Automation and Robotics

The industry has played an important role for the development of the polish economy for centuries. Th e location of a given industry in a given part of the country depends on such factors as natural resources area, location of sale or a qualifi ed staff . Th e Upper Silesian Industrial District is the largest industrial district of Poland includes industrial companies in the centraleastern part of the Silesian Voivodship. In this area, the automotive industry and companies closely cooperating with this industry are a very strong branch of industry. An example of such cooperation is Nexteer-the leader in the innovative motion control delivery of electric and hydraulic steering systems, steering columns and driveline systems. Th e paper presented in this article attempts to replace standard materials of steering columns such as aluminum with new composite materials. Th e prototype of such a steering column has been done as a part of the research project PBS3/B6/37/2015 (PST-41/RMT2/2015)in cooperation of Nexteer and Institute of Engineering. Processes Automation and Integrated Manufacturing Systems. Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Silesian University of Technology. Th e main objective of the research was to compare the noise generated during the work of previously manufactured gears and the new innovative gear housing made of composite. Aft er analyzing the fi rst two prototypes of the transmission, we managed to obtain results comparable to the results of the production version. Subsequent research that will be carried out will be related to thermographic studies of transmission subassemblies and assemblies as well as examination of moments and forces generated during transmission operation.