Four Emerging Trends Impacting Industrial Gearbox market

Magazine

Abhrasnata Das

From large satellite dishes to precision medical devices, gearboxes boost torque and reduce speed for servos in order for them to be sized more efficiently. While gearbox fundamentals haven't changed much over the past 20 years, their effectiveness has improved significantly.

Today, global manufacturers are increasingly utilizing an increasing amount of automation, to fulfill the growing demands for quicker, better, and more affordable manufacturing. At a CAGR of 4.6%, the industrial gearbox market is anticipated to reach $33.96 billion in 2026.

The market for industrial gearboxes has been significantly stimulated by the growing use of industrial automation. Industrial automation systems are computerized systems that control and keep an eye on a procedure, machine, or other equipment while it carries out repetitive tasks. According to the study, they are made to function independently in order to decrease and enhance the use of human labor in the workplace.

Automation being one, other trends like additive manufacturing, sensors, energy-efficiency have significantly influenced the gear market and are expected to change the course of this industry in the near future. Let us now magnify these trends to try and look beyond.

Use of 3D printing

Additive or 3D manufacturing is an industry that is growing at an astounding rate because of innovation in both materials and technology. Due to the intrinsic nature of the 3D printing process, gear maintenance may be made possible as well as a possible renaissance in the physical design of gears.

Building engineered/customized gearboxes and drives, which have incredibly complicated designs and specifications, benefits from the degree of precision and accuracy provided by 3D printing. Engineered gearbox and drives may be 3D printed without the need for labor-intensive procedures like forging, casting, and sculpture. To sectors including cement, mining and metal processing, paper and pulp, and automotive, Ultrascale provides designed gearboxes and drives.

Sensors in gearbox and drives

An industrial gearbox and drive typically last for 30,000 operating hours, although this number may drop dramatically in the presence of inefficient designs, misalignment, vibration, load stress, insufficient lubrication, and speed and torque imbalances. In industrial applications, predictive maintenance is a useful method to guarantee the efficient operation and maximum utility of any instrument.

The addition of sensors to gearboxes and drives will significantly improve operators' capacity to monitor components of gearboxes and drives and alert them to approaching failure. This enables prompt repair, early corrective action, damage avoidance, and cheaper total maintenance costs.

Introduction of magneto gearbox and drives
Electric motors and non-contact drive couplings frequently employ magnetic concepts and materials. Magnets may eventually replace mechanical gears in power transmission systems, thanks to research and development in their industrial uses.

In 2006, the University of Sheffield in the UK founded a spin-off business named Magnomatics to further its exploration in this direction. The business has been successful in developing a high-torque magnetic gear that requires no lubricants, has less maintenance, and is more reliable. From 2018 forward, according to Technavio, the market will be driven by this technology's continued development and growth.

Rise of Energy-efficient Gear Box

There are several items being created to aid in energy conservation with reference to the industrial gearbox business. Industrial gearboxes are thought to have a market in India of between Rs. 1,800 and 2,000 crores. The sector, which is full of several suppliers, is threatened by low-cost imports from China. Customers in India are expecting more technologically superior goods as they become aware of the significant effects gears have on the fina performance and dependability of the equipment.

Because of this, the planetary gearbox market is seeing the biggest demand as people become more conscious of alternative sources of energy. Due to this need, several suppliers are making significant R&D investments in order to offer effective gearbox systems to end customers.

“The gears in planetary gearboxes help in the delivery of high reduction ratios, with up to 98 per cent efficiency. With wind energy emerging as a major alternative to fossil fuels to supply power, the demand for planetary gearboxes is expected to get a boost,” says a Technavio report.

Gearing up for Tomorrow

The global industrial sector is currently undergoing a digital transition. End users will find new ways to leverage these new capabilities to enhance their product offerings as industrial equipment grow smarter and more connected.
To satisfy these new market demands, servo motor systems have been becoming more intelligent, including their possibilities for high-precision motion control. And as they move forward, gearbox innovation will follow suit.