a method
4.2: ADVANCED MESH HANDLING TECHNIQUES to complex gearbox configurations.
The most widely diffused technique implemented in commercial The simulation of the back-to-back test rig result is possibly
software, the so-called local-remeshing, is based on a first mesh taking advantage of the plane of symmetry. The computational

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MARCH  2018 37
 and the faces with an advancing front surface mesh generator. A
fast Delaunay algorithm generates the mesh. Eventually it fails for
the last elements, and a back-tracking rule-base algorithm takes
over [13, 14]. The initial planar mesh with three internal partitions
(corresponding to the lateral surfaces of the gears and the remaining
area that surrounds the gears) was extruded in the two directions
so as to create the final grid (the partitions corresponding to the
gear flanks are extruded just in one direction while the remaining
partition in both directions).
The planetary gearbox was instead simulated with a 2D approxi-
mation: The complex geometry, the presence of the planet carrier etc.,
does not allow the direct application of such kind of methodology.
For this reason, considering the importance of simulating the
lubrication and the power dissipation of real gearboxes, the authors
Figure 4: Mesh before and after the update: (a) – (b) local-remeshing; (c) – (d) global integrate a new and innovative partitioning-based meshing technique
remeshing.
to the already presented global-remeshing method so as to be able
domain was subsequently partitioned axially into two sub-domains. to apply such extrusion strategy to each possible gearbox design. In
The mid-plane was meshed following a top down strategy that particular, the same gearbox considered in the previous research was
starts by computing the corner points, and discretize the edges simulated, overcoming the 2D simplification.
Table 1 – Geometrical properties of the considered planetary gearbox
Table 1: Geometrical
Sun gear Planets Ring gear properties of the
Normal module 𝒎𝒎𝒎𝒎𝒏𝒏𝒏𝒏 [mm] 0.8 considered planetary
gearbox.
Pressure angle 𝜶𝜶𝜶𝜶𝒏𝒏𝒏𝒏 [°] 20
Number of teeth 𝒛𝒛𝒛𝒛 [-] 12 47 -108

Figure 5: Geometry
and mesh
partitioning.

38 gearsolutions.com
Figure 5 – Geometry and mesh partitioning
5: SIMULATION OF A 3D PLANETARY GEARBOX
The most recent developments are represented by the application of
the global-remeshing approach to a 3D planetary gearbox.
5.1: MODEL DESCRIPTION
The gearbox considered is a single stage planetary gearbox with
a reduction ratio of 10. The detailed geometrical properties are
reported in Table 1.
In order to be able to apply the previously described global-
remeshing strategy to the three-dimensional case, the computational
domain needs to be subdivided into slices in an axial direction with
a technique that can be defined as axial partitioning: Figure 5 shows
the seven axial partitions used for the present case. Each partition
is discretized with an extruded mesh. The procedure relies on an
automatized algorithm that, for a prescribed time step, generates
the planar geometries for each partition. These are then discretized
and the resulting grid extruded. Each sector (partition) of the global
grid is generated and meshed separately and can be handled by a
different cpu so as to speed up the meshing procedure. As a conse-
quence of this, while the geometries at the interfaces are conformal,
the meshes are not. Through the introduction of an arbitrary mesh
interface (AMI), the different partitions (disconnected from a geo-
metrical point of view) result numerically connected. This ensures
that during the simulations, the field variables remain the same at
both sides of the interfaces.
AMI for non-conformal patches has been implemented based on
the algorithm described in Farrel et al. [15]. AMI is a technique that
allows simulation across disconnected, but adjacent, mesh domains.
The domains can be stationary or move relative to one another.
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The simulation tool was implemented in the OpenFOAM®
environment [16]. The fluid dynamic solver was already available.
Instead, the algorithm for the boundary motion, for the automation
of the mesh generation and updating, as well as for the assembly of
the different partitions, was developed on purpose. As described in
detail in [7], before each time step, all the dictionaries that control
the simulation were automatically modified. The fluid dynamic
is solved upon a prescribed time for which the mesh reaches the
maximum acceptable distortion.
5.2: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Figure 6 shows the evolution of the lubricant distribution. Besides the
acceleration of the fluids due to the roto-translation of the planets,
Taylor-Couette flows arise between the rotating sides of the planet
carrier and counter plate and the fixed and planar internal surfaces
of the housing. It is evident that these effects can be captured only
with three-dimensional simulations.
The pure lubricant is pushed in the region the teeth of the ring
gear due to the centrifugal effects caused by the rotation of the
planets that induces a main circulation also in the lubricant. The
air is mainly confined near the axis of the gearbox. In the region
between them, there is instead the generation of a lubricant foam
(air-lubricant mixture). This foam is also present in the gaps between
the teeth as shown experimentally by Chernoray [17].
The simulation has been performed for different levels of the
lubricant: Table 2 shows, for one of the levels (high), respectively
the differences between the experimental tests and the simulation
and between the 2D and 3D simulation. From the comparisons it
appears that the 3D approach gives results much more in agreement
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MARCH  2018 39
 Figure 6 – Lubricant distribution

ubricant is pushed in the region the teeth of the ring gear due to the centrifugal effects caused
tion of the planets that induces a main circulation also in the lubricant. The air is mainly
ear the axis of the gearbox. In the region between them, there is instead the generation of a
oam (air-lubricant mixture). This foam is also present in the gaps between the teeth as shown
tally by Chernoray [17].
Figure 6: Lubricant distribution. Figure 6 – Lubricant distribution
ble 2 – Comparison between the experimental and the numerical 3D and 2D results

i = 10 P LG0 [W] ∆P LG0 [%] (2D vs. 3D) culation time can be reduced to less than 2h resulting in alignment
The pure lubricant is pushed in the region the teeth of withthe industrial
ring gearpractice.
due to the centrifugal effects caused
(Lubricant lev. High.)
by the rotation of the 2D planets
3Dthat induces a main circulation also in the lubricant. The air is mainly
confined near the axis of the gearbox. In the region between them, there is instead the generation of a
6: CONCLUSIONS
Sun 2.2 2.2 0%
lubricant foam (air-lubricant mixture). This foam is also present in the
In the context of a gaps
growingbetween
interest andthe teeth
focus on theas shown
energy efficiency
Sat. rotation (R) by Chernoray
experimentally 3x2.8 3x3.1
[17]. -9% and reliability of the gearboxes, CFD has proven to be an effective
Sat. translation (T) 3x2.1 3x2.3 -8% approach to calculate the load-independent power losses, for which there
Planet Carrier (PT) - 2,8 - are no accurate and/or reliable analytical/empiric formulations, and for
Table 2 – Comparison between the experimental the studyand the numerical
of lubricant 3D and
flows and supply to the2D resultscomponent
mechanical
TOT CFD 14.8 21.9 -42%
of the transmission.
TOT EXP 20,4
i = 10 P LG0 [W] LG0 [%]
∆Panalysis
Starting from (2Dproves
which vs. 3D)
that the presently commercially
∆P LG0 [%] (CFD vs. EXP) -27% +7% available tools are not directly applicable to real gearboxes, mainly due
(Lubricant lev. High.) to the limited effectiveness of the mesh handling technique adopted,
Table 2: Comparison between the experimental and the numerical 3D and 2D results.2D 3D
the authors have proposed and applied an approach based on the use
of an open source code, in order to provide gear designer of an effective
Sun 2.2 2.2 0%
10 tool.17FTM01
The method proposed is based on finite volume element, for which
Sat. rotation (R) 3x2.8 the3x3.1 -9% are solved numerically on the basis of
equations of fluid dynamics
a global-remeshing technique.
Sat. translation (T) 3x2.1 3x2.3
The method has been -8% validated on the basis of simple preliminary
Planet Carrier (PT) - applications,
2,8 for which test -data were available, for instance test rigs.
During the validation, additional effects that traditionally are not
TOT CFD 14.8 considered
21.9 have also been-42% taken into account, for instance cavitation.
TOT EXP The
20,4 validation process has shown not only the good reliability of the
results in terms of losses and flows, but also the possibility of better
∆P LG0 [%] (CFD vs. EXP) -27% understanding +7% the physical phenomena involved, thus providing a key
to discuss the results and to properly address the design improvements.
The method, after an additional phase devoted to the define a more
developed version of the global remeshing approach, suitable for the
Figure 7: Layer of lubricant that prevents the direct contact between the flanks. application to real gearboxes, has been utilized to analyze the most
complete case, corresponding to a planetary gearbox, which has been
10 17FTM01
with the experimental evidence. simulated by means of 3D models.
Figure 7 shows clearly that when the teeth are meshing, the The results have proven that accurate and reliable results can be
foam condensates, ensuring the separation of the flanks through obtained in times which are compatible with the practices of a real
the formation of a lubricant layer. This is fundamental to reduce company context. The tool simulated represents therefore an effective
the friction coefficient as well as to prevent damaging determined tool to improve, since the preliminary phases of the design process, the
by the contact between metals, like wear and scuffing. efficiency of a gearbox and the effectiveness of the lubrication system.
The final 3D mesh consists in approximately 1M cells. The simu- The developments under course are aimed at improving the user inter-
lation was performed on a 16 3.3GHz CPUs hpc (211 GFLOPS). faces, so as to enlarge the basis of potential application in design offices. 
The 3D simulation took about 30 h to reach the regime condition.
The share of the computational effort between the different steps of REFERENCES
the simulation can be evaluated as approximately 5 percent for the 1. Concli, F., Gorla, C., 2016, “Windage, Churning and Pocketing
geometry generation, 10 percent for the mesh generation, 10 percent Power Losses of Gears: Different Modeling Approaches for
for the mapping of the fields from the old to the new meshes, and different Goals,” Forschung im Ingenieurwesen/Engineering
75 percent for the solution of the internal fluid dynamics. Research, 80(3-4), pp 85–99. 

Considering the perfect scalability, by using 256 CPUs, the cal- 2. Niemann, G., Winter, H., 2002, Maschinenelemente Band
40 gearsolutions.com
 2: Getriebe allgemein, Zahnradgetriebe – Grundlagen, 9. Otto, H.-P.: Flank load carrying capacity and power loss reduc-
Stirnradgetriebe, Springer Verlag. 
 tion by minimised lubrication, Diss. TU München, 2009 

3. Ubbink O., 1997, Numerical prediction of the two fluid systems 10. Andersson M.Churning losses and efficiency in gearboxes
with sharp interfaces, Ph.D. Thesis, University of London 
 [Dissertation]. Stockholm: Royal Institute of Technology; 2014.

