Top 5 Reasons To Go to Gear Expo

Randy Stott, Managing Editor

Gear Expo 2015 takes place October 20–22 in Detroit. If you haven’t already made plans to attend the show, you might be might be missing out on a great chance to learn more about gears, find new potential suppliers and network with your peers. Gear Expo is the industry’s premier trade show, and it provides plenty of opportunities for anyone whose work involves gears — from manufacturing to processing, purchasing and use.

Gear Expo used to be viewed as mostly a show for gear manufacturers to attend. Exhibitors included the major machine tool manufacturers, cutting tool suppliers and service providers aimed at supplying the gear manufacturing process. The show still includes all of those exhibitors, but over the years, Gear Expo’s emphasis on the entire supply chain has grown — meaning that the show has become more and more important to gear buyers, because more and more gear and gear drive manufacturers are exhibiting.

For most of you who read Power Transmission Engineering, that’s a very good thing, especially if you’re involved with the specification, purchase and use of gears. Finding the right gear supplier can make all the difference in a successful product.

Learn more about how gears are made. Gears cannot be properly designed without a solid understanding of the manufacturing processes that will be used to make them. In recent years, some of those processes have been improved, and new processes are always being developed. In order to design and develop gears that cost less, run more quietly or handle more power, you need to learn more about those changes and the latest gear manufacturing technologies. Who knows, you might even consider bringing gear manufacturing in-house rather than outsourcing it (or vice-versa!).

Find new gear suppliers. There will be more than 70 gear and gear drive manufacturers exhibiting at the show, as well as vendors of gear software, lubrication, bearings and automation solutions. See our map and listings on pages 32–34 for a complete list of the Gear Expo exhibitors of most interest to Power Transmission Engineering readers.

There’s always something new. Many of these exhibitors are interested in speaking with you. Our Gear Expo preview article, beginning on page 24, touches base with a number of them. Also, don’t forget to read our special “Showstoppers” advertising section, beginning on page 29, to see what some of the Gear Expo exhibitors have to offer.

Educational opportunities. Visit www.gearexpo. com to learn more about the many educational programs put on by the AGMA in conjunction with the show. These include the Fall Technical Meeting (which takes place Oct 18–20, overlapping with the show), a number of gear-related seminars, and the Solutions Center, an educational theater right in the middle of the show floor.

Ask the Expert Live. In conjunction with Gear Technology magazine, we’ve put together some educational sessions of our own. For the first time ever, we’re offering a live and in-person version of our popular “Ask the Expert” column. At Gear Expo, we’re hosting four sessions of Ask the Expert Live, each one focused on a specific gear-related topic and featuring three or four renowned experts. See our ad on page 61 for a full schedule of topics and presenters who will be on hand to answer your questions.

Of course, we’ll be at the show, and we’d love to see as many of you as possible. Please stop by Booth #2030 to meet our editors, participate in Ask the Expert Live and learn more about our print and electronic subscription options. Whether you can make it to the show or not, we’re always interested in your feedback about how we can serve you better. Send me a note at wrs@powertransmission.com with any suggestions or comments.