AGMA

AGMA
Name	AGMA
Abbreviation	AGMA
Formation	1916
Founders	Wilfred Lewis; American manufacturers
Type	trade association
Headquarters	United States
Region served	Global
Membership	gear manufacturers; researchers; suppliers

AGMA

The American Gear Manufacturers Association is a technical trade association founded to advance the interests of the spur, helical, bevel, worm, and planetary gear industries through standards, education, and advocacy. It serves as a hub for manufacturers, researchers, testing laboratories, and purchasers drawn from firms and institutions similar to General Electric, Ford Motor Company, Rolls-Royce, Siemens, and Boeing. AGMA activities intersect with work by organizations such as ISO, ANSI, AGMA Foundation, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and SAE International and inform practices used by suppliers like Timken, SKF, Dana Incorporated, and Rockwell Automation.

History

AGMA was formed in the early 20th century amid rapid industrialization when companies including Brown & Sharpe and Westinghouse Electric sought coordinated standards for gears used in machinery, ships, and automobiles. Early leaders drew on research emerging from laboratories at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and collaborated with government efforts such as National Bureau of Standards programs. During both World Wars, AGMA member firms supplied parts to United States Navy and United States Army, aligning with procurement requirements from agencies like War Production Board. Postwar expansion paralleled the growth of aerospace programs at NASA and the aerospace sector centered around Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, prompting new research into high-performance gearing. Internationalization increased with ties to British Standards Institution, DIN, JIS, and the development of internationally harmonized gear standards under ISO Technical Committee 60.

Organization and Structure

AGMA is organized as a membership-based association with an executive board, technical committees, and regional chapters representing manufacturing centers such as the Rust Belt, Silicon Valley, and the Midwest. Governance parallels structures used by American Society of Mechanical Engineers and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, featuring a president, treasurer, and volunteer-led subcommittees. Technical work is carried out in committees that mirror engineering specializations found in academic departments at Stanford University, University of Michigan, and Georgia Institute of Technology. Liaison relationships exist with certification bodies like Underwriters Laboratories and accreditation organizations such as American National Standards Institute.

Standards and Publications

AGMA produces standards addressing geometry, accuracy, inspection, rating, and lubrication of gearing. Its documents complement international publications from ISO and detailed guidance published alongside texts by authors affiliated with Society of Automotive Engineers and classic references used at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. AGMA standards cover topics analogous to those in publications by ASM International and are cited in technical manuals used by companies like Caterpillar and John Deere. Periodicals and conference proceedings disseminate research similar to articles in Journal of Mechanical Design and proceedings from events like ASME Turbo Expo and SAE World Congress. AGMA handbooks serve as references for practicing engineers at Pratt & Whitney and in curricula at Purdue University and Virginia Tech.

Certification and Accreditation

AGMA operates certification programs for quality, accuracy, and performance of gear manufacturing and testing laboratories, analogous to schemes run by ISO/IEC 17025 accreditors and programs administered by National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies. Laboratories seeking recognition often pursue dual accreditation from bodies like A2LA or UKAS while following AGMA test procedures. Certification of personnel aligns with vocational and professional credentials similar to programs from American Welding Society and supports procurement specifications used by defense contractors such as Raytheon Technologies and BAE Systems. AGMA’s calibration and metrology guidance leverages measurement standards traceable to National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Industry Impact and Activities

AGMA’s influence spans automotive drivetrains, wind turbine gearboxes, marine propulsion, and industrial gearboxes used in sectors exemplified by Tesla Motors, Vestas, Royal Dutch Shell, and Carnival Corporation. Its standards reduce failure modes observed in case studies involving suppliers to Toyota and Volkswagen and underpin quality systems adopted by global supply chains servicing companies like ABB and Honeywell International. AGMA organizes technical conferences and trade shows that attract exhibitors similar to Hannover Messe and attendees from research centers including Daimler AG and Audi. The association funds research grants and educational scholarships through foundations modeled after those at National Science Foundation and partners with university research programs at institutions like Ohio State University.

Membership and Governance

Membership comprises manufacturers, raw material suppliers, heat-treaters, toolmakers, testing laboratories, and end-users ranging from small job shops to multinational corporations such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Hyundai Heavy Industries, and General Motors. Voting and policy decisions are made by a board elected from corporate members, with advisory input from technical councils that include representatives from Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. Membership tiers and dues structures are comparable to those of American Petroleum Institute and National Association of Manufacturers, and committees publish ballots and meeting minutes to maintain transparency akin to processes used by IEEE Standards Association.

Category:Trade associations