4. Rusche H., 2002, Computational fluid dynamics of dis- 11. Concli F., Gorla C., 2017, “Numerical modeling of the
persed two-phase flows at high phase fractions, Ph.D. Thesis, churning power losses in planetary gearboxes: An inno-
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College of vative partitioning‐based meshing methodology for the
Science, Technology & Medicine, London 
 application of a computational effort reduction strategy to
5. Concli F., Gorla C., 2016, “Numerical modeling of the power complex gearbox configurations,” Lubrication Science, DOI:
losses in geared transmissions: Windage, churning and cavitation 10.1002/ls.1380 

simulations with a new integrated approach that drastically reduces 12. Durans de Gevigney J., Changenet C., Ville F., Velex P.,
the computational effort,” Tribology International, 103, pp. 58–68
 Becquerelle S., 2013, “Experimental investigation on the no-
6. Concli, F., Gorla, C., Stahl, K., Höhn, B.-R., Michaelis, K., load dependent power losses in planetary gear set,” International
Schultheiß, H., Stemplinger, J.-P., 2013 “Load independent Conference on Gears 2013, 219(2), VDI 

power losses of ordinary gears: Numerical and experimental 13. Netgen. www.hpfem.jku.at/netgen/ 

analysis,” 5th World Tribology Congress, WTC 2013(2), pp. 14. Schöberl J., 1997, An advancing front 2D/3D-mesh genera-
precision1243–1246. grade" 
 tor based on abstract rules, Computing 
and Visualization in
7. Concli, F., Della Torre, A., Gorla, C., Montenegro, G., 2016, Science, Springer 

ecision grade
“A New Integrated Approach for the Prediction of the Load 15. Farrell P. E., Maddison J. R., Conservative interpolation between
Gear precisionIndependent
Grade Power Losses of Gears: Development of a Mesh- volume meshes by local galerkin 
projection, Comput. Methods
1 2 3Handling
4 Algorithm
5 to Reduce the CFD Simulation Time,” Appl. Mech. Eng. 200, 89–100 (2011) 

N5 N6 N7 N8 N9
Advances in Tribology, 2957151, DOI: 10.1155/2016/2957151 
 16. OpenFOAM. http://www.openfoam.com 

5 6 7 8 9
8. B.R. Hohn, K. Michaelis, and H. P. Otto, “Influence on noload 17. Chernoray V., Jahanmiri M., 2011, Experimental study of
12 10 9gear losses,”
8 7 in Proceedings of the Ecotrib Conference, 2, pp. multiphase flow in a model gearbox, WIT Transactions on
12 11 10639–644,
9 2011.
8 
 Engineering Sciences 70, 153–164 

12 11 10 9 8
10 10 9 8 7

ABOUT THE AUTHORS  Franco Concli is with the Free University of Bolzano/Bozen. Carlo Gorla is with the Politecnico di Milano. Copyright © 2017
American
erials of SCr415) is Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) ISBN: 978-1-55589-527-3. The statements and opinions contained herein are those of the author
defined as
and should
g), SCM415 is normally used. not be construed as an official action or opinion of the AGMA.
aterial, SNCM220 and/or SNCM420

producti

Largest selection of
are for ref
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Stock Metric GEARS

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259 Elm Place, Mineola, NY 11501
Phone: 516.248.3850 | Fax: 516.248.4385
Email: info@khkgears.us

MARCH  2018 41
42 gearsolutions.com
Improving the Friction Power
of Gears and Bearings
Proper lubrication can extend the overall fatigue life
of gears by a factor of 2.6.
By Dipl.-Ing. Stefan Bill
A machine that runs endlessly without any wear and fric-
tional losses — who wouldn’t dream of that? Unfortunately,
such a machine does not exist yet. However classic car fans
know that through solid technology and ongoing service,
cars can even outlast their owners. However, this does not
happen with machinery of all industries.
In the wind industry, statistics indicate that gear-
boxes need to be replaced two to three times during
a 20-year period. They wear out due to high stress,
unsuitable lubricants, and poor maintenance manage-
ment faster than originally thought.
In the context of tribological properties of gears
and bearings, Sentient Science held a presentation
in Hamburg in 2016 on the lifetime calculation of
wind-turbine gearboxes via the high-tech software
called “DigitalClone.” Sentient Science introduced its
conclusive proof that the lifetime of a WEA-gearbox
can be extended by a factor of 2.6 to 3.3 by reducing
the friction forces. The results obviously apply not only
to gearboxes of a wind turbine but also to a variety of
machines where friction and wear occurs.
DIGITAL CLONE
Sentient Science developed a material-science based
predictive model of a GE 1.5 SLE Winergy 4410.2.
This DigitalClone® gearbox model was used to study
the fatigue life impact of Rewitec’s surface refinement
technology DuraGear® W100. The lubricant is based
on nano- and micro-particle bonding components
and can be used not only in wind applications but
also in industrial, shipping, and automotive applica-
tions. In the test with Sentient Science, the treatment
was applied on surface-damaged bearings and gears
of the Winergy gearbox. As a result of the measured
reduction in surface damage, Sentient’s DigitalClone®
technology predicts that Winergy 4410.2 gearboxes
will exhibit a significant improvement in life com-
pared to untreated gearboxes operating under field
representative operating conditions.
Specifically for bearings, the treatment shows an
improvement of the overall contact fatigue life by
a factor of 3.3. For gears, the overall fatigue life is
improved by a factor of 2.6.
TRIBOLOGICAL RESEARCH
The first calculations for friction were done by
Leonardo da Vinci at the beginning of the Modern
Era. Nowadays, tribological fundamentals come from
research institutes such as the Institute for Applied
Physics of the University Gießen and the Competence
Center for Tribology of Mannheim University of
Applied Sciences, which investigate the friction phe-
nomena with special testing machines and measuring
methods. Dr. Paul Feinle, a researcher at Mannheim
University, and his team found that roughness and
friction (as well as wear and temperature rise) can
be reduced by up to 43 percent with the support of
specialty lubrications like the innovative nano- and
micro-particle-based surface refinement technology
from Rewitec.
The lubricant in this case acts as a means of trans-
portation and carries the silicon coating onto loaded
metal surfaces. By using friction energy and crystal-
line temperatures that arise in the so-called mixed
friction range, the products passivate the surface and
reduce the roughness. This increases the service life
MARCH  2018 43

DuraGear® W100 is based on nano- and micro-particle bonding components and can
be used not only in wind applications but also in industrial, shipping, and automotive
applications. (Courtesy: Rewitec)
and safety of the systems.
This innovative technology ensures that life and machine per-
formance are enhanced over the long term, and the wear in the
tribological systems is reduced. Once added to the lubricant, the
Rewitec products, specifically developed for each respective purpose,
provide protection over many hours of operation. The concentrated
active agents are generally supplied premixed in a neutral oil, which
is compatible with practically all standard lubricants.
EXAMPLES OF APPLICATION GEAR TEETH
Figure 1: Imprints before the application.
Figure 2: Imprints after the application.
44 gearsolutions.com
THE MEANING OF ROUGHNESS
Less roughness of rubbing surfaces of bearings and gear teeth results
in less friction. Less friction means less wear, and less wear prevents
failures and system insecurity. This would certainly lead to positive
effects as cost reduction, material and energy savings, less CO2 emis-
sions, as well as greater sustainability. If roughness is the origin of
the chain of negative effects, how is the problem solved?
The solution is called predictive maintenance, which is based on
historical data and maturity calculations. The scientific material
data comes from manufacturers of different components, which
gain their information through online monitoring on the basis of
real load collectives.
In addition to that, research institutes such as Mannheim
University investigate the effect of lubrications containing certain
additives on special test benches. With the support of this data,
Rewitec was able to develop a treatment that contains life-extending
properties able to minimize the roughness and its subsequent negative
effects. The University of Mannheim and the University of Gießen
proved that the roughness on treated interfaces were reduced by up
to 55 percent. Equally significant was the reduction in the friction
in gears and bearings by up to 43 percent. Corresponding to that
was the fall in temperature and undesired vibration, as the results
of vibration analyses showed.
SCIENTIFIC TESTS
The Competence Center for Tribology of Mannheim University
of Applied Sciences examined the effect of the specialty lubrica-
tion in gear oils under rolling-sliding motion with a rolling wear
tester. The experiment was carried out on a modern two-disc test
assembly that makes it possible to simulate tooth-flank operating
conditions. The evaluation showed the extent of change in fric-
tion behavior and temperature after adding Rewitec to different
high-performance PAO (Polyalphaolefines)-based gear oils. Each
test was performed with and without the addition of the Rewitec®
concentrate during 40 running hours. The first 20 running hours
were performed without the concentrate and the next 20 running
hours with the Rewitec® concentrate. On average, there was a lower
surface roughness after treatment of 30 to 50 percent and up to
50 percent less friction.
EXAMPLE RESULT: CASTROL OPTIGEAR
SYNTHETIC X320
In the first test round, the friction force increases steadily while
running before adding the Rewitec® substance. After the substance
is added, the friction force decreases by 22 percent. At the end of
the test, the friction force still did not reach its minimum level
(blue curve). Test run number two (red curve) shows what happens
without adding the Rewitec® substance (Figure 3). The friction force
increases steadily. After 40 hours, a constant friction force seems to
be reached. In the third round, the Rewitec® substance is added at
the beginning of the test run (green curve). The test run shows the
Figure 3: Example Result with Castrol Optigear Synthetic X320.
 Figure 5: Modeled surface pressure of two rough surfaces interacting, left, and two
smooth surfaces interacting, right.

effectivity of Rewitec® from the start up through 40 hours, and the

friction force steadily decreases.

FE-8 TEST
The FE-8 test is used to examine lubricating oils and greases to gauge
their wear and friction behavior under lubricant and bearing-specific
influences. To assess the suitability of the lubricant to be tested, the
friction, the temperature, and the wear are determined through the
resulting weight loss of the bearings in the test arrangement. The
tests also allow the ability to perform surface measurements, lubricant
performance, and reaction layer analyses. In addition, volume-based
wear can be determined through weight measurement (Figure 4).
• Light run marks and smoother surface
• 17 percent less wear with the Rewitec®-concentrate

MIXED-EHL MODEL
To take the influence of micro asperity into account for the deter-
mination of probabilistic fatigue life, Sentient Science used EHL
(elastro-hydrodynamic-lubrication) solver, which uses simulated
surface roughness profiles in an explicit deterministic calculation of
surface tractions. Surface traction refers to the pressure transmitted
between two surfaces through a lubricant.
Outcome: The performance of a given surface fin-
ish during the generation, sustainment, and/or failure of
an EHL film at the contact zone can directly be determined.
Figure 5 illustrates the surface pressure of two such modeled rough
surfaces interacting (left) and two (DuraGear treated) smooth sur-
faces interacting (right).

