Automate 2017 offers the full spectrum of automation technologies and solutions, from traditional industrial applications to cutting edge new techn...

Necessity is the Mother of Invention, goes the bromide, but this 3-D printing thing is taking manufacturing to an entirely different — yes — dimension.

Regarding 3-D printing of gears and machine tools, etc. — does plastic gearing have a future in 3-D printing/additive manufacturing?

Some of us are old enough to have had say, great-grandparents, for example, who when the occasion arose would casually refer to cars as “machines.” It sounded funny and arcane, and we would snicker under our breath. But of course the laugh was on us; back in the day — 1910s through the 1930s — automobiles were commonly referred to as machines.

We are pleased to present our first annual Engineering Showcase, a celebration of some of the leading products and companies in mechanical power transmission. In the pages that follow, you’ll find examples of engineering excellence and technological know-how in the field of gears, drives, couplings, machine parts and other mechanical components.

In most cases, industrial power transmission calls for flexible rather than rigid couplings in order to forgive minor shaft misalignment. For that reason, this article will focus solely on the selection of flexible couplings.

Air bearings provide a more-precise view of print head variations.