Two things of note this issue, both having to do with “Motion + Power.”
On April 24, at the AGMA/ABMA Annual Meeting in Austin, the membership of each association voted unanimously to approve a merger between AGMA and ABMA, creating the Motion + Power Manufacturers Alliance (MPMA).
AGMA and ABMA will continue to keep their names in the marketplace as the 108-year-old AGMA brand and the 107-year-old ABMA brand have significant history and value to their respective memberships.
Sometimes corrosion is attractive. For example, the vivid colors on titanium jewelry are oxides, with the color difference the result of the oxide thickness and the refracted light. Also, from an artistically oriented viewpoint, the golden-brown appearance of many of the new high-voltage towers made from ASTM A 242 (Corten) steel is more appealing than their bright galvanized cousins, and that “pleasing brown color” is a tightly bonded coating of rust. But most of the time, and in several ways, corrosion presents difficulties that can greatly shorten the life of mechanical equipment.
Bearing damage due to electric current in variable frequency drives (VFD) is well understood as a general concept. What is not yet fully developed are the models that better predict when a system is at risk and where we should be looking for early signs of damage.
At CTI Symposium USA 2025, the automotive industry discussed the challenges it faces in the fields of electric drives, power electronics, battery systems, e-machines and more. This year’s symposium examined topics such as EV and plug-in hybrid technology, e-motors, thermal management, automotive market analysis, passenger and commercial vehicles and the latest on powertrain solutions for work trucks.
Sugarcane roller mills are essential components in the sugar industry, responsible for extracting sucrose-rich juice from sugarcane by squeezing it between two/three rolls. The efficiency and effectiveness of these mills are crucial for the overall performance of sugar production. As the industry evolves, it faces increasing pressure to improve environmental conditions, safety, operational flexibility, and reduce costs associated with maintenance and energy consumption.
Speed is a key factor for success. It is as important as cost, value, uniqueness, vision, user acceptance. This holds true for processes, goods and services. And for tools, including the one presented here. A tool that is intuitive to use requires little time to learn. A versatile tool is quickly accepted by a team dealing with many projects or concepts simultaneously. A tool that adapts to the users’ workflow and integrates seamlessly maintains these processes speed. Introducing the KISSsoft System Module.
GROB has always been synonymous with the development and manufacturing of machines and production lines. Its machining centers, including the Universal line, feature unique retractable spindles and a wide range of automation capabilities. Noteworthy, is the fact these machines are built right in Bluffton, OH. My visit to the company’s booth during the last IMTS in Chicago, however, uncovered an electrification and e-Mobility strategy 10+ years in the making suitable for both our PTE and Gear Technology audiences.
To mark the company’s 100th anniversary, Festo designed an Incredible Machine for Hannover Messe 2025. It does not manufacture a specific product, but works on the principle of a Rube Goldberg machine, in which one impulse triggers the next. The Incredible Machine demonstrates the history of automation technology from the past to the present and reflects Festo’s fascination for motion technologies (pneumatic, electric, and digital).
SEW-Eurodrive has launched the DR2C motor, an IE5 ultra-premium efficiency motor engineered for wide speed range operation and maximum long-term energy cost reductions. Designed for industries focused on minimizing total cost of ownership (TCO), the DR2C reduces energy consumption, minimizes heat losses, and enhances operational reliability—delivering a fast return on investment and sustained savings throughout its lifecycle.
Kollmorgen has introduced the new SFD-M (Smart Feedback Device, Multi-Turn). It allows machine builders to achieve high-resolution multi-turn feedback with absolute positioning information available at system startup.
The Applied Motion Products STF Stepper Drives and SSDC StepSERVO Drives are now UL Certified by Underwriters Laboratories. The drives now meet stringent safety standards with certification, reducing risks of electrical hazards, fire, or component failures. The STF Stepper Drives are DC-powered microstepping drives that control two-phase, bipolar step motors.
The new members of the Faulhaber metal planetary gearhead family are the 14GPT and 16GPT. The compact additions to the series deliver high torque with minimal volume, making them ideal for
demanding applications where space is limited. They are extremely robust, capable of withstanding frequent and sudden load changes, and operate with high efficiency. The gearheads can be
combined with a wide range of motors.
