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INDUSTRY NEWS | 2025-03-19

KISSsoft 2025 Available in April

The new KISSsoft Release brings innovations and enhancements for results visualization, allowing you to design even more efficiently, precisely, and productively. Within Gleason’s strategy "Design– Manufacturing – Measure", KISSsoft continues to add functions for simulating cylindrical gear manufacturing. After all, you target a gear design combining the highest strength with low manufacturing costs. KISSsoft offers a variety of rating procedures. Additionally, bearing ratings methods according to Timken have been added.

PRODUCT NEWS | 2024-10-23

Siemens Digital Announces Solid Edge 2025 and Solid Edge X

Siemens Digital Industries Software has announced the 2025 release of Solid Edge software, bringing new capabilities to its product development software. The latest release also introduces Solid Edge X software, delivering a cloud-enabled secure Software as a Service (SaaS) environment, enhanced with new AI-enabled tools to help users work smarter.

REVOLUTIONS | 2024-03-01

Mechatronic Methodology

IIjin Electric's collaboration with Siemens began with the company's efforts to effectively integrate electrical design with mechanical design. “This collaboration went beyond simply changing tools. It represented a major advancement in the company's design approach and methodology.

FEATURE ARTICLES | 2023-12-01

Bearing Design Considerations for Pumps and Compressors

Manufacturing, chemical processing, food and beverage, construction, mining, oil and gas, agriculture, and power generation industries all employ the use of turbomachinery. Reliability and minimizing downtime are critical in these applications. Rolling bearings are integral to the operation of pumps and compressors and must be able to withstand moderate to heavy loading and harsh operating environments. A wide variety of ball, roller, and needle bearings can be found in these machines; however, this article will focus on the most common type of bearing used, the deep groove ball bearing.

REVOLUTIONS | 2023-11-01

Solid Edge 2024 Focuses on Performance and User Experience

Solid Edge is a portfolio of affordable, easy-to-use software tools that address all aspects of the product development process. Solid Edge combines the speed and simplicity of direct modeling with the flexibility and control of parametric design – made possible with synchronous technology. The following Q&A discusses Solid Edge 2024 with Dan Staples, vice president, mainstream engineering, Siemens Digital Industries Software.

INDUSTRY NEWS | 2023-10-03

KISSsoft Offers Plastics for the Calculation for Cylindrical and Crossed Axis Helical Gears

In KISSsoft, 97 (yes, ninety-seven!) plastics are available for calculation of cylindrical and crossed axis helical gears. The materials range from unreinforced POMs and PAs to high performance reinforced and internally lubricated materials. 

INDUSTRY NEWS | 2023-08-17

Tianneng Battery Selects Siemens Digital Software Portfolio

Siemens Digital Industries Software recently announced that Tianneng Battery Group Co., Ltd. has selected the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of industry software to help it drive innovation and enable digital manufacturing in new battery production.

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INDUSTRY NEWS | 2023-04-28

Siemens and IBM Collaborate on Software Product Development

Siemens Digital Industries Software and IBM recently announced they are expanding their long-term partnership by collaborating to develop a combined software solution integrating their respective offerings for systems engineering, service lifecycle management and asset management.
  

INDUSTRY NEWS | 2023-04-06

KISSsoft Expands Fine Sizing Capabilities with Release 2023

In an urgent assignment, a gear has to be designed, with the engineer already knowing the required reduction ratio, torque and speed. On the manufacturing side, the preferred materials, possible qualities and the reference profiles are specified. This initial situation represents an everyday task.

TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2023-04-06

Ball Bearing Inner Ring Fits and Creep (Part 2)

Welcome back to Part 2 of our inner ring and creep discussion. We left off with our creep calculation resulting in a 10.5 µm minimum inner ring fit to avoid creep. For the sake of making clean dimensions, let’s call it 10 µm on the lower end and the upper end is simply whatever your manufacturer can hold.

REVOLUTIONS | 2023-04-03

Hannover Messe Bearings Preview

PTE will feature a variety of new component technologies online for bearings, motors, couplings, brakes, gear drives, and motion control systems leading up to Hannover Messe 2023 in Germany. Here is a preview of some bearings suppliers to check out if you're planning on attending the event online or in-person in April.

TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2023-03-22

A Model for Considering Wheel Body Deformation in Tooth Contact Load Distribution

This study presents a simulation method for considering complex wheel bodies in an analytical tooth contact model. The wheel body is considered using reduced FE stiffness. Reduction points are defined over the width and linked with the analytical gear.

For cylindrical wheel bodies, comparative calculations show fewer deviations from the expected results with the new method. This is due to the additional degrees of freedom in the FEM model. In the calculation with cylindrical wheel bodies, bending due to axial force in tooth contact could also be verified in addition to the deformation in tooth contact and the influence of the shaft-bearing system.

TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2023-03-21

Ball Bearing Inner Ring Fits and Creep

I think I spend more time talking about ball bearings today than at any other time in my career. Ball bearings have always had a large place in automotive, but not typically in high demand positions—other than a few niche areas. High demand positions, such as axles and planetaries, were typically reserved for tapers, needles and cylindricals. The landscape is changing quickly.

INDUSTRY NEWS | 2022-11-14

AFT Welcomes Three New Team Members

Applied Flow Technology (AFT) has expanded their team with the hire of two new engineers and one software developer to join their pipe flow modeling team. 

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REVOLUTIONS | 2022-09-26

Software Bits 2022

What's the latest in software design and simulation in the power transmission market? Here's a recap of some of the latest software solutions for bearings, gears, drivetrains and e-mobility applications.

PRODUCT NEWS | 2022-08-19

KISSsoft and Timken Collaborate on Bearing Calculation and Design

Bearing calculations from Timken can now be easily generated in KISSsoft for the software’s registered users. Although the data is not visible in KISSsoft, it can be used in the background for calculation and design purposes.

INDUSTRY NEWS | 2022-07-22

Bosch Rexroth Offers Actuator Webinar

Bosch Rexroth will offer a free webinar on July 28, 2022, "How Self-Contained Actuators Simplify Your Engineering." The webinar takes place 9:00 - 9:45 AM EST. 

PRODUCT NEWS | 2022-07-15

A Look at SKF's Connection to KISSsoft

Recently, the Swedish rolling bearing manufacturer SKF and the Swiss gearbox design software developer KISSsoft have incorporated SKF’s bearing calculation service within KISSsoft's software. With the so-called SKF Bearing Module in KISSsoft, engineers will have direct access to SKF’s bearing technology and bearing performance data.

INDUSTRY NEWS | 2022-07-11

MESYS Software Version 06/2022 is Available

A new version of the MESYS shaft and rolling bearing analysis software including new functionality is available. The bearing analysis software allows the calculation of the load distribution within the bearing and bearing life according to ISO/TS 16281 and it is integrated in a shaft system calculation with additional possibilities like modal analysis, strength calculation for shafts and interfaces to gear calculations. Currently the software is used by customers in 30 countries on four continents.

PRODUCT NEWS | 2022-05-25

NSK Develops New Ball Screw Technology

NSK Ltd. has developed a new technology that significantly extends ball screw life in high-load drive applications. Products with this technology are expected to be adopted by industrial machinery makers shifting to electric designs. Through this and other technologies, NSK continues to contribute to electrification and productivity increases industrial machinery.

PRODUCT NEWS | 2022-05-23

Siemens Digital Offers Simcenter Update to Improve Accuracy, Flexibility and Connectivity

Siemens Digital has added features and updates for Simcenter SPEED, Simcenter Motorsolve and Simcenter MAGNET 2022.1 to improve accuracy, flexibility and connectivity. This 2022.1 update makes Simcenter SPEED and Simcenter Motorsolve more accurate and better integrated to Simcenter STAR-CCM+.

PRODUCT NEWS | 2022-04-20

Gates Launches Belt Drive Software Platform

Gates has announced the launch of Gates Design Power, a new software platform offering multiple digital design tools to support the engineering and specification of belt-drive systems across a broad array of applications, making the process easier and more robust than ever before.  

REVOLUTIONS | 2022-02-14

Schaeffler TriFinity Wheel Bearing Provides e-Mobility Solution

Schaeffler’s TriFinity wheel bearing is a fully optimized, three-row, angular contact ball bearing that provides higher stiffness and longer servic...
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2022-02-01

Improve Thermal Performance for Ironless Brush DC and Brushless DC Motors

Designers of motor-driven systems must account for thermal issues that can hinder a system's performance and efficiency.
REVOLUTIONS | 2022-01-31

Gearmotors: The Art of Precision and Reliability

High performance, high precision and component compatibility top the list of gearmotor trends in our product-roundup for 2022. These products can b...
REVOLUTIONS | 2021-12-09

The Art of the Balance

While sitting at a tire shop a while back. I could not help but overhear a customer tell the mechanic he could only afford to pay for the new tires...
REVOLUTIONS | 2021-11-12

Regal Rexnord Enhances Industrial Powertrain Capabilities

The Regal electromechanical powertrain offering encompasses a broad range of Regal-produced components (e.g., motors, speed reducers, gearing, coup...
REVOLUTIONS | 2021-11-08

How the Global Hydraulic Fluid Market Is Changing—And What It Means for the Future

The size of the worldwide hydraulic fluids market is expected to be worth $77.5 billion by the end of 2021 and this growth is expected to continue ...
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2021-10-01

Linear Motion Components Take Flight in Aerospace and Defense Industry

Key advantages of linear motion components in aerospace applications.
REVOLUTIONS | 2021-09-27

The Packaging Perspective 2021

Pack Expo Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging Expo offers more than 1,500 exhibitors to showcase the latest new materials, technologies and solution...
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2021-08-01

