BGA aims to give members better value for money

A BMPTA British Mechanical Power Transmission Association product story

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Jul 3, 2000

Changes to the British Gear Association's membership structure and subscription rates were the completion of 18 months' work, chairman Alan Thompson states in the annual report.

Changes to the British Gear Association's membership structure and subscription rates were the completion of 18 months' work, chairman Alan Thompson states in the annual report.

"The two principal objectives were to put in place a more equitable fee structure and to provide better value for money for all members, in particular SMEs," he reports.

The BGA now has two membership categories, Full and Research.

Full membership provides access to all BGA activities together with voting rights at the annual meeting and election to the Executive Council.

Research membership entitles companies and organisations access only to the BGA's research activities.

In his first annual report as chairman, Mr Thompson also comments about a series of initiatives that had been launched with DTI support to improve members' competitiveness and commercial viability and to raise the profile of the BGA both nationally and internationally.

"The Association is most grateful for the support received from the DTI, EPSRC, EMTA and MoD without which some of our activities would not take place," he stresses.

He also comments about the great potential of a Gear module launched last autumn as part of a Rotating Machines MSc course at the University of Cranfield, which was well supported by industry.

Chief executive Jim Hewitt refers to a series of three Competitiveness Improvement Programmes, supported by the DTI, which would give the BGA and its members a much higher international visibility, increased sales opportunities, much improved commercial information and an improved database of potential members to support a recruitment drive in 2000.

Another success story, he reports, is the BGA web site, which has seen visits treble to more than 20,000 a month by the end of 1999.

The Gear Research Foundation was renamed during the year as the BGA Research Committee, but the aims remain the same: to advance understanding of gear related material behaviour, to evolve analysis tools to assist in mechanical power transmission product design and to develop cost effective manufacturing processes.

Committee chairman Mr CJ Charles reports that eight research programmes have been initiated.

These involve improving worm gear performance to give greater load capacity, improving gear performance by enhancing the fatigue properties of steel and improved gear stress analysis, all at the Newcastle Design Unit, the reduction of transmission error in worm gears at Huddersfield University, improving the understanding of micropitting at Cardiff University, DERA and the Newcastle Design Unit and net forgings at Birmingham University.

"We are always keen to see new organisations involved in our activities," he states.

"Anyone wishing to find out more about joining existing or future projects should contact the BGA office." Technical Committee chairman Mr J.

Myers reports that members have represented the UK at meetings of the ISO TC60 (Gears), its sub committees, working groups and ad hoc groups during the year.

The BGA also helped the BSI to arrange the main TC 60 meeting, held in York.

"There are now a number of BSI groups which have been formed in order to decide the UK stances to be taken at the ISO meetings," he says.

"This is a great improvement on the situation of a few years ago and BGA members are now having a real influence on International Standards." The committee will be awarding a prize to the student with the best degree final year project in 2000.

Winner of the prize, which is supported by the IMechE, will be announced this autumn.

As part of its restructuring, the BGA merged the Training and Education Committees into one committee.

"This exciting move will benefit the Association and enable the committee to look more closely at the common areas of interest," reports committee chairman Mr C.

Brimmell.

He says the close working relationship with the Engineering and Marine Training Authority (EMTA), which continues to support the BGA's training activities, is much appreciated.

With technical and managerial training of technicians in mind, the BGA has submitted a bid for a 'Training Networks and Clusters for Engineering Technicians in SMEs' programme.

"Much has been achieved by the committee, not least the involvement with other Trade Associations on various issues which can only benefit all concerned," reports Mr Brimmell.