FIELD APPLICATION
The company used Rewitec DuraGea W100 Gearbox Surface
Protection to a gearbox after 10 months of operation. Based on the
evaluation, the application of the Rewitec product resulted in an
improvement to the surface structure and roughness of the tooth
flanks, a reduction in run through marks, micropitting and seizure
and the electrical resistance from the gearbox improved significantly.
“In dealing with Rewitec products, experience has shown that the
wear of our wind turbines is signifi- cantly delayed,” said Jochen Holling,
mechanical engineer, global technical support and engineering, Availon
GmbH. “In most cases, the progressive damage in certain gearboxes and
Figure 4: Bearing examination under a microscope without and with Rewitec®.
bearings with pre-mechanical damage was even eliminated.” 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR  Dipl.-Ing. Stefan Bill is managing director and an executive partner of Rewitec® GmbH, Lahnau. His company was a finalist
in the 28th Innovations Awards of the German Economy 2007. He received the 1st HUSUM Wind Energy Award in 2009, the Industry Award 2014
Category — Best of 2014 for DuraGear®, Finalist Wind Energy Award 2016 — Supplier of the Year.

MARCH  2018 45
46 gearsolutions.com
Induction Gear Hardening:
Part 2
The second in a two-part series, this installment addresses induction gear
hardening by encircling the whole gear or sprocket with an induction coil,
also known as ‘spin hardening.’
By Dr. Valery Rudnev, FASM

This is the second installment of a two-part article Heating by V. Rudnev, D. Loveless and R. Cook [1].
on induction hardening of gears and gear-like com- In contrast to carburizing and nitriding, induction
ponents. Part 1 was published in the February 2018 hardening does not require heating the whole gear or
issue of Gear Solutions magazine, covering the fol- pinion. Instead, the heating can be primarily localized
lowing subjects: to the areas where metallurgical changes are desired.
• Materials selection for induction gear hardening, Not all gears and pinions are well suited for induc-
including specifics of electromagnetic induction tion hardening. External spur and helical gears, worm
vs. thermo-chemical diffusion processes (e.g., car- gears, internal gears, racks, and sprockets are among
burizing). Impact of friendly vs. unfriendly prior those that are typically induction hardened.
microstructures (parent materials). Short review of
metallurgical subtleties of rapid heating of steels HARDNESS PATTERN REQUIREMENT
and its effect on the kinetics of austenite formation. The first step in designing a gear-hardening machine is
• Tooth-by-tooth induction hardening of large gears to specify the required surface hardness and hardness
and pinions. Shape/size distortion control and pre- profile. Insufficient hardness and its depth, as well as
vention of cracking. Review of inductor designs an interrupted (broken) hardness profile at the tooth
and selection of process protocols. Avoidance of contact areas, will shorten gear life owing to poor
tempering back effect. load-carrying capacity, premature wear, tooth bending
• Review of hardening equipment and introduc- fatigue, rolling contact fatigue, pitting, and spalling,
tion of the capability of novel IFP inverters that and can even result in some plastic deformation of
instantly change power and frequency the teeth. Among other factors, operat-
during tooth scan hardening helping ing load condition (whether there are
to improve metallurgical quality and occasional, intermittent, or continuous
avoid edge overheating. IFP technol- loads) has a pronounced effect on the
ogy provides essential benefits when tooth geometry and hardness profile.
scan hardening a variety of gears with There is a common misconception
appreciably different tooth geometries that a uniform contour profile is always
enhancing process flexibility, greatly the best pattern for all gear-hardening
expanding induction equipment capa- applications. It is not. In some cases,
bilities and addressing industry needs a certain hardness gradient can pro-
for cost-effectiveness. vide a gear with superior performance
• Recently published technical resource although, in many applications, a true
for gear heat treat professionals – the contour hardening pattern yields the
2nd Edition of the Handbook of best gear characteristics and maximiz-
Induction Heating [1]. The second es the beneficial compressive residual
edition reflects innovations that have stresses within the case depth (Figure 2).
taken place over the last decade in the Spin hardening of gears utilizes
practice and science of modern induc- a single- or multi-turn inductor that
tion heat treating, computer model- encircles the gear. It is typically used for
ing, power supplies, failure analysis, small- and medium-sized gears. Gears
and quality assurance, etc. are rotated during heating to ensure even
Part 2 is devoted to induction gear Figure 1: These images show distribution of energy, compensating for
hardening by encircling the whole gear induction gear hardening by the field fringing effect. Unfortunately,
(external or internal) or sprocket with encircling the whole gear spin hardening sometimes cannot be
an induction coil (the so-called spin (external or internal) or easily used for certain gears with com-
hardening, Figure 1). Materials for this sprocket with an induction plex geometries because of the difficulty
coil; the so-called “spin
article have been adapted from the 2nd hardening.” (Courtesy of in obtaining a sufficiently uniform aus-
Edition of the Handbook of Induction Inductoheat Inc.) tenized surface layer prior to quenching.
MARCH  2018 47
Besides, in the case of appreciable size gears, it might also require an
excessively large amount of power owing to the necessity of short heat
times suppressing thermal conduction in order to obtain the desired
hardness pattern. Still, if applicable, gear spin hardening is the most
popular technology for hardening a variety of gears.

EFFECT OF FREQUENCY VS.

POWER VS. HEAT TIME
When applying encircling coils, there are five parameters that play a
dominant role in obtaining the required hardness pattern: frequency,
power, heat time, quenching conditions, and coil geometry. Certain
combinations of these parameters can result in different hardness
patterns. As an example, Figure 3 shows a diversity of hardening
patterns that were obtained on the same carbon steel shaft (left and
Figure 2: In some cases, a certain hardness gradient can provide a gear with
middle images) with teeth using different combinations of heat time, superior performance, although, in many applications, a true contour hardening
frequency and power, and variation of hardness pattern for auto- pattern yields the best gear characteristics. (Courtesy of Inductoheat Inc.)
motive transmission component for a parking brake (bottom-right
image) with helical teeth on the inside diameter (applying frequency
of 200kHz) and larger teeth on the inside diameter (applying fre-
quency of 10kHz).
In order to illustrate an effect of frequency on the eddy current
flow, let’s consider two extreme cases shown in Figure 4: the applica-
tion of “high” frequency (left) and “low” frequency (right). When
high frequency is applied, the induced eddy current flow generally
follows the contour of the gear teeth. This leads to a heat source
Figure 3: These hardening patterns were obtained on the same carbon steel shaft
surplus in the tip of the tooth compared to that in the root. Besides (left and middle images), with teeth using different combinations of heat time,
that, the tip of the tooth has a substantially smaller mass of metal frequency and power [1].
to be heated, compared with the dedendum and in particularly
root area, where a much larger thermal heat sink is located. These
two major factors in combination with electromagnetic proximity
effect result in greater heat intensity at the tip, with a corresponding
temperature rise and deeper case depth upon quenching.
In contrast, an application of low frequency (Figure 4, right) is
associated with a dramatic increase of the depth of heat generation,
and potentially leading to eddy current cancellation at the tooth
tip (top land) and possibly even at the addendum area. This makes
it much easier for induced currents to take a shorter path, follow-
ing the root circle of the gear instead of following along the tooth
profile, leading to more intensive heat generation in the tooth root
area compared with its tip.
As a rule of thumb, when it is necessary to harden only the
tooth tips, a higher frequency and high-to-moderate power densities
are applied. When hardening the tooth root, a lower frequency in
combination with short time and high power density is used. Low
power density and extended heat time produces a deep pattern with
a wide transition zone.
It is imperative to keep in mind that depending on gear geometry,
besides frequency, the variation of applied power density can shift Figure 4: This illustrates the effect of frequency on the eddy current flow in two
the heat intensity within the gear tooth. For example, the application extreme cases: the application of “high” frequency (left) and “low” frequency
of sufficiently high frequency in combination with a relatively low (right).
power density could result in tip hardening, or hardening only the
tip and addendum area. However, if the power density is substantially approximately 8 mm tall. Regardless of the fact that the tips of the
increased (keeping the same frequency) and heat time decreased, it teeth were located much closer to the current-carrying face of the
could result in more intense heating of the root area instead of the encircling coil compared to their roots, the great majority of eddy
tooth tip. Higher power density reduces magnetic permeability μr currents have completed their loop following the root circle, resulting
by saturating the steel and leading to a considerable increase of the in severe overheating there.
depth of the heat generation, thus modifying the eddy current flow As expected, the terms high frequency and low frequency have
within the gear tooth. relative meanings. For example, depending on the tooth geometry, a
Figure 5 shows an example of applying excessive power den- frequency of 10 kHz may “act” as a high frequency for coarse teeth
sity and the use of lower than-optimal frequency. The teeth were (Figure 4, bottom right, OD teeth) and 200 kHz may “act” as a low
48 gearsolutions.com
 boiling (Stage B). Because of the nature of spray quenching, Stages
A and B are greatly suppressed in time, while cooling during the
convection stage is noticeably more intense, representing the forced
heat convection mode (owning to gear rotation during quenching)
compared with the process represented by classical cooling curves [1].

GEAR HEATING CONCEPTS

The five most popular induction-heating concepts that employ
encircling-type coils are as follows [1, 2]:
• Conventional single-frequency concept
• Pulsing single-frequency concept
• Pulsing dual-frequency concept
Figure 5: Shown here is an example of applying excessive power density and the use • IFP technology
of lower than-optimal frequency. • Single-coil, dual-frequency concept (also referred to as simultane-
ous dual-frequency concept)
frequency for splines, threads, fine teeth (Figure 4, bottom right, ID Conventional single-frequency concept (CSFC) – CSFC is used for
teeth) or “skinny” teeth, for example. hardening gears and sprockets with small teeth and splines. In these
applications, it is often acceptable to through harden teeth, and CSFC
GEAR SPRAY QUENCHING can be a cost-effective approach to doing so. Quite frequently, CSFC
There are several ways to accomplish quenching for gear spin hard- can also be successfully used for medium-sized gears without through
ening. One technique is to submerge the gear in a quench tank hardening the entire tooth, but having deeper case depth at the tip and
upon completion of austenization. This technique is applicable for shallower case depth at the root.
moderate and relatively large-sized gears. Small- and medium-sized Although CSFC is the most cost-effective approach for small- and
gears are usually quenched in place, using an integrated quench. The medium-sized gears, there are cases where this concept is applied for
third technique requires the use of a separate concentric quench block large gears as well. Quite often, in order to optimize gear performance
(quench chamber) located below the inductor, or in its proximity. and reduce distortion, it is desirable to make a hardness distribution as
Quenchants used in gear spray quenching commonly include close to contour hardening as possible. Unfortunately, CSFC does not
water and aqueous polymer solutions. Because of safety concerns, typically allow doing so.
the use of oil quenchants with spray quenching is not recommended. Pulsing single-frequency concept (PSFC) – In order to overcome the
There are a variety of complex thermo-hydro-dynamic processes
involved in spray quenching, with the cooling intensity being a
function of several factors including the surface temperature of the
workpiece, type and purity of quenchant, pressure/flow, design of
the quench assembly, number and distribution of quench holes (ori-
fices), size of orifices and angle of drilled holes (impingement angle),
quenchant temperature, gear rotation, and others. Quench orifices are
placed at approximately 4- to 6-mm intervals in a staggered pattern.
The orifice diameter is related to the specifics of the quenching require-
ments, including the air gap between the quench device and the gear,
the type of quenchant, its concentration, required flow, and others.
Dirt and foreign deposits (e.g., hard water deposits or scale) can
clog the orifices, which may build up slowly in quench devices,
reducing their cooling capacity and introducing cooling nonunifor-
mity and may necessitate extensive cleaning or replacement. Various
aspects of the maintenance of quenching devices are discussed in [1].