Design Reviews - What to Review and When

Try to gain as much advantage as possible when you do design reviews; they can result in greatly improved designs and can cut multiple iterations out of the process.
REVOLUTIONS | 2021-07-16

The Sustainable Shop Floor

Energy from renewable sources? Natural resource conservation? Reduction in pollution and waste? Energy efficient components? Many talk a good game ...
REVOLUTIONS | 2021-06-07

Maximizing Bearing Performance

Carrier and SKF Collaborate on Centrifugal Compressor Technology The opportunity to improve product design separates market lea...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2021-06-01

The Power Shift

Companies look to fuel economy, energy efficiency and operating costs to improve off-highway applications.
REVOLUTIONS | 2021-04-13

Hannover Messe 2021: Smart Manufacturing

Robotics, digital tools, automation and artificial intelligence will all play a significant role in the factory of the future. After two days of vi...
REVOLUTIONS | 2021-04-09

Hannover Messe 2021: Industrial Transformation

The show must go on. And though we're extremely disappointed to not spend the week in Germany taking in the latest and greatest manufacturing techn...
REVOLUTIONS | 2021-04-08

Ask These 10 Questions to Innovate with Purpose

Regal Beloit Examines Product Design in the PT and Motion Control Industry

Too frequently a product is developed and then the manufacture...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2021-04-01

Industry News

The complete Industry News section from the April 2021 issue of Power Transmission Engineering.
REVOLUTIONS | 2021-03-17

A Cut Above the Rest

Micro motors put the power in pruning

Pruning is one of the most demanding jobs in the viticulture and horticulture industries. When done...
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2021-03-01

A Ten-Minute Introduction to Digital Filters

Filtering is needed in various control and communication Applications.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2021-02-01

Industry News

The complete Industry News section from the February 2021 issue of Power Transmission Engineering.
| 2021-01-21

Smart Moves with Bosch Rexroth

Extrusion press hydraulics upgrade uses phased approach to improve results

The extrusion press is one of today’s most valuable and hardwo...
| 2020-11-24

Stainless Steel Powertrains Provide Peace of Mind

Hardly a day passes without a new FDA recall of some food product as the number of Americans falling ill from food contamination infections continu...
| 2020-11-18

A Changed World - Challenges and Opportunities

2020 started out like a normal year with some chatter about a virus outbreak in China but then events quickly spread and the world, as we knew it, ...
| 2020-10-28

A Look at Hannover Messe Digital Days

Photo courtesy of Deutsche Messe. Early October brought the next collection of training and technology seminars from Hannover Messe Digital Days...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2020-10-01

Lubrication for Life

Lubrication plays a vital role in the performance and life of rolling element bearings, yet its significance is often underestimated. The most important task of the lubricant is to separate parts moving relative to one another (balls or rollers and raceways) in order to minimize friction and prevent wear. A lubricant that is designed for specific operating conditions will provide a load bearing wear protective film.
POWER PLAY | 2020-10-01

Mechanical Wonders of All Sizes

The industrial arts of mechanical engineering are all around us and seen in many forms and technologies. Of greatest interest is how these wonders are designed, constructed and used. From the smallest home appliance to the behemoths used for outsize building and excavation projects.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2020-09-01

Industry News

The complete Industry News section from the September 2020 issue of Power Transmission Engineering.
| 2020-08-26

Condition Monitoring with ABB

The PTE September coverage in print and online examines condition monitoring advancements for bearings. We recently discussed some of these innovat...
| 2020-08-12

I-MAK Examines Causes of Gearbox Failure

In a world of optimization and digitization where factories are trying to reduce costs and downtime, the demand for identification of basic gearbox...
| 2020-07-17

Force Control Oil Shear Crane Brake Solves Maintenance Headache

Brake Upgrade Fixes Manufacturing Challenges at SAF

Working three shifts around the clock throughout the week doesn’t leave time in the s...
| 2020-07-17

Smart Software Solutions

Leveraging Digital Technology with Siemens

Although the community couldn’t get together in Las Vegas, Siemens Media and Analyst Conferenc...
| 2020-02-12

Force Control Dynamometers Suitable for High-Torque, Low-Speed Testing

High torque, low-speed testing is often a challenge for dynamometers equipped with traditional load brakes. Testing which requires the brake to abs...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2020-02-01

Creature Comfort

Intelligent drive technology in the cowshed
| 2020-01-22

Romax Improves Reckon Drive Product Reliability with Software

The shift towards electric drivetrains has created unprecedented demand for new transmission architectures across numerous vehicle platforms at a t...
ASK THE EXPERT | 2019-10-01

Bearing Materials and Coating Trends

What trends do you see in bearing materials and coatings that will benefit the power transmission industry?
| 2019-09-12

What Does the Future Hold for the Automotive Industry?

