Design Unit is one of the largest gear research groups in Europe. Our team of 23 engineers and technicians are experts in gear research, development, design and troubleshooting.

Our research

Design Unit’s research interests include:

• gear fatigue testing, including bending and mico-pitting
• improving fatigue strength via higher quality gear steels, heat treatment methods and surface modifications such as shot peening and coatings
• lubricant testing and scuffing
• bearing fatigue
• gear metrology
• gear manufacture
• gear noise, vibration and optimisation
• optimised wind turbine gear measurement
• 3D gear surface measurement
• Geometrical Product Specification (GPS) compatible measurement strategies
• manufacturing process characterisation

Our industrial collaboration

Design Unit works closely with industry, including:

• Navy: we are the principal gear research centre for the British Royal Navy, with special expertise in ultra-low noise gear design, in-fleet support, gear inspections and failure investigations
• Army: wheeled and tracked armed vehicle gearboxes and electro-mechanical drives
• Aerospace: testing the highest quality alloying gear steels for aerospace applications
• Automotive: substantial experience with high speed gearing for electric vehicle applications
• Rail traction: gearboxes for EMUs, DMUs and locomotives
• Wind energy: speed up gearboxes for aero-generator
• Power generation: gearboxes for gas turbine and water turbine driven generators