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Gears are used for transmitting power from one part of a machine to another. It helps in variation of speed, force and direction in a machine. Powered by innovations in engineering and technology, skilled labour, rapid globalisation and encouraging government policies, the gears and power transmission industry is on a boom. Gears are an essential part of positive power or torque transmissions. In construction equipment, they are significant elements for all heavy duty, high power and torque transmission systems like gearboxes, slew mechanisms, torque convertors, power trains, pumps, engines and other aggregates comprising the equipment.

There are a number of contributing factors for a gear system to perform seamlessly. According to Suresh KV, Country Head of ZF in India and Head of ZF India, selection of the gear material is imperative for the performance of the gear system, i.e., reliability and durability. He says, ?ZF uses its own patented gear material for all kind of gears and shafts because of which ZF is well known in the market for producing high quality gears that enhance the performance of drive system and consequently, the equipment.?

According to Rajesh Aggarwal, Executive Director, Sales & Marketing, Drive Systems India, the life of gear and noise are the two key aspects that enhance the overall performance of an equipment.

Gear quality and life of the gear system depend upon the process of the manufacturing of gears. A combination of the high technology processes used during manufacturing of gears results into reliable gear system. Another important aspect of a gear system that enhances the overall performance of an equipment is gear shifting mechanism. The performance of the equipment is affected by the shifting mechanism of gear systems. The use of a variety of shifting mechanism impacts equipment productivity, fuel consumption, power losses, operator comfort etc. Shifting mechanism is mainly divided into shifting with power interruption, shifting without power interruption, and continuously variable transmission without power loss.

Market outlook
The Indian construction machinery market is around 50,000 units of various types of construction machinery such as loaders, excavators, cranes, pavers etc. with loaders being the key major machinery sold. ?The market currently has been facing a downward trend for the last 2-3 years and we are hopeful of the market revival in near future and see the 2010 or 2011 levels of ~65,000-70,000 units,? comments Aggarwal. Says Suresh, ?We see a lot of opportunities for forged machined components from India (gears and shafts) as 70-80 per cent of export business is from forging commodity.?

Market estimates show that the gear manufacturing industry in India is set to continue to rise at a CAGR of 9.6 per cent for the 2012-2016 period.

Performance Factors

• Selection of gear materials
• Process of manufacturing gears
• Gear shifting mechanism

The life of gear and noise are the two key aspects that enhance the overall performance of an equipment.

Photo courtesy: Drive Systems India