Recently, Philadelphia Gear, A Brand of Timken Gears & Services Incorporated was awarded a contract by the U.S. Department of Defense for the supply of main reduction gears for the new Arleigh Burke Class Guided Missile Destroyers. Philadelphia Gear has been a long standing Metlab customer for over 50 years. Metlab will be helping with the heat treating of these gears.
The gears will come to Metlab’s facility one at a time in specially built wooden crates. Each gear is ~ 112″ in diameter by 86″ tall and weighs about 20,000 pounds. There will be a total of six gears initially required for the destroyer project. The gears are a fabricated, welded construction, with the gear teeth made from a special alloy developed specifically for nitriding. Upon receipt, the gears will be cleaned and then placed in one of Metlab’s two pit furnaces for nitriding. Six (6) thermocouples will be positioned on the gears to make sure that strict temperature uniformity is met. The furnaces have work zones that measure 15′ in diameter by 12′ deep, and 12′ in diameter by 10′ deep respectively. It is expected that the parts will be in the furnace for at least a week at temperature. Upon completion of the nitriding process the gears will then be sandblasted clean to remove maskant, and shipped back to the customer.
During the course of the project, government inspectors will be on-site, monitoring the various stages of the project to ensure that processes and specifications are met to the high standards for this application. Metlab is familiar with working with these inspectors and providing them with the access and information necessary to ensure a smooth and compliant processing job. These gears are also on a time-sensitive schedule with tight deadlines.
Main Drive Gear for a nuclear submarine, similar to those referenced above, nitrided to a 0.040″ case depth. Gear measures 12′ in diameter by 12′ tall and weighs approximately 24,000 pounds. Gear hub, bore and web faces have been masked to prevent Nitriding to allow for post heat treatment machining.
Metlab has accommodated many government and military projects including flight critical components like wire supports for aircraft carriers for the Navy. The company has the experience, facilities and resources to comply with all specifications and regulations for these projects and more.
Mark Podob
Vice President of Sales
Metlab Heat Treat
