Forest City Gear Expands Precision Inspection Capacity with Second Mitutoyo Contour Tracer

Forest City Gear has strengthened its precision metrology capabilities by investing in a second Mitutoyo FORMTRACER contour tracer. The newly installed FTA-H4C4000-D system is expected to improve the company’s ability to inspect increasingly complex gear geometries while supporting tighter dimensional tolerances required by advanced manufacturing sectors.

The new contour tracer enables direct measurement of complex component profiles that previously required mold-based verification methods. By eliminating intermediate inspection steps, the system enhances measurement accuracy, repeatability, and overall inspection efficiency.

According to the company, the additional metrology equipment significantly improves its capability to evaluate intricate root fillet geometries and verify extremely small corner break specifications—critical features in high-precision gear manufacturing where dimensional accuracy directly affects component performance and service life.

“Inspection technology is every bit as important as manufacturing technology when it comes to producing high-precision gears,” said Forest City Gear President Kika Young. “This investment gives us greater flexibility and confidence when verifying complex geometries, especially in areas that are traditionally difficult to inspect.”

The expanded inspection capacity is expected to support production for industries with demanding quality requirements, including aerospace, defense, medical devices, and high-performance industrial applications, where increasingly sophisticated gear designs require advanced metrology solutions.

The acquisition represents another step in Forest City Gear’s ongoing investment strategy aimed at expanding quality assurance capabilities and supporting the production of next-generation precision gearing through enhanced inspection technologies.