We all want to know the answer to this question as it tells us as a business where to invest our R&D development, steers us to consider what ke...
| 2019-08-28

SKF Examines the Power of Data & Machine Learning

Data is fast becoming one of the most important assets for companies throughout industry. In particular, it holds the key for developing a new gene...
| 2019-08-19

Considerations for Choosing the Correct Rolling Element Bearing Characteristics

Daily experience in application engineering has proven that the selection of the correct bearing type can be successfully achieved by customers bas...
| 2019-06-18

Getting Your Hands on Smart Tools

Forget the IIoT and Industry 4.o buzzwords. We're not interested in 10 to 15 years down the road or what the factory of the future is going to look...
| 2019-06-03

Morgan Advanced Materials Examines Wind Turbine Mechanics

Reliance on wind power is increasing, so the industry must continue to find ways to operate more efficiently, while reducing maintenance and costs....
EVENTS | 2019-06-01

The Electric Evolution

CTI Symposium Presents Latest Automotive Transmission Developments and Applications.
| 2019-05-02

Schaeffler Optimizes Lubrication Systems with Mechatronics

The following is an update on Schaeffler's DuraSense relubrication system for linear recirculating roller bearing, ball bearing, and guideway assem...
| 2019-03-26

Hannover Messe 2.0

(Main image courtesy of Deutsche Messe, 2018) Hannover Messe 2019 will focus on the integration, digitization and interconnection of industrial ...
| 2019-03-13

Faulhaber Assists with Deep-Sea Microbe Research

What influence does hell have on heaven? This is not an issue of theology: marine sc...
PRODUCT NEWS | 2019-03-01

Product News

The complete Product News section from the March 2019 issue of Power Transmission Engineering.
| 2019-02-12

Cement Backer Board Plant Utilizes Oil Shear Clutch Brakes

Stan Porter, Force Control Industries & Jim Wahl, Wahl Marketing Communications Fin Pan Inc. (Hamilton, Ohio) is an industry leader in the c...
| 2019-02-04

Construction Time Again

Bauma 2019 Examines Sustainability, Digitization and Energy Efficiency

Bauma 2019 (April 8-14, Munich, Germany) is a complete overview of...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2019-02-01

Industry News

The complete Industry News section from the February 2019 issue of Power Transmission Engineering.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2018-12-01

Industry News

The complete Industry News section from the December 2018 issue of Power Transmission Engineering.
| 2018-11-27

SPS IPC Drives 2018

SPS IPC Drives (November 27-29 in Nuremberg, Germany), covers the entire spectrum of smart and digital automation - from simple sensors to intellig...
| 2018-10-03

Cooling Tower Components: Pros and Cons

Written by: Jerome Jennings, global product manager, SPX Cooling Technologies, Inc. Cooling towers can use several power transmission technologi...
| 2018-09-25

Future of E-Mobility

Schaeffler Touts System Solutions and Electrification at Detroit Symposium

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| 2018-09-17

Hannover Messe USA: What We Learned

The East Hall—home to Hannover Messe USA— took a systematic approach to manufacturing, highlighting the smart components and techniques that will b...
| 2018-08-08

Thermal Growth Issues and Solutions for Shaft Couplings

Nick Agius, National Rotating Equipment/ACHE Product Specialist, Motion Canada I have been researching “Thermal Growth” issues for deca...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2018-08-01

The Clean Cut

JBT Corporation benefits from Kollmorgen Hygienic motor design in food and beverage application.
| 2018-07-26

Bearing Sourcing: Investigate Here

Steve Katz, president, Emerson Bearing Boston One significant and challenging issue that MROs and OEMs face is premature bearing failure in equi...
| 2018-07-16

Evolution of Cooling Tower Gearboxes

Written by: Jerome Jennings, global product manager, SPX Cooling Technologies, Inc. Industries that require process heat rejection often use fie...
| 2018-06-15

Twin Disc Celebrates 100 Years of Manufacturing Innovation

Twin Disc, Inc. is celebrating its 100th anniversary throughout 2018. The company began in Raci...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2018-06-01

A Mechanical Healthcare Plan

Motor Operation Gets Big Boost from Smart Technology (Here's How to Take Advantage)
| 2018-05-30

Machine Parts No Longer in Production? Solutions for Hard-to-Find Bearings and Parts

Written By: Steve Katz, President, Emerson Bearing Boston Good machinery can last a lifetime. But, replacement parts for older equipment may be ...
| 2018-05-22

Automotive: On the Road to Disruptive Technology

The future of the automotive industry looks complicated. Urbanization, energy regulations, the electrification of vehicles, autonomous driving and ...
GEAR TALK WITH CHUCK | 2018-04-25

The Long and Short of It

One of the problems with “tribal knowledge” is that the terminology can confuse those who are not fully immersed in that community. I have lost ...

| 2018-04-19

The Gizmo Society

It is hard these days to find any device that is not IoT-compatible or WiFi-connected. I recently had a new well pump installed that requires an iP...
| 2018-04-12