GWJ Technology GmbH has released a new version of its TBK desktop calculation solution for designing, recalculating and optimizing gears, shafts, bearings, bolted joints, shaft-hub connections and other machine elements.
Miki Pulley Magnetic Couplings are shaft couplings that transmit torque from one shaft to another using a magnetic field instead of a physical or mechanical connection. These Magnetic Couplings are non-contact and rely on the attraction and repulsion of magnetic poles to generate rotational power.
In response to a growing need to transfer heavier items faster and more efficiently throughout manufacturing processes and a rapidly changing e-commerce landscape in supply chain operations, Bosch Rexroth has expanded its extensive compact modules portfolio. The new size, 280, can support items up to 250 kg, which makes it ideal for transferring battery modules, machine tools, furniture, palletizing gantries, robotic transfer units, and other larger items.
Many potential buyers of electric vehicles still feel the so-called range anxiety that accompanies all-electric driving. In these cases, range extenders can be one solution: A combustion generator that is coupled to an electric motor and thus generates energy for the vehicle battery. ZF is now introducing the new generation of this technology, which will go into volume production in 2026. Designed to meet increasing global demand, this further development is ideally suited to meet dynamic market and customer requirements as well as flexible drive concepts.
New innovative solutions from maxon include gearheads, motion controllers and high efficiency joints for robotics applications and exoskeletons. These components can be found in industrial automation, robotics and medical applications. These technologies were featured at Hannover Messe 2025 in April.
At this year’s Automate, Siemens launched an enhanced motion control portfolio, featuring Sinamics servo-drive systems and the new Simatic S7-1200 G2 controller, delivering performance and flexibility for basic automation applications including handling, moving, positioning and processing.
Today, there’s no longer any doubt that electric drive systems will make inroads into construction sites in the future. Some local governments in Germany and other countries are already banning vehicles with combustion engines from susceptible urban areas. At bauma 2025, Schaeffler presented its new high-performance heavy-duty electric motors as a volume production-ready solution for electric-only and hybrid drive systems. Due to their design, they achieve especially high torques, a power-to-weight ratio (peak) of around 5 to 7 kW/kg, and maximum efficiencies of more than 97 percent in a speed range of 3,000 to 8,000 rpm. The low losses of the liquid-cooled drive motors are essential to allow long operating times between charging cycles on construction sites and ensure efficient use of energy. Minimal losses and high operational reliability were also particularly important factors for the design of the bearing and seal. Ceramic balls reduce friction and prevent damaging passage of current.
Innomotics GmbH and Danfoss Drives A/S are pleased to announce the next phase of their strategic, non-exclusive partnership. This was announced at the Hannover Messe recently where Michael Reichle, Innomotics CEO, Mika Kulju, president of Danfoss Drives, attended the Innomotics booth.
The Timken Company has introduced a comprehensive offering of online engineering tools – available at engineering.timken.com – for use by design engineers and others who specify bearings for new or existing applications.
NTN Bearing Corporation is pleased to announce that CEO Ukai has been appointed chairperson of the World Bearing Association (WBA). His term began in September 2024 and will last for two years.
SKF has completed the previously announced divestment of its ring and seal operation in Hanover, Pennsylvania, USA, to Carco PRP Group for a total enterprise value of USD 215 million, corresponding to approximately SEK 2.1 billion. The divestment will result in a capital gain amounting to approximately SEK 0.8 billion in Q2 and will be reported as Items affecting comparability.
RENK Group AG, a leading supplier of military and civilian propulsion solutions, has successfully completed the acquisition of Cincinnati Gearing Systems Inc. (“CGS Inc.”), a U.S.-based manufacturer of precision gears and power transmission technologies. Effective immediately, CGS Inc. will operate under the name RENK America Marine & Industry LLC.
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Power Transmission Engineering is THE magazine of mechanical components. PTE is written for engineers and maintenance pros who specify, purchase and use gears, gear drives, bearings, motors, couplings, clutches, lubrication, seals and all other types of mechanical power transmission and motion control components.