LIMITATION OF CLASSICAL COOLING CURVES

The cooling rate is critical for obtaining martensitic structures. There
is a common misunderstanding regarding the ability to apply the
widely published cooling curves to induction hardening applications
using spray quenching. Classical cooling curves quantifying three
stages of quenching – vapor blanket (Stage A), nucleate boiling (Stage
B), and convective cooling (Stage C) – cannot be applied directly
to spray quenching because the great majority of those curves are
obtained using the immersion cooling technique.
The differences are both quantitative and qualitative, and they
include, but are not limited to, the specifics of film formation and
heat transfer through the vapor blanket during the initial quench-
ing stage (Stage A), as well the kinetics of formation, growth, and
removal of bubbles from the surface of the gear during nucleate
MARCH  2018 49
drawbacks of CSFC and to improve the hard- Preheating is usually accomplished by using
ness distribution, PSFC was developed. In a medium frequency (3 to 10 kHz). Depending
many cases, PSFC allows the user to noticeably on the type of gear, its size, and material, higher
improve the shortcomings of CSFC and obtain frequency (30 to 450 kHz) in combination
a hardening pattern that is more contoured with high power density is applied during the
than patterns obtained using the CFSC con- final heat, where the selected frequency allows
cept. Pulsing assists in providing the desirable the current to penetrate only to the desired
heat flow toward the root without overheat- depth, helping to obtain a contour-like hard-
ing of the tooth tip. A typical PSFC protocol ness pattern.
consists of a moderate- or low-power preheat, In some cases, dual-frequency machines
soaking stage, short high-power final heat, and produce components with lower distortion
quenching. This approach is also known as having a more favorable magnitude and dis-
dual pulse hardening. Preheating improves the tribution of residual stresses compared to
heated depth at the root, enabling an enhance- using single-frequency techniques. However,
ment of the metallurgical result. Preheat times depending on the tooth geometry and pres-
typically range from several seconds to a min- ence of undercuts, the time delay between
ute, depending on the size and gear geometry. low-frequency preheating and high-frequen-
After preheating that may consist of sev- cy final heating could have a detrimental
eral pulses, there may be a short soak time negative effect for obtaining truly contour
to achieve more suitable thermal conditions. hardened patterns. Attempts have been made
Final heat times can range from less than 1 to to minimize the gear indexing time, keeping
a few seconds. it within the 0.25–0.6 s range. However,
Pulsing dual-frequency concept (PDFC) – further reduction is limited by inertia and
The idea of using two different frequencies the mechanical capability of the transferring/
producing the desired contour hardness pat- indexing mechanisms. Even such a seemingly
tern has been around since the late 1950s. short time delay between preheating and
This concept was primarily developed to final heating may have an appreciably nega-
obtain a contour hardening profile for helical Figure 6: The Statipower IFP inverter (patent pending) tive impact that discourages the achievement
and straight spur gears. Obviously, since that has the ability to independently and instantly change of optimal heat treat properties.
time the process has been refined, and several both frequency and power during the heating cycle, Independent frequency and power control
innovations have been developed. According which allows heat treaters to use a lower frequency concept (Statipower-IFP Technology) – One of
to PDFC, the gear is preheated using lower for preheating the root areas while a higher frequency the impressive novel technologies is referred
helps ensure sufficient heating of the tooth flanks and
frequency to a temperature determined by the tips. (Courtesy of Inductoheat Inc.) to as Statipower IFP. IFP Technology allows
process features. This temperature is usually independent and instantaneous changing of
350°C to 100°C below the critical temperature Ac1. Preheat temperature the power and frequency (within the 5- to 60-kHz range) during
depends on the gear specifics and available power/frequency source. It induction hardening. Therefore, this technology allows eliminat-
should be mentioned that the higher the preheat temperature, the lower ing some shortcoming associated with PSFC. The Statipower IFP
the power required for the final heat. However, excessively high preheat inverter’s (Figure 6) ability to independently and instantly (like
temperatures can result in increased distortion. As with PSFC, PDFC a CNC machine) change both frequency and power during the
can be accomplished using a single-shot mode or scanning mode. The heating cycle allows heat treaters to use a lower frequency for pre-
scanning mode is typically applied for shafts with teeth. heating the root areas, while a higher frequency helps ensure suffi-
cient heating of tooth flanks and tips when
hardening moderate-sized gears [2]. This
technology eliminates the need for using
expensive high-speed transferring/indexing
mechanisms and noticeably improves the
hardness pattern.
Single-coil, dual-frequency concept (also
referred to as simultaneous dual-frequency con-
cept) – Limitations of the PDFC concept have
initiated the development of an alternative
technology called simultaneous dual-frequency
gear hardening as a way to further improve the
quality of induction-hardened gears. The core
of simultaneous dual-frequency gear-hardening
technology is associated with the development
of solid-state inverters capable of producing
Figure 7: This example of the coil current waveform was generated by a simultaneous dual-frequency inverter two substantially different frequencies simulta-
comprising two substantially different frequencies applied simultaneously to a single inductor, making it much neously. Figure 7 shows an example of the coil
easier to obtain a true contour hardening of the gear teeth. current waveform generated by a simultaneous
50 gearsolutions.com
Figure 8: These images illustrate the effect of different combinations of time, power, and frequency of hardening patterns on spur gears. (Courtesy of Inductoheat Inc.)
dual-frequency inverter comprising two substantially
different frequencies applied at the same time to a single
inductor, making it much easier to obtain a true contour
hardening of the gear teeth. The lower-frequency output
of the power supply helps austenitize the roots of the
teeth, and the high frequency helps austenitize the flanks
and tips. As an example, Figure 8 illustrates the effect of
different combinations of time, power, and frequency of
hardening patterns on the spur gears.
Experience reveals that it is not always advantageous
to have two different frequencies working simultane-
ously. Many times, depending on the gear geometry, it
is preferable to apply lower frequency at the beginning Figure 9: More information
of the heating cycle, and after achieving the desirable related to processing via.
root heating, the higher frequency can complement the electromagnetic induction can
initially applied lower frequency, completing the job by be found in the 2nd Edition
of the Handbook of Induction
working together.
Heating, shown here (CRC
The relatively high cost is the main shortcoming of Press, 2017). The publisher has
power supplies that produce two simultaneous frequen- granted permission publishing
cies. Nevertheless, single-coil simultaneous dual-fre- the materials contained in
quency technology has a number of obvious advantages Parts 1 and 2 of this article.
over conventional single-frequency hardening. Higher
cost can be justified using this technology, when it is appropriate. peening, but some of them may apply it.
MAXIMIZING COMPRESSIVE RESIDUAL STRESSES
Compressive residual stresses after induction hardening of gears
and gear-like components applying single frequencies are typically
within -400MPa to -550MPa. The magnitude of residual stresses
depends greatly upon material, its prior microstructure, hardness
pattern profile, and the process recipe/protocol. Shorter heat time
normally produces higher compressive residual surface stresses.
Simultaneous dual frequencies commonly allow one to minimize
the heat time, producing a more contour-like hardness pattern,
and thus allowing increase compressive residual stresses that could
reach -600MPa to -700MPa.
However, some gears with “skinny” teeth having a narrow tooth
thickness might not allow for a true contour hardened pattern almost
regardless of the applied frequencies or heating concepts reducing a
magnitude of compressive residual stresses at the tooth surface. It is
also critical to make sure that in through hardened regions of tips,
there is fine martensitic structure, not a coarse martensitic structure.
This will help to improve toughness, ductility and impact strength
regardless of the through hardening tip area.
Some gear manufacturers applied shot peening after induction
ABOUT THE AUTHOR  Dr. Valery Rudnev, FASM, is director of science and technology at Inductoheat, Inc., an Inductotherm Group company. More
information is available at www.inductoheat.com. Some of the information presented here was first published in the Handbook of Induction Heating,
Second Edition, by V. Rudnev, D. Loveless and R. Cook, CRC Press, 2017. CRC Press has granted a permission publishing these materials.
surface hardening of gears further increasing com-
pressive residual stresses at the surface and subsurface
and improving fatigue strength, bending strength
and obtaining needed pitting prevention character-
istics. Sometimes, double shot-peening is applied.
During the first stage of peening, the larger particles
are used, allowing one to increase the depth of
compression. Then, for the second stage, they apply
high-intensity shot-peening utilizing smaller size
particles (so-called conditioned cut wire particles),
further increasing the magnitude of residual com-
pressive stresses and making sure that hard-to-reach
regions are treated. In such cases, residual surface
compression may exceed -900MPa. It is important
to apply so-called conditioned cut wire particles, as
such particles have a special finish with sharp edges
removed without damaging the tooth surface and
improving pitting characteristics. Large shot-peening
particles are typically within 0.6mm to 0.8mm dia.,
and small particles are within 0.1mm to 0.25mm dia.
Again, not all induction surface hardened gears and
gear-like components undergo a single or double shot
NEW TECHNICAL RESOURCE FOR
GEAR HEAT TREAT PROFESSIONALS
Space does not permit for a more detailed discussion of all the
intricacies of induction gear hardening. More information related
to processing via electromagnetic induction can be found in
the 2nd Edition of the Handbook of Induction Heating (Figure
9), which embarks on the next step; the design of practical,
cost-effective, and energy-efficient induction processes. The
majority of the content presented in the first edition has been
completely rewritten for the second, and a significant amount
of new material has been added. It is intended to reach a wide
variety of readers including practitioners, engineers, metallur-
gists, managers, students, and scientists. 
REFERENCES
1. V. Rudnev, D. Loveless, R. Cook, Handbook of Induction
Heating, 2nd Edition, 2017.
2. G. Doyon, V. Rudnev, C. Russell, J. Maher, Revolution-not
evolution-necessary to advance induction heat treating, Advance
Materials & Processes, September, 2017, p.72-80.
MARCH  2018 51
52 gearsolutions.com
 Root Fillet Optimization of Gears
with Asymmetric Teeth
This paper provides an analysis of the benefits of optimizing the tooth root
fillet of thin rim planet gears with asymmetric teeth.
By Dr. A.L. Kapelevich and Dr. Y.V. Shekhtman
The Direct Gear Design method optimizes various
parameters and elements of gear tooth geometry to
achieve the required gear drive performance. One
such critical element of the tooth profile is the root
fillet. Its optimization by means of Direct Gear Design
provides the ultimate bending stress minimization.
Previous publications [1, 3] described the tooth root
fillet optimization assuming that both mating gears
have a solid body.
Application of asymmetric gears allows maximized
power density of an epicyclic unidirectional gear
stage, usually reducing a gear drive size. This means
a reduction of a center distance and all gear dimen-
sions, including the planet gear root diameter. In many
cases a planet gear is supported by a roller bearing
incorporated inside the gear using its inner diameter A beveled corner, helical cut, metal planet gears with a matching
as a roller bearing outer race surface (see Figure 1). A helical cut ring gear. (Courtesy: Top Secret EV)
reduction of the center distance, while the transmitted
torque remains constant, increases planet gear roller concave ring gear tooth flanks. As a result, contact
bearing load. It leads to the necessity of increasing a stress in the sun-planet gear mesh is much greater
diameter of the roller bearing to maintain its required than in the planet-ring gear mesh. The application of
load capacity and life. A simultaneous reduction of asymmetric tooth gears in an epicyclic stage allows one
the planet gear root diameter and increase of its inner to equalize the contact stresses by choosing a greater
diameter significantly reduces the planet gear rim pressure angle in the sun-planet gear mesh than in the
thickness, increasing the tooth root bending stress. In planet-ring gear mesh, and by optimizing the asym-
such cases, a tooth root fillet optimization is essential metry factor [2] in order to maximize load capacity.
to keep root stresses within an acceptable level. The sun-planet gear engagement loading is selected
for the root fillet optimization, because it results in a
greater stress in the planet gear tooth root compared
to the planet-ring gear engagement loading.
This paper describes the analysis and optimization
of the tooth root fillet in thin rim planet gears with
asymmetric teeth, while also defining the location
of the bearing roller relative to the planet gear tooth
that causes maximum root stress. A comparison is
also made of the optimized root fillet shapes and cor-
responding maximum bending stresses of planet gears
with different values of rim thickness.