Five Initiatives to Develop and Keep Workforce Talent

Written by Peter Feil, vice president, general manager at Stober Drives, Inc. The bright lights of the big city can make finding skilled workers...
POWER PLAY | 2018-04-01

It's a Jungle Out There

Harsh environments and saltwater properties tend to make it difficult for motors, gearboxes and engines to perform consistently at a high level.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2018-03-01

A New Standardizable Calculation Method to Predict the Efficiency of Worm Gear Drives

In this work a physically based method for the tribological investigation of worm gears is presented.
| 2018-02-02

Framo Morat and Dunkermotoren Produce Drive Systems for AGVs

Driverless transport systems have proven to be extremel...
| 2018-02-01

Nord Drivesystems Optimizes Baggage Handling System

One baggage handling system OEM came to greatly appr...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2018-02-01

Efficiency of Design

Energy efficiency is for more than just motors. Here are some mechatronics companies making sure you get more bang for your buck when it comes to your power bill.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2017-12-01

Baldor Motor Basics - Part 9

Amps, Watts, Power Factor and Efficiency; Approximate Load Data from Amperage Readings; Power Factor Correction on Single-Induction Motors.
| 2017-11-28

A Look at Belt, Chain and Gear Drive Technology

By Jack Warner The need for producing more energy increases with our rising need for commercial, industrial, and residential space. In North Ame...
| 2017-11-16

Force Control Brakes Assist in Helicopter Transmission Overhaul

Professional Aircraft Accessories, a Greenwich AeroGroup company based in Titusville, Florida, is a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Europ...
| 2017-11-14

Freudenberg Examines Sealing Requirements for Heavy-Duty Equipment

The seals and the hydraulic systems of any piece of mining, construction, agricultural or other heavy industry equipment like
| 2017-11-13

Amsted Rail Taps Jorgensen for Conveyor Belt Upgrades

In 2014 Amsted Rail, a leading manufacturer of railroad car components and systems in Petersburg, Virginia, realized their existing chip conveyors ...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2017-10-01

Familiar Goals, New Solutions

Gearmotor manufacturers find new ways to push the envelope. (With Sidebar on new alternative to planetary gearboxes)
| 2017-09-07

Meter Bearings Upgrades System Analytics

A global organization, Meter Bearings comprises offices and production centers in China, Germany, and the United States, with their headquarters in...
| 2017-09-06

Just Keep Swimming

How do you keep animatronic characters moving in chemically-treated water? This was the engineering challenge Disneyland faced with the colorful an...
| 2017-08-29

Siemens Works with DMDII to Incorporate IIoT

Siemens has become DMDII’s largest partner, and the two companies are going full steam ahead on developing newer and bolder IIoT technology.
| 2017-08-14

Root Cause Analysis: On the Rails

When Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail (the national railway operator of Ireland), started seeing an increasing number of failures of bearings in a partic...
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2017-08-01

Rolling Bearing Service Life Based on Probable Cause for Removal - A Tutorial

A bearing service life prediction methodology and tutorial indexed to eight probable causes for bearing failure and removal are presented - including fatigue. Bearing life is probabilistic and not deterministic. Bearing manufacturers' catalogue (L10) bearing life is based on rolling-element fatigue failure, at which time 90% of a population of bearings can be reasonably expected to survive, and 10% to fail by fatigue. However, approximately 95% of all bearings are removed for cause before reaching their L10 life. A bearing failure can be defined as when the bearing is no longer fit for its intended purpose. For a single bearing, you can only predict the probability of a failure occurring at a designated time - but not the actual time to failure.
| 2017-07-10

Nordex Teams with University of Hartford on Prosthetics for Kids Project

Charles Paulsen, associate director of the Mechanical and Manufacturing Technologies for Energy and Sustainability (MET2) program at the Connecticu...
| 2017-06-20

The Times, They Are Changing

Occasionally in conversation you make a reference to technology and then realize that you are old. I could talk about the first microprocessors, va...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2017-06-19

What's New in Belt and Chain Technology?

Here are the latest product and industry news items involving belts and chains in the power transmission market. Please visit
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2017-06-01

Vibration Analysis Goes Mainstream

Using vibration analysis to evaluate machine health has many benefits, and with advances in sensor, recording, and analysis technology, vibration analysis is now within the reach of even small organizations.
| 2017-05-30

Induced Axial Load

Every bearing that has a non-zero contact angle will generate an axial load as a radial load is applied. This generated load is referred to by a fe...
| 2017-05-08

There Must Be 50 Ways to Reduce a Duty Cycle

Man, oh man — 2017 is going to be one for the record books! My wife and I recently had the 3rd and FINAL installment of the Parker clan. A healthy ...
| 2017-04-17

Integrated Industry at Hannover 2017

Hannover Messe 2017 will demonstrate how companies with limited resources can pinpoint and harness the power of digitalization. This year's trade f...
| 2017-04-04

