Although a comprehensive on-site gearbox inspection is desirable in many situations, there may be constraints that limit the
extent of the inspection such as cost, time, accessibility and
qualified personnel.
Cost and shutdown time might be perceived as prohibitive
by management, but catching a problem in its earliest stages
can save time and money in the long run. While it may seem
too difficult to do a comprehensive inspection, a simple visual
inspection of gear contact patterns through an inspection port
can prevent future catastrophic failures. If in-house inspection
expertise is not available, an expert can be hired to perform the
inspection and train personnel.
Overcoming constraints in order to allow an inspection c