AGMA - American Gear Manufacturers Association

AGMA Announces Winner of Distinguished Service Award

If you hate waiting at home for an appliance repair person, imagine a world without technical standards.

Technical standards are guidelines that help manufacturers make standardized products. Without them, manufacturers would each have to “reinvent the wheel.” Replacing a product would take twice as long – if it could be done at all.

Enter John Rinaldo. A licensed Professional Engineer in New York and Wisconsin and an inventor holding four U.S. patents, Rinaldo has quietly helped to set standards for gears around the world.

In recognition of his work, the American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) has named Rinaldo as the winner of its 2009 Distinguished Service Award.

It Began With a List

Rinaldo graduated with honors in mechanical engineering from Union College in 1975. He immediately joined Turbonetics, Inc., where he was expected to join the sales team.

He has yet to sell a Turbonetics product. During training, Rinaldo showed such an understanding of the company’s products that he was assigned to the engineering team instead.

Rinaldo started by helping with aerodynamic calculations. Seeking to simplify his job, he compiled and maintained a list of all the gears the company had used in the past, allowing the company to use existing designs whenever possible.

Little did he know that his list would lead to a new job – and his groundbreaking involvement with AGMA.

Turning to AGMA

Rinaldo had plenty on his plate. After a brief stint with Allis Chalmers Compressor Division in Wisconsin, he returned to Turbonetics, known today as Atlas Copco Comptec.

He took over responsibility for programming control systems. By 1990, Rinaldo had moved on to research and development, working creatively with high speed direct drives for compressors.

But in 1992, the company’s gear design consultant stepped down, and Rinaldo was asked to step up.

His employer recalled the list of gears Rinaldo had made 16 years earlier – and decided to offer the opportunity to him.

For help with professional development, Comptec sent Rinaldo to the American Gear Manufacturers Association.

Setting the Standards

In 1992, Rinaldo began his involvement with AGMA Technical Standards Committees. It was perfect timing: the AGMA Software Committee had just started working on programming international standard ISO 6336.

Rinaldo’s work with x factors (profile shift) and tooth thickness calculations would lead to his appointment as the United States delegate to ISO TC60 WG4, “Terminology and notation of gears.” The group was working on an ISO geometry standard.

In addition, Rinaldo has served on the following AGMA Technical Committees:

• Nomenclature Committee, helping to set the standards on the language used to describe gears;
• Inspection and Handbook Committee (now the Gear Accuracy Committee), responsible for the technical standard AGMA 2002 for tooth thickness;
• Special Purpose Gear Units Committee, as it was creating its fifth edition; and
• Helical Enclosed Drives High Speed Units Committee.

Rinaldo also says he spent a “wonderful year” spanning 2004 – 2005 in Antwerp, Belgium, with his wife and son. There, he worked on a turbo-charger project but still attended most of his AGMA Technical Committee meetings.

Despite his many professional contributions, Rinaldo also finds time to volunteer as a Scoutmaster and enjoys hiking, canoeing and cross-country skiing.

Want to serve on an AGMA Technical Committee? Learn more. (<link this)

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About AGMA

AGMA helps members compete more effectively in today’s global marketplace. The association has served the gearing industry since 1916. Today, AGMA is still on the cutting edge. The association includes about 400 of the world’s top gearing experts across more than 30 nations. Its open standards development process is tailored to the global marketplace.