Automate/Promat: Live From the Show

Automate 2017 offers the full spectrum of automation technologies and solutions, from traditional industrial applications to cutting edge new techn...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2017-04-01

Meet Norm Parker - Bearings Blogger

In case you missed them, following are three recent blog postings by our popular PTE bearings blogger - Norm Parker. We also felt that, should you not be a blog follower, this would be a good way to introduce you to Norm's bearings wisdom. Parker is currently the global senior specialist/roller bearings at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA).
| 2017-03-14

Innovations at IFPE 2017

From March 7 -11, suppliers, engineers, manufacturers and service providers representing off-highway, construction, factory automation, power trans...
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2017-03-01

A Major Step Forward in Life Modeling

The SKF Generalized Bearing Life Model is (GBLM) an innovative new bearing rating life model that is designed to help engineers calculate bearing rating life in a more realistic manner. The new model is a major step forward for the industry and will play an important role in enabling OEMs and end users to better match bearings and applications, resulting in improved machine life and reduced operating costs.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2017-03-01

Industry News

The complete Industry News section from the March 2017 issue of Power Transmission Engineering.
| 2017-02-28

When Things Get Hot

Looking at recent inquiries, there appears to be a growing demand for motors that can operate in high-temperature environments. Although they we...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2017-02-01

Navigating Product Lifecycle Management

Implementing product lifecycle management strategies can be intimidating at first glance, but it's also necessary. Here's why and how you should implement a PLM strategy of your own.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2017-02-01

Industry News

The complete Industry News section from the February 2017 issue of PTE.
| 2017-01-16

Demystifying Bearing Fit Practices

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a little time off over the holidays. We’re just getting into Michigan’s bi-polar winter season where leather co...
FIELD NOTES | 2016-12-01

Bearing Lubricant Solution

A Chicago-area bakery was replacing the tray support bearings in its ovens on a reactionary basis. Their weekly inspection cycle was resulting in two mechanics spending an average of 20 labor hours per week to replace failed bearings. The premature bearing failures were caused by a combination of the high heat and humidity in the ovens, resulting in lubrication failure and contamination. When BDI was asked to recommend a solution, the bakery was averaging one month of bearing life in this application.
| 2016-11-29

A Virtual Reality

Two weeks ago I was invited to speak at Infolytica’s Engage 2016 conference (infolyticaengage.com). The company makes tools for f...
| 2016-10-10

Factoring In the Power Factor

Recently our customers have indicated a great concern over power factors when starting new development projects for higher-efficiency motors. Wh...
| 2016-10-10

Klüber Lubrication Offers Specialty Lubricants for Open Drives and Gears Keeping Mineral Processing Plants Up and Running

Authors:  Daniel A. Narnhammer, Head of Global Competence Center Mining at Klüber Lubrication NA LP Justin Koozer, Cement and...
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2016-10-01

ISO 281:2007 - Caveat Emptor

I was invited by Tom Astrene of TLT to write a response to the July 2010 TLT article (Ref. 1). My rebuttal — “In Search of a Fatigue Limit: A Critique of ISO Standard 281:2007” — was published in Tribology and Lubrication Engineering, TLT, August 2010 edition (Ref. 10). While this article is also available online, I will attempt to summarize the essence of my response.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2016-09-01

A Model for Rolling Bearing Life with Surface and Subsurface Survival - Tribological Effects

Until now the estimation of rolling bearing life has been based on engineering models that consider an equivalent stress, originated beneath the contact surface, that is applied to the stressed volume of the rolling contact. Through the years, fatigue surface–originated failures, resulting from reduced lubrication or contamination, have been incorporated into the estimation of the bearing life by applying a penalty to the overall equivalent stress of the rolling contact. Due to this simplification, the accounting of some specific failure modes originated directly at the surface of the rolling contact can be challenging. In the present article, this issue is addressed by developing a general approach for rolling contact life in which the surfaceoriginated damage is explicitly formulated into the basic fatigue equations of the rolling contact. This is achieved by introducing a function to describe surface-originated failures and coupling it with the traditional, subsurface-originated fatigue risk of the rolling contact. The article presents the fundamental theory of the new model and its general behavior. The ability of the present general method to provide an account for the surface–subsurface competing fatigue mechanisms taking place in rolling bearings is discussed with reference to endurance testing data.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2016-08-01

The Meaning of Life

End users and OEMs frequently specify "lubed-for-life" mounted bearings, thinking the lubed-for-life bearings will deliver the same life — without lubrication — as bearings that currently require periodic lubrication. The truth is it depends on many factors, and only a detailed review of the application and testing will provide a more accurate answer.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2016-08-01

IMTS 2016 Booth Preview

A nose-in-the-tent peek at the booths featuring mechanical motion components.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2016-06-01

