Bulgarian Experience in Applying and Improving Knowledge in the Field of Theory and Application of Modern Gears

Abstract

Gear transmissions are mechanical systems with an extremely wide application in industry. The quality of the mechanical devices and machines, in which they are incorporated, depends on their characteristics. Among the largest traditional users of gear drives are the automotive industry, the production of cranes, hoists, winches, warehouse equipment, the shipbuilding industry, as well as the enterprises for the production of machine tools. Recently, the incorporation of the gear mechanisms in mechatronics and robotics are activated. The said above, requires their permanent improvement. The process of improvement includes not only upgrading of the traditionally existing gear set’ types but also creating new innovative transmissions. The modern development of gear transmissions bears the mark of the introduction of computer technologies, which are characterized by the extremely high quality of the permanently changing hardware and software environment in which the production of mechanical transmissions are developed in the 21st century. The innovative development of the various sectors in the industry defines the increased requirements to the graduate students from engineering universities, whose professional qualification is oriented towards synthesis, design, and manufacture of gear drives. Contemporary experts (specialist) of gear mechanisms must have an optimal qualification that has to contribute to the effective application of: the emerging new mathematical models for their synthesis, new software products for the design and the new equipment for their elaboration. The lack of synchronization between the rates of innovative development of the software and industrial technologies with the rates of adaptation of engineering education leads to a lag of engineers, experts in gear transmissions, in the formation of adequate professional competences. The present study can be treated formally as made up of two parts. The first part contains a brief review of the development of those branches in the industry in Bulgaria that are the major users of gear transmissions. For the first time it is realized an attempt to be defined approaches applicable to the training of mechanical engineers with knowledge in the field of synthesis, design, and manufacture of certain types of gear mechanisms. Special emphasis is put on the education of future engineers and Ph.D. students in the theory and practice of hyperboloid gear mechanisms. The second part is dedicated to the gearing mechanism education at Akita University for students. It represents a brief review of history of Gear Manufacture in Japan and the development of student education in the fields of Gearing at Akita University. It is presented an implementation of the Bulgarian experience and knowledge in student’s training. At the end of each section, the material contains predictions for improving education on the theory and practice of different types of gear transmissions.