TOOTH ROOT FILLET OPTIMIZATION

Figure 1. Epicyclic stage with thin rim planet gear; 1 – sun gear,
2 – planet gear, 3 – ring gear, 4 – bearing rollers, 5 – planet gear
shaft, Ts – sun gear torque, a w – center distance, F b – planet gear
bearing load, R r – planet gear root radius, R i – planet gear inner
radius, t r – rim thickness.
A view from below
of a second stage
epicyclic stage.
In an epicyclic gear stage, a planet gear transmits
Note the eight the same torque by both tooth flanks. However, the
planet gears and the convex planet gear tooth flanks are in simultaneous
bearings within them. meshes with the convex sun gear tooth flanks and the
(Courtesy: AAIBN)
APPROACH
In Direct Gear Design [3], the tooth fillet is con-
structed after the involute flank parameters are com-
pletely defined. The goal is to achieve minimal stress
concentration in the tooth fillet profile. As a result, the
maximum bending stress is evenly distributed along
a large portion of the fillet. Furthermore, the opti-
mized root fillet must not interfere with the mating
gear tooth tip. The root fillet optimization method,
MARCH  2018 53
 Figure 2. Tooth root fillet optimization: a – FE node movement, b – tensile stress
chart, c – compressive stress chart; d fd, d fc – form diameters circles of the drive
and coast tooth flanks.

Gears with asymmetric teeth. (Courtesy: AKGears)

developed by Dr. Y.V. Shekhtman, uses three major procedures: the

definition of functions for fillet profile approximation; FEA for stress
Figure 3. Planet gear tooth loading; a - from sun gear, b - from ring gear; Fs and Fr – calculation; and a random search algorithm to define the optimal
tooth forces applied from sun and ring gears. set of coefficients for the trigonometric functions, allowing them
to reach minimum bending stress. It is described in detail in [1].
Prior to optimization, the initial tooth root fillet profile (Figure
2a) is a trajectory on the mating gear tooth tip in a backlash-less
engagement. Finite element nodes are evenly distributed along the
initial root fillet profile. The first and last finite element nodes of
the initial fillet profile, located on the form diameter circles, cannot
be moved during the optimization process. The rest of the finite
Figure 4. Loaded planet gear tooth and bearing roller positions: a – the tooth is in element nodes are moved along straight lines perpendicular to the
line with a roller, b – the tooth is between two rollers. fillet profile. Bending stresses are calculated for every iteration of
the fillet profile configuration. A new position is defined for each
finite element node based on the results of the previous iterations in
order to reduce stress values. After achieving a maximum value for
the root fillet stress that cannot be further reduced, the optimiza-
Fig. 8. Planet gear tooth root fillet profiles and inner diameters; 1 – tr = 4.0 x m, 2 – tr = tion process stops. The optimized fillet profile provides even stress
Fig.x8.m,Planet
3 – tr gear
= 3.0tooth
x m, root
4 – tfillet profiles and inner diameters; 1 – tr = 4.0 x m, 2 – tr =
3.5 r = 2.5 x m, 5 – tr = 2.0 x m, 6 – tr = 1.5 x m, 7 – tr = 1.0 x
3 – tr = 3.0
3.58x –m,trajectory 4 – ttooth
x m,gear r = 2.5 5 – tr = 2.0 xengagement;
m, 6 – tr = 1.5 m, 7d– tr–=planet distribution along a significant length of the stretched (Figure 2b)
m, on sun tipxin
m,backlashless dfLx and fH
1.0 x
m, 8 form
gear – trajectory on sun
diameters gear
at low andtooth
hightip in backlashless
pressure engagement; dfL and dfH – planet
angle flanks and compressed (Figure 2c) portions of the root fillet.
gear form diameters at low and high pressure angle flanks
Figure 5. Bearing roller position modeling: a – tooth in line with a roller, b – tooth
between
Tables:
Tables:
two rollers; 1 – radially constrained FE nodes, 2 – tangently constrained FE THIN RIM PLANET GEAR FEA MODELING
nodes.
Gear Sun Planet Ring
The planet gear tooth flanks are loaded by the normal forces Fs applied
Gear
Number of Teeth Sun
19 Planet
23 Ring
65 from the sun gear and Fr applied from the ring gear (see Figure 3).
Number(m)
Module of Teeth 19
5.00 23
5.00 65
5.00
Module
Drive (m)
Pressure Angle 5.00
36o 36o 5.00 19o 5.00
19o The thin rim planet gear’s maximum root stress value varies
Drive Pressure
PressureAngle 36oo 36 o
19 o
19oo
Coast
CoastDiameter
Pitch
Angle
Pressure(PD)
Angle
19
19o
95.00
-
- 115.00 -
- 36
36o
325.00
depending on the supporting bearing rollers’ position (Figure
Pitch Diameter
Tooth (PD)
Tip Diameter 95.00
105.28 115.00
125.17 325.00
317.84 4). Two roller positions are considered: when the gear tooth is
Tooth Tip Diameter
Root Diameter 105.28
83.69 125.17
103.52* 317.84
336.04
Root Diameter
Tooth Thickness at PD 83.69
7.94 103.52*
7.76 336.04
7.94 in line with a roller (Figure 4a) and when the tooth is between
ToothWidth
Face Thickness at PD 7.94
40.0 7.76
37.0 7.94
34.0 two rollers (Figure 4b).
Face Width
Center Distance 40.0 37.0
105.00 34.0
CenterContact
Drive Distance
Ratio 1.25 105.00 1.60 The finite element model’s constraint conditions reflect the bear-
Drive Contact
Torque per oneRatio
Mesh, Nm 1000 1.25 1210 1.60 3421
Torque per one Mesh, Nm 1000 1210 3421 ing rollers positions (Figure 5). FE nodes 1 represent the bearing
Table 1: This table presents geometric data and load conditions for an epicyclic gear stage with roller contact points with the planet inner circle. They are radially
Table1:1:This
Table Thistable
table presents
presents geometric
geometric data
data and and
load load conditions
conditions for angear
for an epicyclic epicyclic gear
stage with
asymmetric
stage with tooth gears. tooth gears.
asymmetric constrained, but have freedom to move along the inner circle. FE
asymmetric tooth gears.
nodes 2 at the left and right ends of the model are constrained in
Relative Tooth is in line with Tooth between two
Root Stress, Relative
Rim Tooth is in line
a bearing with
roller Tooth between
bearing rollerstwo the tangent direction, but they have freedom to move in the radial
RootMPa
Stress, Rim
Thickness a bearing roller Loadedbearing rollers
MPa Thickness
Loaded
Loaded
sun gear
by
by
Loaded by
Loaded by
ring gear Loaded
by
by
sun gear
Loaded by
Loaded by
ring gear
direction.
4.0 sun gear
273 ring gear
295 sun gear
261 ring gear
281
4.0 273 295 261 281
3.5
3.5
3.0
276
276
282
300
300
308
262
262
263
282
282
284 THIN RIM PLANET GEAR ROOT FILLET OPTIMIZATION
Tensile 3.0 282 308 263 284
Tensile
2.5
2.5
296
296
323
323
265
265
292
292
The thin rim planet gear’s stress isograms and stress charts along
2.0 330 359 270 312
2.0
1.5 330
415 359
446 270
291 312
353 the tooth profile are shown in Figure 6. The tooth root fillet is
1.0 623 662 367 468
4.0 -398 -300 -414 -286 optimized assuming the sun gear load is applied to the high pres-
3.5 -402 -306 -416 -290 sure angle tooth flank (Figure 6a). This allows one to reduce the
3.0 -407 -313 -423 -296
Compressive 2.5 -417 -331 -439 -308 maximum bending stress for tooth load applied both from the sun
2.0 -456 -371 -468 -328
1.5 -552 -456 -529 -360
and the ring gears (Figure 6b).
1.0 -763 -688 -730 -437 Table 1 presents geometric data and load conditions for an
Table 2: Max. planet gear root stress values for different bearing roller positions, epicyclic gear stage with asymmetric tooth gears. The optimized
Table 2: Max. planetand
load applications, gear
rimroot stress
tooth values values
thickness for different bearing roller
are presented positions,
in this table. load planet gear root fillet stresses and shapes were studied account-
applications, and rim tooth thickness values are presented in this table.
54 gearsolutions.com
Rim Thickness Root Diameter Inner Diameter
20.00 (4.0 x m) 103.54 63.54
 1.5 415 446 291 353
1.0 623 662 367 468
4.0 -398 -300 -414 -286
3.5 -402 -306 -416 -290
3.0 -407 -313 -423 -296
Compressive 2.5 -417 -331 -439 -308
2.0 -456 -371 -468 -328
1.5 -552 -456 -529 -360
1.0 -763 -688 -730 -437
Figure 8. Planet gear tooth root fillet profiles and inner diameters; 1 – t r = 4.0 x m,
Figure 6. Thin rim planet gear FEA images; a and b – stress isograms, c and d – 2 – t r = 3.5 x m, 3 – t r = 3.0 x m, 4 – t r = 2.5 x m, 5 – t r = 2.0 x m, 6 – t r = 1.5 x m,
Table 2: stress
Max. charts
planetalong
geartooth
rootprofile;
stressa and
values for applied
c – load different bearing
from roller
sun gear, b andpositions,
d– load
7 – t r = 1.0 x m, 8 – trajectory on sun gear tooth tip in backlashless engagement; d fL
load and
applications, applied
rimfrom
toothring gear. values are presented in this table.
thickness and d fH – planet gear form diameters at low and high pressure angle flanks.

