Gleason Corporation has made major new investment in equipment and processes to optimize the manufacture of large module gear hobs. These cutting tools are used in the manufacturing of large gears for wind energy, mining, and a variety of industrial gearbox applications. The Gleason Cutting Tools facility in Loves Park, Illinois, is now capable of producing hobs up to 450mm in diameter, 530mm in length, and up to 40 module. Through optimization of the new equipment and processes, as well as lean philosophies and techniques already embraced by the facility, large module hob manufacturing lead times now range from seven to nine weeks. The cell is capable of producing DIN and AGMA AAA class hobs. The large module hobs complement Gleason’s full line of gear hobbing machines for parts with diameters up to 6 meters, and even larger on request.
The multimillion-dollar investment includes customized equipment with onboard inspection, fast changeover, and the highest accuracy and repeatability. Robert Phillips, senior vice president of the company’s Tooling Products Group, says “This investment allows us to extend our global leadership in gear cutting tools and serve the fast growing markets such as wind energy with the shortest lead times in our industry.”
Gleason Corporation’s mission is to be The Total Gear Solutions Provider™ to its global customer base. The company is a world leader in the development, manufacture, and sale of gear production machinery and related equipment. Its products are used by customers in automotive, truck, aircraft, agriculture, mining, wind power, construction, power tool, and marine industries, and by a diverse set of customers serving various industrial equipment markets. Gleason has manufacturing operations in Rochester, New York; Rockford, Illinois; Dayton, Ohio; Plymouth, England; Munich and Ludwigsburg, Germany; Studen, Switzerland; Bangalore; India; and Suzhou, China. It has sales and service offices throughout North and South America, Europe, and in the Asia-Pacific region. More information can be obtained by visiting www.gleason.com.