Can You Develop Your Own Custom Motor-and-Motion System

In this century’s complex, ever- changing world of manufacturing, such capabilities as hardware and software expertise, effective location and distribution, business savvy and yes, even luck, are some of the cardinal requirements for running a successful business.
POWER PLAY | 2016-06-01

The Stage Where It Happens

Although David Korins had an impressive resume of Broadway, film, television and music credits, the New York-based production designer had something to prove when interviewing for the pop culture phenomenon Hamilton. “I prepped for the interview like crazy, sketching out my ideas, presenting a scene breakdown, basically doing everything I could short of begging for the job,” Korins said. “Lin Manuel Miranda (the show’s creator and star) had developed an incredibly effective blueprint. I just wanted the opportunity to help tell his story.”
| 2016-04-12

You Need an Electric Motor for Your Application — Which One Do You Choose?

Often I get asked the generic question — “Which motor should I use?” But the answer is not quick or easy. The proper choice of the motor may ...
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2016-04-11

Martin Sprocket & Gear Compiles Gear Drive Troubleshooting Tips

Martin Sprocket & Gear, Inc. has compiled some quick troubleshooting tips with some common causes and solutions for gear drive probl...
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2016-04-01

Nasa Glenn Research Center - A Look Back

In 1941, the federal Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory set up shop in Cleveland, Ohio. This year, and several name changes later, what is now the NASA Glenn Research Center celebrates its 75th anniversary. As part of the year-long festivities, Glenn’s adjunct Lewis Field main campus will be open to the public May 21 and 22, and Plum Brook Station in Sandusky, Ohio will hold its open house June 11 and 12.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2016-02-01

Industry News

Latest news from around the Industry
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2015-10-01

Space Shuttle Rudder-Speed Brake Actuator

The U.S. Space Shuttle fleet was originally intended to have a life of 100 flights for each vehicle, lasting over a 10-year period, with minimal scheduled maintenance or inspection. The first space shuttle flight was that of the Space Shuttle Columbia (OV-102), launched April 12, 1981. The disaster that destroyed Columbia occurred on its 28th flight, February 1, 2003, nearly 22 years after its first launch.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2015-09-01

Recalibrated Equations for Determining Effect of Oil Filtration on Rolling Bearing Life

In 1991, Needelman and Zaretsky presented a set of empirically derived equations for bearing fatigue life (adjustment) factors (LFs) as a function of oil filter ratings.
EVENTS | 2015-08-01

Calendar

Calendar of upcoming events
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2015-08-01

A New Geometrically Adaptive Approach for Tooth Contact Analysis of Gear Drives

Tooth contact analysis (TCA) is an important tool directed to the determination of contact patterns, contact paths, and transmission errors in gear drives. In this work, a new general approach that is applicable to any kind of gear geometry is proposed.
| 2015-07-13

Fitting the Inner Ring to the Shaft

I don’t recall a time during the startup of a new program where an engineer unfamiliar with heavy load

| 2015-05-12

Bearing Cap Pinch

Howdy Folks, My apologies, I have been AWOL for a little while. Things can start to get a little sketchy around the PG as peak driving season ra...
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2015-03-01

The Modified Life Rating of Rolling Bearings: A Criterion for Gearbox Design and Reliability Optimization

Engineers typically learn that the bearing L10 life can be estimated using the so called “C/P method” — or the “basic rating life” of the bearing, a method rooted in the 1940s. Major developments have since led to the “modified rating life,” released in ISO 281:2007, which includes the aiso life modification factor. In this paper a succession of equations used for bearing life ratings are reviewed, and current bearing life rating practices are discussed in detail. It is shown that — despite the introduction more than 30 years ago of the adjustment factor of the basic rating life, and the standardization in 2007 of the aiso modification factor — use of these improved calculation methods are not practiced by all engineers. Indeed — many continue referring to the old model as a way of seeking compliance with existing, established practices.
POWER PLAY | 2015-02-01

The Science Fiction Addiction

It seems preposterous in the whimsical, wireless world of today, but in 1977 cinema’s greatest visioneers came together and decided the pinnacle of robotic technology in the future would be a motorized trash can.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2015-02-01

A Quasar Ride to Automate 2015

Bill Walton – a 7 foot tall anomaly from the annals of basketball history who wears tie-dye shirts, listens to the Grateful Dead and, according to his own outlandish proclamations, hasn’t taken an indoor shower in 35 years – is well-known for looking at average accomplishmentsand being overcome with extreme fits of emotion.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2014-10-01

Industry News

PERSONNEL CHANGES AND EXPANSION HIGHLIGHT CICERO, ILLINOIS GEAR MANUFACTURER
EVENTS | 2014-09-01

Calendar

The complete technical Calendar from the September 2014 issue of Power Transmission Engineering.
POWER PLAY | 2014-09-01

High-Tech Motors Evolving from PM Muck

University lab's motor eliminates pricey rare-earth magnets.
PRODUCT NEWS | 2014-09-01

