For more than 50 years the annual WZL Gear Conference in Aachen, Germany, has been fostering technical collaboration and communication among the members of the WZL Gear Research Circle . The two - day conference is devoted exclusively to the presentation of the latest research in gear design, manufacturing and testing . Additionally, the software resources of the WZL Gear Research Circle are available for examination, including solutions for gear design and manufacturing process development . Participants of the conference are encouraged to tour the WZL laboratory with its shop floor and test rigs . Within this environment associations are formed and the exchange of knowledge among the members of the technical community is promoted . With up to 300 participants from Europe and overseas, the WZL Gear Conference is one of the largest annual events dedicated to gear technology in Europe