Rim Thickness Root Diameter Inner Diameter This chart and Table 2 indicate that if the rim thickness is
20.00 (4.0 x m) 103.54 63.54
17.50 (3.5 x m) 103.59 68.59
greater than 3.5 x module, tooth root stresses do not depend on the
15.00 (3.0 x m) 103.64 73.64 rim thickness and are practically the same as for solid body planet
12.50 (2.5 x m) 103.70 78.70 gears. If rim thickness is less than 3.5 x module, tooth root stresses
10.00 (2.0 x m) 103.80 83.80 greatly depend on the rim thickness. They grow exponentially as
7.50 (4.0 x m) 103.99 88.99
5.00 (1.0 x m) 104.26 94.26
rim thickness is reduced. Table 3 shows how the planet gear root
Table 3 and inner diameters depend on rim thickness when the tooth root
Table 3 fillet is optimized.
Figure 8 demonstrates the optimized tooth root fillet profiles
and inner diameters of the planet gear depending on rim thickness.

Figure 7. Planet gear tooth root stress - rim thickness chart; solid lines – the loaded
tooth is in line with a roller; dashed lines – the loaded tooth is between two rollers;
1 – load applied from the sun gear, 2 – load applied from the ring gear.
ing for different rim thickness values.
Max. planet gear root stress values for different bearing roller positions,
load applications, and rim tooth thickness values are presented in Table 2.
The planet gear tooth root stress-rim thickness chart is shown
in Figure 7.
SUMMARY
This paper describes the analysis and optimization of the tooth
root fillet of thin rim planet gears with asymmetric teeth. The
sun-planet gear engagement loading is selected for the root fillet
optimization, because it produces a greater normal tooth force
applied closer to the tooth tip in comparison to the planet-ring
gear engagement loading. A tooth position in line with a bearing
roller is chosen for root fillet optimization, because in this case
the root stress is greater than if the tooth is located between
two rollers. If the rim thickness is greater than 3.5 x module,
tooth root stresses do not depend on the rim thickness. If the
rim thickness is less than 3.5 x module, tooth root stresses
grow exponentially as rim thickness is reduced. An application
with a rim thickness that is less than 2.0 x module leads to a
significant increase in planet tooth root stresses and is typically
not recommended. The thinner the planet gear rim, the more its
root diameter is defined by the optimized root fillet. This also
reduces the root radial clearance, which could be undesirable
for some applications. 
REFERENCES
1. A.L. Kapelevich, Y. V. Shekhtman. Tooth Fillet Profile
Optimization for Gears with Symmetric and Asymmetric Teeth,
Gear Technology, September/October, 2009, 73 – 79.
2. A.L. Kapelevich, Asymmetric Gears: Parameter Selection
Approach, Gear Technology, June/July, 2012, 48 – 51.
3. A.L. Kapelevich, Direct Gear Design, CRC Press, 2013.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS  Dr. A.L. Kapelevich and Dr. Y.V. Shekhtman are with AKGears, LLC, which is based in Shoreview, Minnesota. Learn more
by visiting www.akgears.com.

MARCH  2018 55
 PRODUCT NEW PRODUCTS, TRENDS,

SHOWCASE SERVICES, AND DEVELOPMENTS

EMAG AT GRINDTEC 2018: HIGH-PRECISION RESULTS

FOR SMALL COMPONENTS
Cost pressure and increasing quality require-
ments are influencing the automotive sector
more than ever before. And yet complex
processes such as out-of-round grinding are
coming to the fore. How can these sophis-
ticated grinding processes be carried out
more efficiently? The EMAG Group will be
providing tailor-made answers to this ques-
tion from March 14-17 at GrindTec 2018 in
Augsburg, Germany. One of the highlights
of EMAG’s appearance at the trade fair (Hall
5, stand 5029) will be the vertical grinder VG
110, which is ideally suited to out-of-round
grinding chuck parts.
To use pump casings for auto power steer-
ing as an example: The non-circular forms
of these components must be processed in
high-volume production with a dimensional
accuracy in the micrometer range. EMAG
develops complete turnkey systems for these
and similar tasks, which are perfectly adjust-
ed to its customers’ respective requirements.
The VG 110 on show at GrindTec 2018 is
an example of this, as the vertical grinder is
an all-rounder when it comes to precision
machining small chuck parts. As well as
Cutting-edge grinding technology is used – for example
ceramic or galvanized CBN grinding wheels. (Courtesy:
EMAG)
out-of-round machining inner and outer
contours, the machine can, of course, also
be used for cylindrical grinding. It’s also
perfect for combination machining with an
internal grinding spindle and turning tool.
The basic principle is that EMAG’s vertical
design ensures that chips fall freely down-
ward – so any contamination of the clamping
area is permanently avoided. The vertical
design also means that the slide structure is
very compact, and therefore a high degree
of rigidity is achieved. The machine’s out-
standing characteristic is its excellent ther-
mostability. To be able to achieve maximum
accuracy when machining small workpieces,
the X and Z-axes are mounted separately on
the machine base. Machine cooling ensures
that the work result is consistent.
The VG 110 is ideally suited to the use of
CBN grinding technology, with both dress-
able ceramic and galvanized CBN grinding
wheels an option. Rotating diamond dressing
tools and the necessary AE sensors guarantee
high quality, consistent results for dress-
able grinding systems.  What’s more, very
little space is required for the VG 110. The
machine also has excellent accessibility for
servicing work. 
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
www.emag.com

KADIA PRESENTS COMPACT HIGH-END HONING MACHINES

Manufacturing companies that produce
highly precise bores in small- to medium-
batch sizes often hesitate to invest in their
own precision honing machine. The rate of
utilization is simply too low. Such manufac-
turers might use a simpler machine that is
less costly but often does not work precisely
enough. With a new single-spindle ‘Eco
Honing Machine,’ Kadia now seeks to meet
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In view of rising quality requirements,
every μ matters when honing is used for fin-
ishing of precision bores. The edge of what Kadia presents compact high-end honing machines for prototype and series manufacturers. (Courtesy: Kadia)

