Fraunhofer IWU, along with industry partners, has developed a hot rolling process in the GEARFORM project to create large-module gears for wind turbines. Traditional hobbing methods are replaced with a hot rolling process, which enhances material utilisation and reduces production time.The largest gear produced in this project has a diameter of 500 millimeters and a module of 9.5 millimeters, achieved through a specially designed hot rolling facility. This process increases gear durability by enhancing root strength and load-bearing capacity, while also improving material strength and toughness through forming-induced effects like dislocation density and grain refinement. The project was supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, and involved collaboration with industry partners EMA-TEC, Härterei Reese Chemnitz, Dreiling Maschinenbau and Flender.
Image © Fraunhofer IWU
