Manufacturing Technology Research Needs of the Gear Industry.

摘要

Gears are fundamental and essential components of most defense as well as civilian machinery and equipment. Because of their widespread usage and critical applications, they are essential to industrial mobilization. The U.S. retention of adequate capability to satisfy the demand for these products during any emergency is vital to a strong defense posture. The U.S. capacity to produce gears is dwindling as imported products continue to displace U.S. gears at home and abroad. This study was undertaken to identify the current state of the U.S. gear industry and help define a course of action that might be taken to improve U.S. manufacturing of gears. The specific tasks were: 1) Assess current manufacturing processes and review ongoing manufacturing technology research programs for gears; 2) Identify manufacturing technology research needs and opportunities that will make the greatest long-range impact on the health and international competitiveness of the U.S. gear industry; and 3) Identify technology which is commercially available today that would assist the gear industry to become internationally competitive but which is not being used, and which might be the subject of an industrial modernization incentive program. Keywords: Aircraft gears.