Industrial Gears Industry

To understand the importance of Gears would be in helping oneself to know how from the times of the primeval human kind to our present industrial age, the gear has evolved as prime tool of industrialization. Gears have been used for ages. Gears have become a critical mechanical element required for operating a device requiring transfer of motion along with power for rotation. Today Gears are applied in every sphere where there is any need for power transfer. It would not be any exaggeration to say that today Gear and its allied sectors form one of the key constituents of the Global economy.

Market segmentation of Gears
The gear market for convenience is often divided into four major divisions, they are automotive, industrial marine and lastly the aerospace. Combined together, it is estimated that the global gear market is worth more than $45 billion.

It is the Automotive sector that forms the single largest group when it comes to gear applications. In fact the Automotive sector is almost three times the size of other three sectors added together. By ranking, industrial gears is second following automotive sector.

Traditionally it is the European countries, North America, and some regions of Asia that continues to be the market leaders. But things are changing very fast. The centre is now shifting to previously unknown regions like China, India, and East Europe. The following table shows the global gear market for the year 2004.

Chinese gear industry without much notice has been showing a continuous upsurge. Since the year 2000 it is growing approximately at the rate of 20 per cent p.a. The annual output in the year 2004 was nearly US$ 6 billion, fourth largest in the world. No doubt the experts predict that with a thriving economy pegged by great demands and significant scale of gear production, the total output China's gear industry will rise up to US $12 billion for the period 2006-2010. With this China is poised to become the third or even second largest Gear manufacturer in the world. Along with China other Asian Countries as far as dye production is concerned, is also showing an upsurge.

Key Trends and Drivers of the Gear Industry
Already the industrial sectors are changing at a rate than one can imagine at the fore front of such a change is the new state-of-the-art technology. The coming two decades would be very vital for the Gear Industry. It will impose serious challenges along with tremendous opportunities. The need of the hour is innovative solutions. Expectations of the Customers would be driven by improved performance, cheaper cost, light weight, better efficiency, minimal noise, and rapid development. Unless the gear manufacturers do not respond swiftly to such challenges, they would be in no time be sidelined. They must understand the issues in broader context. As under the increasing trends of globalization national boundaries are fading. The catch phrase for defining success would be “Compete and Collaborate “.

The following points highlight the major trends and drivers of the Gear Industry:

Market Trends
Customers actually want highly efficient power transmission and not the Gears perse. This fact though seeming contradictory is a fact. The faster the Gear Industry is able to comprehend this truth the better would be its operational ability. There is need for the Gear manufacturers to remain informed about the latest power transmission techniques like traction drives, electric motors and hydraulic system for ensuring success. Ultimately for giving an effective competition, the gear industry must see “power transmission” as an excellent opportunity for technical and business improvement.

Transportation markets
It is predicted to remain the mainstay for propelling the gear industry over the next few years.

Need for skilled human resources
Competition for technically qualified and skilled workers will be continual challenge for gear companies for attracting and retaining workers to their industry. One problem that has come to the fore is that skilled Engineers are reluctant to relocate to areas that are the gear manufacturing hubs. Factors like Cost reduction along with increased competition to hire technically qualified human resources have resulted in a challenging situation. It has compelled the gear industry employees to take up multiple responsibilities. The gear industry now need workers who can develop a broader range of competencies. This demand has its downside in the form of overall loss in expertise.

Product Trends
It will be the demand for optimum performance that will decide and guide technology development. The gear industry is putting the right focus on furthering and developing the power transfer system with greater power loading and better durability. Advances and researches made in the gear geometry is also holding the promise for increasing performance. However lubricants and bearings are a source of worry as they often are the limiting factors for optimal power density in gear systems. These along with limited availability of good grade bearing-quality steels may hamper durability improvements. It is also likely that a considerable applications are likely to show a shift towards the segment of smaller gears that are made out of materials with higher strength. These smaller Gears can be manufactured with more precision, getting higher power densities but at a lower cost.

Time compression and Supply chain integration
These two factors will continue to drive further advances. For Competing with other power transfer technologies, there would be need for a combination of high reliability and low cost options. For this, forming will come to the forefront as an alternative way for gear production. Net shaped forming would offer a great promise. The advent of “smart” manufacturing”systems along with improvements in technology of machine tools is sure to double the manufacturing productivity.

Environmental Impacts
These days there is strong environmental legislations. Gear manufacturers will have to increase their drive for eliminating wastes completely during the production process. This will help to decrease costs and will not disturb the environment. An important role is envisaged here for the lubricant technology in the future prospects of gear technology development. Slowly demand for cleaner and environmental friendly technology will become the norm.

Global Pressure
Slowly and surely the manufacturing process is moving out of the United States. Stiff competition from China and other Asian nations is playing a decisive role for the US Gear manufacturers. There is an urgent need to reduce costs. For that the industry needs to refocus. Otherwise in face of globalization the industry would not remain economically viable. Asian players are likely to dominate the sector of commodity gears, because of labour cost advantage. Emergence of Global standards is likely to guide commerce, that also includes standardized global environmental checks.

Collaborations
In the future for the industry to sustain itself, there would be the increased need for industry collaborations. Focus would be on pursuing common research goals, for enabling better development of technology. Towards pursuit of that efficiency and productivity, manufacturers in the Gear sector are thinking of various approaches. These approaches can be summarised as:

Consolidations for broadening capabilities.
Specialization for remaining focused.
Mergers and acquisitions are projected to take place in the coming days.
Delegation, as bigger companies with their R&D facilities will turn to smaller and more nimble companies to carry out manufacturing activities.

News You can use
The gear industry is a huge, competitive market that has shown steady growth rate of around 4% p.a. Worldwide sales of Gears are pegged at US $93 billion annually.

Strategic goals for the Gear Industry of the future:
“In the coming years, Gears without any doubt will be the numero uno choice for power transmission and control, in the globalized marketplace. This in turn will fuel rapid growth in those sectors where power transmission is the key challenge”

Innovative Designs and development of Gears

Formation of a single system of design as well as testing standards.
Develop improved models for lubrication, friction, wear and tear aspects.
Establish predictive tools, simulated tools and methods of virtual testing.
Enhancing of design elements like gear geometry, coatings.
Developing improved models for reducing gear noise.

Improved Gear materials

Continual search for exploring the best properties and optimum utilisation of steel.
A cleaner steel that enables better power density.
Improvement in housing materials.
Sourcing of high performance non-metallic materials like plastics.

Automation

This includes high quality, a low deviation, balanced production process, heat treatment and coatings of surfaces.
Reduction in production time by a faster inspection technology.

Tags:- Gear Manufacturing Industry, Industrial Gears Overview

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