56 gearsolutions.com
 is technically possible is becoming the norm. scene a few years ago with the HMC100, a In its basic configuration the machine con-
High-end machining equipment and highly machine control system of its own develop- tains a fixed table; for prototype parts and
developed technology are the prerequisites to ment. At that time there was no comparable small batches, this is often sufficient. The
even be considered as a supplier. Working solution on the market that was specifically option of installing a rotary table with
productively and precisely to the last μ is tailored to honing. The control system fea- multiple stations, usually honing, measur-
Kadia’s speciality. tures the newest technologies and measur- ing, and loading stations, is also possible.
To put the technical possibilities into ing techniques and visually presents all Depending on the number of units being
a machine that also carries the ‘eco’ name processes on a large 19” panel. The design produced, the provision of coolant may
is therefore quite a new approach from engineers in Nürtingen now integrate the come into play. As a compact solution, an
developers at Kadia, a balancing act that HMC100 into all of their honing machines. integrated coolant and extraction system is
has nevertheless been achieved with the Like all Kadia honing machines, the E available to E line operators.
new E line. “The new single-spindle E line is also available in a variety of configu-
line is a cost-effective, productive honing rations — the “ultra-compact” and “eco” FOR MORE INFORMATION:
solution for the highest precision. With characteristics do not preclude this option. www.kadia.com
this machine we are rounding off our spec-
trum in the smaller range,” said Executive
Director Henning Klein. The machine is
also “ultra-compact” and requires just 2.5
m² of floor space. The control cabinet is
integrated into the side and all the compo-
Sourcing Made Simple
nents that require regular maintenance are
easily accessible.
Up to now, the company on the Neckar
River has developed mostly multi-spindle
machines for use in large series production,
especially by automotive manufacturers and
large suppliers.
Trusted Gear Blank
Such companies then have two options:
They either handle the honing themselves Supplier Since 1950 Trus
or they hand off the demanding precision
work to external service providers. The
latter lends itself well when the company
does not view honing as one of its own Consistent Quality C
core competencies but would still like to
accept orders from customers with highly Broad Capability & Capacity B
precise requirements for boring quality.
Professional honing providers can carry Exceptional People E
out such tasks quickly and reliably. The Trusted Gear Blank O
new E line is the ideal alternative, espe-
cially when honing is a central part of
On-time Delivery Supplier Since 1950
the company’s manufacturing competence, Consistent Quality ISO 900
and highly economical and precise work is Broad Capability & Capacity
8800T a
ISO 9001 and TS 16949 registered. Presses
important. In this case, the special entry- Exceptionalup People to
level features and the quality of output On-time Delivery in-house
are not mutually exclusive, since the8800T
same and volumes up to 750K/year. Supported by
components that Kadia uses in other types
of machines ensure that the end quality in-house
is heat treat and an ISO 17025 8800T metallurgical
9001 and TS 16949
ISO 9001
and
4000T and volumes
16949 registered.
volumesup uptoto750K/year.
lab.
Pressesupuptoto
registered. Presses
750K/year.Supported
Supportedbyby
in-house
in-house heat
heattreat
treatand
andananISO 17025
ISO 17025 metallurgical
metallurgicallab.
lab.
correct down to the μ: a highly dynamic
lean high-speed honing spindle and intui-
tive high-performance control.
The experts from Nürtingen recently
presented their second-generation LH
spindles with the current type designa- walkerforge.com
walkerforge.com | 414.223.2000 |
414.223.2000
tions LH2 and LH3. The update includes
a range of further developments that take
into account current technology. The
somewhat smaller LH2, with a material
4.223.2000
removal rate of up to 18 mm³/s, performs
its work in the eco machine.
The company surprised the honing
MARCH  2018 57
DIVIDE AND CONQUER WITH SANDVIK’S LATEST PARTING-OFF TOOLS
Cutting tool and tooling system specialist configurations on turning centers and in modern turning centers and multi-task
Sandvik Coromant has unveiled a new blade multi-task machines, the capability of machines to feed the tool in the Y direc-
for its  CoroCut®  QD parting-off system, feed motion in the XZ plane is an inher- tion. In the new concept, the top face of
which, in combination with new process ent limitation. When performing parting the insert is placed parallel to the end of
methodology, substantially improves the operations, the resultant vector of cutting the blade, rotating the insert seat 90° coun-
tool’s stability by realigning the resultant forces is inevitably directed sharply across terclockwise. The new blade cuts its way
cutting force. Among numerous benefits the tool’s cross-section, leading to high into the workpiece with its front end, which
available to the customer are improved pro- loads and potential deformation. roughly aligns the resultant vector of cutting
ductivity, enhanced surface quality, and To remedy the situation, forces with the longitudinal axis of the blade.
reduced noise levels. Sandvik Coromant engineers have developed FEM analysis confirms that this eliminates
  With conventional parting-off tool a solution that takes advantage of capability the critical stresses typical to conventional
blades and increases blade stiffness by six
times compared with standard designs. With
BROACH CUTTING TOOLS enhanced stiffness, customers can increase
feed rates or use a longer overhang without
losing stability.
HOW ‘BOUT
I RIP YOU A NEW   When deployed on turning centers,
ONE MORON!
DON’T TALK
the biggest benefits of Y-axis parting are
TO ME ABOUT
TOLERANCES,
improved productivity and process security.
I’VE HAD IT
WITH YOU!!!
For multi-task machine users, Y-axis part-
ing blades offer increased accessibility and
I DON’T CARE capability for larger diameters. In fact, a
WHAT YOUR SUPPLIER
PROBLEMS ARE, I WANT IT pre-test confirmed a 50 percent increase in
AS PROMISED.PERIOD!
I HAVEN’T HAD overhang when parting-off a conventional
HELLO COLONIAL - A FAMILY DINNER
GUYS YOU GOTTA IN WEEKS! 120 mm diameter bar at the maximum
HELP ME OUT HERE,
I’M IN A HECK OF ...AND THE
feed capacity of the insert, thus helping to
A JAM LOWEST COST maximize the full potential of the machine.
WOW! PER PIECE..
ON TIME &
ON BUDGET.
GUARANTEED! Furthermore, a 300 percent productivity
increase was achieved without any compro-
mise to process security.
  In a customer test case, Y-axis parting
successfully replaced band sawing for a 180
mm diameter Inconel bar, resulting in sig-
nificant productivity improvement thanks
to dramatically shorter machining times.
 Another advantage of Y-axis parting is
Colonial gives you the that it requires minimal changes to typi-
opportunity to relax COLONIAL DOESN’T KNOW IT BUT
cal production setups. The same program
& enjoy your coffee ... THEY SAVED MY MARRIAGE AND MY
CUSTOMER. WITH TODAY’S TIGHT
MARGINS YOU SIMPLY CAN’T AFFORD
TO TAKES CHANCES WITH QUALITY.

Start your day with confidence.

Have your coffee your way!

EXPERIENCED • RELIABLE • INTERNATIONAL

United States • Canada • Mexico The new Y-axis parting blade substantially improves
1-866-611-5119 • info@colonialtool.com • www.colonialtool.com the tool’s stability by realigning the resultant cutting
force. (Courtesy: Sandvik Coromant)

58 gearsolutions.com
can be used for all components, while
practically no extra tool costs are incurred
as existing  CoroCut®  QD tooling can be
used. There is also high potential to make
real time savings when the  workpiece  is
clamped at both ends since no other opera-
tions are possible during parting-off.
  The new  CoroCut®  QD blades come
in widths of 3 and 4 mm. Standard length
versions (in both 3 and 4 mm widths) are
offered for parting up to 120 mm diam-
eter, as well as an extra-long 4 mm wide
blade for parting up to 180 mm diameter.
Conventional CoroCut® QD blade adapters
and inserts can be used with the new blades.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: 
www.sandvik.coromant.com

BRIGHTLINE WELD FOR POWERTRAIN APPLICATIONS

BrightLine Weld, Trumpf’s latest innovation reducing the cost per part. With BrightLine even further reduce costs for manufacturers.
for laser welding, will significantly improve Weld, the feed rate can be increased by up to
process quality for many laser welding applica- +300 percent when using a higher laser power FOR MORE INFORMATION:
tions. Specifically, applications for powertrain in order to further improve productivity and www.us.trumpf.com
manufacturing will see great benefits as a result
of BrightLine Weld, which allows for a virtually
spatter-free laser welding process during deep
penetration welding. Spatter-free deep penetra-
Reliability begins
with a cup of begins
coffee.
tion laser welding has historically only been
achieved with CO2 lasers. Trumpf’s TruDisk
solid state laser will now achieve laser welding
results rivaling a CO2 laser weld seam with Reliability
with a cup of coffee.
BrightLine Weld. Even at high feed rates of up to Relationships are built by taking the time to sit down
20m/min, BrightLine Weld outperforms other with you, & discovering what keeps you awake at night.
state-of-the-art welding systems that operate at
speeds measuring up to 5 m/min. C olonial isn’t typical in the CUTTING TOOL INDUSTRY-
For deep penetration welding in powertrain
applications, the spatter regime appears at weld-
Reliability begins Relationships
our main focus isare
with
perfectyou,
built bycustomer
to establish
& discovering
fit with our decades ofwhat
taking relationships
servicekeeps
the time tothat
youcutting
providing
sit down
awaketools
to international companies looking for
are a
at night.
ing speeds of 5m/min to 6 m/min. Welding
speeds beyond 6 m/min cause enough mass
with a cup
C of coffee. our main focus is
experience
olonial isn’t typical
to
in the and
establish
reliability.
CUTTING
customer
TOOL INDUSTRY-
relationships that are a
perfect fit with our decades of service providing cutting tools
loss that result in undercuts of the weld seam Relationships are built by to taking the time
international to sit down
companies looking for
and sometimes even internal porosity – both of with you, & discovering what experience and awake
keeps you reliability.
at night.
which reduce the part’s mechanical strength. C olonial isn’t typical in the CUTTING TOOL INDUSTRY-
However, BrightLine Weld technology allows our main focus is to establish customer relationships that are a
perfect fit with our decades of service providing cutting tools
users to achieve strong, high-quality weld seams to international companies looking for
on a consistent basis, regardless of the welding experience and reliability.
speed. These high-quality weld seams then allow
for components with high mechanical strength,
which is of utmost importance. Additionally,
because spatter is minimized, the contamina-
tion of work pieces is prevented. This ultimately
reduces machine downtime and the rework of
parts, which results in lower costs.
A typical powertrain application that
benefits from laser technology is the laser
welding of gear wheels. Gear wheels are
normally welded with a feed rate of 5 m/min The solutions we provide delivers the highest quality in the
world at a reliable Lowest Cost Per Piece, GUARANTEED!
and a laser power of 3.4 kW. For this applica-
tion, BrightLine Weld provides a significant
TheWhat
An industry first. solutions
do youwe takeprovide
in yourdelivers
coffee?
The solutions we provide delivers the highest quality in the
advantage because it can be used to reduce worldthe
at ahighest qualityCost
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highest quality in the
at a reliable Lowest Cost Per Piece, GUARANTEED!
simultaneously increasing machine pro- GUARANTEED!
An industry first. What Ando industry first.coffee?
you take in your What do you take in your coffee?
ductivity. When compared to the standard
welding laser power of 3.4 kW, a part that’s
welded with BrightLine Weld will require
only 2 kW of laser power, which is a 40
percent reduction, saving on operating costs. United States • Canada • Mexico • 1-866-611-5119 • info@actsadvantage.com• www.actsadvantage.com
BrightLine Weld produces slightly slimmer
UnitedUnited
StatesStates
• Canada • Mexico • 1-866-611-5119 • info@actsadvantage.com• www.actsadvantage.com
weld seams while still achieving the same • Canada • Mexico • 1-866-611-5119 • info@actsadvantage.com• www.actsadvantage.com
welding depth, requiring less rework and
MARCH  2018 59
NEW GLEASON SEGMENTED COLLETS IMPROVE WORKHOLDING
Gleason has introduced a new segmented
collet for its workholding that delivers sig-
nificant improvements for the clamping of
both cylindrical and bevel gear bores from
as small as 20 mm in diameter up to 100
mm in diameter.
The single-angle style collet addresses
the need for exceptionally long-lasting,
accurate clamping with a simpler design
and the use of a new elastomer com-
pound and injection molding process.
60 gearsolutions.com
Life cycles can vary depending on pro-
duction conditions. Preventative main-
tenance is recommended.
The new collets are available in eight
different sizes, with each model featuring a
particularly wide expansion range of 0.762
mm (0.030”) to more readily accommo-
date a variety of different bore clamping
applications and help ensure long wear life
and ease of loading.
In addition, they can be applied to the
®
Modular
Drawer
System
Gleason’s new segmented collets are available in
eight different sizes, with each model featuring a
particularly wide expansion range. (Courtesy: Gleason)
complete range of Gleason workholding,
including the latest tool-less quick-change
models, and used in conjunction with
all types of Gleason and non-Gleason
production machines.
The collets are also easily ground to
specific customer application requirements
and are available more rapidly and on
demand from any of Gleason’s production
facilities worldwide.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
www.gleason.com
KISSSOFT PLASTIC
MATERIALS MANAGER
GETS UPDATE
It is often the case that plastics manufac-
turers don’t provide data that is relevant for
calculations when they supply their prod-
ucts. Fortunately, you can now use the new
Plastics Manager in the KISSsoft Release
03/2017 to generate plastic material files
from the service life measurement data gath-
ered in gear testing according to VDI 2736
Sheet 4 (Module ZZ6).
With this calculation module, you no
longer need to spend time and effort work-
ing through the test results, and it also
greatly simplifies the calculation process,
because all the data is brought together in
a single file. With this module, you can
also easily add materials to the KISSsoft
database, along with the automatically gen-
erated DAT files. 
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
www.kisssoft.ch
MARCH  2018 61
 Achieving Increased Profits
and Response Times
As a leading global technology
provider, this customer decided to