Product News

The complete Product News section from the September 2014 issue of Power Transmission Engineering.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2014-08-01

No Time to Kill for Barge Operation

The scene is serene and picturesque. Sunshine reflects off the light chop of the Ohio River, as a barge winds its way into view. While those driving along Louisville’s River Road may be inclined to reach for a camera to capture this idyllic scene, the mood at Nugent Sand Company is anything but tranquil.
ASK THE EXPERT | 2014-08-01

Net-Forged Bevel and Transmission Gears

What are the applications for net-forged gears. Are they used outside automotive differentials?
MARKET UPDATE | 2014-08-01

Das (Human) Kapital

Columnist Brian Langenberg provides a current outlook update, key findings from a recent energy sector conference, and takes another look at education and employment.
EVENTS | 2014-06-01

CTI Symposium Raises the Bar on Transmission Technology

The 8th International CTI Symposium on Automotive Transmissions, HEV and EV Drives took place in Rochester, Michigan from May 12-15. The event kicked off with its popular introductory seminar "Basics and Practice of Automotive Transmissions."
PRODUCT NEWS | 2014-03-01

Product News

The complete Product News section from the March 2014 issue of Power Transmission Engineering.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2014-03-01

Engineering Showcase 2014

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.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2013-10-01

Microstepping Tutorial

This article describes the challenges involved in designing and implementing microstepping systems.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2012-12-01

All About the Cliff

Brian K. Langenberg explains what's likely to happen in the economy over the coming months.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 2012-10-01

Industry News

The complete Industry News section from the October 2012 issue of Power Transmission Engineering.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2012-10-01

PTExtras

Highlights from our e-mail newsletter and online videos section.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2012-08-01

Sorting Out Flexible Couplings

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.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2012-06-01

Improved Performance for Hydraulic Seals from Thermoplastic Polyurethane

Seal design engineers and end users are continually seeking improved sealing systems and materials. This paper describes the potential of a new thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) material to deliver improvements in pressure, speed and temperature capability, which are presented as comparisons to proven industry standard materials. Performance is demonstrated by virtue of test bench results of seals made from MDI-, PPDI- and NDI-based materials.
PUBLISHER'S PAGE | 2012-04-01

How to Become an Expert in Your Field

Managing Editor Randy Stott recounts a recent visit to Siemens manufacturing and assembly facilities in Elgin, IL.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2012-04-01

Gearbox Bearing Service Life: A Matter of Mastering Many Design Parameters

The availability of high-strength shaft materials, in combination with bearings with high carrying capacity, allows use of slimmer shafts. However, the modulus of elasticity remains the same, so seat design for bearings and gears must be given close attention.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2011-08-01

Motion Control - Product Spotlight

This special product news section takes a look at the latest in motion control products.
POWER PLAY | 2011-04-01

When (Robotic) Animals Ruled the Earth...

Nowadays, you can find scientists and engineers creating micro-robotic creatures for a slew of fascinating research projects.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2010-12-01

Medical Pumps with Uncommon Sens(ors)

New generation sensors are improving our quality of life.
EVENTS | 2010-12-01

AWEA to Wind Supporters--Do Not Panic

Despite posting its slowest quarter since early 2007, AWEA remains optimistic that the wind industry can and will work successfully with the revolving doors in Washington.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2009-04-01

Historic Danish Theatre Gets a Facelift

The Royal Danish Theatre has occupied the heart of Copenhagen for centuries and recently upgraded to a new control system featuring Sprint Electric DC drives to extend the lives of the existing motors, keeping replacement costs down. The Swedish stage design and technology company Visual Act retained most of the original motors and mechanics while providing a much-needed facelift to the stage.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES | 2009-02-01

Power With Precision

Can direct drive technology improve your bottom line? Manufacturers relying upon drive systems in their production process have long sought ways to improve gearbox efficiency. While a gearbox-driven system has been the mainstay for manufacturers, it has also been, among other things, the source of frequent breakdowns, expensive line stoppages and increasingly costly maintenance.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2008-06-01

Electric Motors: When is it Best to Repair, and When is it Best to Replace

The repair-versus-replace decision is quite complicated, depending upon variables such as rewind cost, severity of the failure, replacement motor purchase price and other factors.
FEATURE ARTICLES | 2007-04-01

The SKF High-Capacity Cylindrical Roller Bearing

Th e ISO defi nition of a full- complement bearing states that the bearing does not have a cage. When that defi nition was written, it was not technically possible to have a full-complement bearing with a cage. But SKF’s new high-capacity cylindrical roller bearing combines the load-carrying capacity of a fullcomplement bearing with the benefi ts of a bearing with a cage (Fig.1).
REVOLUTIONS | 1970-01-01

Industrial Gearbox Market Trends

Learn about the effect Covid-19 had on the industrial gearbox market and how the industry is predicted to recover.

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