MARKET
· Custom gear racks in AMERICAN and
METRIC standards, STRAIGHT and move their existing facility to a
HELICAL, VARIOUS materials, FINE and
new location so they could

PLACE
COARSE pitch (254 D.P. – 0.5 D.P.; 0.10
Module – 50 Module); hard-cut (up to
60 Rc) and soft-cut (up to 40 Rc); 32” continue to grow and advance.
face width; Up to 82” lengths – longer
lengths through resetting As such, any new equipment they
· Custom gears in AMERICAN and
METRIC standards (3 D.P. – 72 D.P., 10” chose needed to ...
Contact Gear Solutions Diameter)
· Precision Quality up to AGMA 12
at 800-366-2185 to feature your · Prototype & Production quantities Discover this
· Breakdown Service Available
· Reverse Engineering customer’s
business in the Marketplace! · Unique Tooth Configurations
· Heat Treating winning
· Complete CNC Machining
  outcome:

  go.IpsenUSA.com/Customer-Stories

 
  KORO for Quality   FACE IT!
Hob Sharpening Service
 Quick Turnaround 2 Day Service  
 Spur Shaper Cutter Sharpening
 HSS & Carbide Hob with center hole  
and straight flutes
 Thin Film Coatings  
 Length up to 7 inches

 
 Diameter up
to 5 Inches
 Precise rake  
and spacing guaranteed
to AGMA standards  
our tools are just the best.
 RUSH SERVICE AVAILABLE
Koro Sharpening Service
9530 85th Ave North   303-447-1130
Maple Grove, MN 55369 421 SE Bailey Road • Lee's Summit, MO 64081
www.kapp-niles.com
763-425-5247
info@koroind.com   sales-usa@kapp-niles.com

 
Gear Careers VACUUM HEAT TREATING
072017_KappAd_NinthPage.indd 1 6/22/2017 3:39:30 PM

  & BRAZING SERVICES

  CONTROLLER
  With strong accounting skills
and extensive experience in a
manufacturing environment.
Email your resume to:
kyoung@forestcitygear.com

 solaratm.com
Philadelphia Los Angeles
forestcitygear.com/careers Pittsburgh South Carolina

62 gearsolutions.com
 ADVERTISER UNITE-A-MATIC
TM

INDEX MODEL 2020 · ID SPLINE GAUGE

CONTENTS PAGE NO. FLEXIBLE ID GAUGE
OPTIONAL: SPC CAPABLE WITH MITUTOYO MEASURLINK
ALD Thermal Treatment Inc.................................................................13 DIMENSIONS:
L-16” D-16” H-10”
All Metals & Forge Group.....................................................................31
WT-95#
American Precision Gear Co................................................................63
ID RANGE:
Circle Gear & Machine Co Inc..............................................................11 20-75MM

Colonial Tool Group........................................................................58, 59

EMAG.....................................................................................................9

Engineered Tools Corporation..............................................................14

Evonik Oil Additives USA.....................................................................61

Forest City Gear.............................................................................12, 62

Gleason..................................................................................................2

Innovative Rack & Gear........................................................................62

Ipsen............................................................................................. IFC, 62

KAPP Technologies........................................................................21, 62

KHK-USA.............................................................................................41
UNITE-A-MATIC.COM
KISSsoft USA LLC...............................................................................25

Koro Sharpening Service.....................................................................62

Lawler Gear Corporation......................................................................62

McInnes Rolled Rings..........................................................................15

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America Inc............................................BC

WWW.AMGEAR.COM
New England Gear.................................................................................7

NORDEX...............................................................................................37

Penta Gear Metrology LLC..................................................................39

AEROSPACE/DEFENSE
Proto Manufacturing Ltd......................................................................16

Riverside Spline & Gear Inc.................................................................10

Russell Holbrook & Henderson Inc......................................................25

Solar Atmospheres.......................................................................62, IBC CONTROLS

Souther Gear & Machine......................................................................27

STD Precision Gear & Instrument Inc..................................................37

Stor-Loc..........................................................................................60, 62

The Broach Masters Inc.........................................................................4 MEDICAL DEVICES

Toolink Engineering Inc..........................................................................1

Ty Miles Inc...........................................................................................49 CUSTOM PRECISION GEARS

ISO2015, AS9100, DDTC
United Tool Supply...............................................................................63
SALES@AMGEAR.COM
Walker Forge........................................................................................57 FOSTER CITY, CA
Wickert USA.........................................................................................26
800-554-3150

MARCH  2018 63
 Q&A
KRIS RENNER
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AT SLATER TOOLS
“We are able to provide the flexibility and service of a small company with the
resources and reliability of a large company.”
What’s a typical day like at Slater Tools?
A typical day at Slater is very busy and productive. In the front office,
our technical staff is answering a constant stream of technical calls and
application emails, helping solve customers’ manufacturing challenges
and offering personalized support. In the shop, we produce hundreds
of precision tools, both custom and standard, each day. In addition to
fulfilling the needs of our customers, on a daily basis we are working
to move the company forward, whether it is researching new tech-
nologies, creating new products, or integrating different manufacturing
techniques to keep costs down and improve quality for our customers.
What products and services does Slater offer?
We have five main product categories. The one that we are best known
for is our rotary broach tooling. We also produce spring-style live centers
and screw machine tooling. Additionally, just last year, we introduced
two new product lines: Ring and plug inspection gages, as well as punch
broach tooling, which is another type of CNC broaching when rotary
broaching is not a feasible means for producing a part. In terms of ser-
vices, we offer custom tool design, reverse engineering, gage certification,
tool repairs, and resharpenings.
What is Slater Tools doing to advance the gear industry?
We have been in business since 1951 and since then we have had a con-
sistent customer base with small gear manufacturers using our rotary
broach tooling. However, to use rotary broaching, the tooth height of the
gear has to be less than 0.025 inches per tooth. We were turning away a
lot of gear manufacturers because many gear teeth tend to greatly exceed
that, which is one reason we launched the punch broach tooling line.
Punch broaching — or single point broaching — is a way of slotting
the tooth form on a CNC machine. The internal or external shape of
the tooth can be produced right on your lathe or mill and create teeth
that are 0.100 inches or larger in height through the use of our punch
broach tools. It has really seen a lot of popularity within the gear industry.
Additionally, we started producing Go/NoGo Gages to help custom-
ers quickly and accurately validate their parts. Our gages are manufac-
tured with extremely tight tolerances and can be produced to check
internal or external forms. The inspection gages can also come with long-
form certifications for those customers requiring that documentation.
What are some of Slater Tools’ proudest moments?
Of course the long history of our company and business achievements
are important to us, but really our proudest moments are when we get
calls from customers telling us they had great success with our tools or
a new referral saying, “My friend has been using your tools for years and
has nothing but wonderful things to say. I want to start doing a project,
FOR MORE INFORMATION www.slatertools.com
64 gearsolutions.com
and I hear you are the people for the job.” Those are the moments we are
truly proud of. Ultimately, nothing beats knowing that we are making
our customers happy and hearing about their successes.
What sets Slater Tools apart when it comes to what you
can offer a customer?
I would say, hands down, it is our customer service and support. We are
able to provide the flexibility and service of a small company with the
resources and reliability of a large company. We have almost 70 years
of history in this industry and with that comes a lot of knowledge and
understanding of customers’ needs. We are very committed to our cus-
tomers’ success and satisfaction. We have the fastest turnaround in the
industry and are constantly updating and creating technical resources to
make sure our customers have access to our support materials whenever
they need them. In fact, at the beginning of this year we launched our
new website that is geared toward the support of our customers with
new technical articles, product specifications, engineering data, and
informative videos. We also have a great reputation in the industry as
being a company you can trust, not only in the consistent quality of
our tools, but also in that we do not have any hesitation telling people
that we may not be the right fit for their application. We prefer to deal
direct with customers because we like to review their applications to
ensure that they are going to be successful with our tools.
Where do you see the future of Slater Tools?
Hopefully doing everything we are doing now and further advancing
our technologies to continue to help our customers be successful. We
will continue to research new technologies and expanding product lines
to help customers get their jobs done efficiently and cost effectively. We
will continue listening to our customers’ needs to learn how to best
support and serve them. Additionally, expanding our international
presence is in our future. For many years, we have sold our products to
international customers, but selling globally on a larger scale has become
an important objective of ours.
How do you move beyond North America?
There are plenty of hurdles when selling internationally: payment issues,
export rules and regulations, language barriers, etc. Overcoming those
hurdles ultimately means looking into creating a large international distribu-
torship. Right now, our focus is on expanding throughout Latin America.
We have started producing more technical resource materials in Spanish
because we want to make sure they receive the same support and service we
are able to offer our English-speaking customers. We have also added native
Spanish speakers to our technical staff, and we are working with companies
that do translations, so we have the resources to back the products. 
Vacuum Heat Treating Services

...because quality is critical

Our leading edge vacuum technology and expertise
provides precise control and repeatability for
consistently superior parts. Solve your toughest
thermal processing challenges by utilizing our brain-
trust of metallurgists, chemists and engineers.

• Over 60 vacuum furnaces – lab-sized

to 48 feet long
• Argon, nitrogen and helium quenching
up to 20 bar
• Operating range of -320°F to +3,600°F Vacuum Heat Treating
• On-site metallurgical testing lab Annealing Hardening
• 24/7 Operations Age Hardening Hydriding
Brazing Dehydriding
Carburizing Gas Nitriding
For more information or a quote, Degassing Stress Relieving
call 1-855-WE-HEAT-IT or visit solaratm.com Diffusion Bonding Tempering

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Western PA South Carolina VACUUM PROCESSING Heat Treating • Brazing • Carburizing • Nitriding
 Our Technologies, Your Tomorrow

The Power of
Dynamic
Motion

The Revolutionary Mitsubishi

SE Series CNC Gear Shaping Machines.
Inside the static looking machine is a concert of dynamic motion. The
cutter and table rotate in sync, the shaper spindle reciprocates, the relief
cams push and pull, the radial axis advances, and the metal chips and oil
fly with blinding speed. In spite of these debilitating process dynamics that
conspire against workpiece gear accuracy, Mitsubishi’s SE series shapers
retain ultimate integrity. With their rigid designs and lightweight components
engineered to withstand high-speed dynamic motions up to 32G’s, plus heavily
ribbed and strengthened machine elements that manage static stresses,
SE15A/SE25A
SEseries
the SE series shapers deliver a machine/process combination without equal.
Experience the world class performance of the SE series shapers at
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