Woodward Governor Company

Infobox_Company
company_name = Woodward Governor Company
company_
company_type = Public (nasdaq2|wgov)
company slogan =
foundation = 1870
location = Fort Collins, CO
key_people = Thomas A. Gendron, President and CEO
industry = Aerospace, Aircraft Engine
products = Mechanical,Hydraulic, and Electronic Control Systems
revenue = $854MM [http://www.woodward.com/pdf/corp/ir/ar2006.pdf 2006 Annual Report] . "Woodward.com", accessed February 9, 2007.] USD ()
num_employees = 3,400 [http://www.hoovers.com/woodward/--ID__52969--/free-co-factsheet.xhtml Woodward Governor Company Information at Hoover's] . "hoovers.com", accessed February 9, 2007.]
homepage = [http://www.woodward.com/ www.woodward.com]

The Woodward Governor Company is the world's oldest and largest independent designer, manufacturer, and service provider of energy control solutions for aircraft engines, industrial engines and turbines, power generation and mobile industrial equipment.

The Woodward Governor Company was founded by Amos Woodward in 1870. Woodward Governor Company initially made controls for waterwheels ( first patent No. 103,813 ) and then moved to hydro turbines. In the 1920's and '30's Woodward began designing controls for diesel and other reciprocating engines and for industrial turbines. Also in the 1930's, Woodward developed a governor for variable-pitch aircraft propellers. And when the United States military's first turbine-powered aircraft successfully flew, its G.E. engine had a Woodward control. Starting in the 1950's, Woodward began designing electronic controls, first analog and then digital units.

Historical Information

The journey began in 1870 with Amos W. Woodward's invention of a noncompensating mechanical waterwheel governor(patent No.103,813). [http://www.google.com/patents?id=d5BVAAAAEBAJ&dq=103,813&jtp=1] Thirty years later his son, Elmer, patented the first successful mechanical compensating governor for hydraulic turbines(patent No.583,527) [http://www.google.com/patents?id=nexbAAAAEBAJ&dq=583,527] . In 1933, the company became more diversified by expanding its product line to include diesel engine controlsFact|date=February 2007(patent No.2,039,507) and aircraft propeller governorsFact|date=February 2007(patent No.470,284). Woodward governors followed the rapid advancement of diesel engine applications for railroads, mairitime and electrical generation in many fields. The advent of gas turbine engines for aircraft and industrial uses offered still more opportunities for Woodward designed fuel controls. And, of course, the science of electronics has added impetus to this industry.

Elmer E.Woodward conceived, designed and developed the first successful propeller control in 1933Fact|date=February 2007. This model PW-34 propeller governor is on display at the Smithsonian InstitutionFact|date=February 2007. Today, approximately 75% of all propeller-driven aircraft use Woodward AES controlsFact|date=February 2007. A growing number of general aviation and commuter aircraft rely on Woodward AES overspeed governors, synchronizers and synchophasers for the turboshaft, turboprops and reciprocating engines. As engine controls have moved toward electric-based systems, Woodward has responded with a line of electric propeller controlsFact|date=February 2007. The engines that are controlled by Woodward Aircraft engines systems are from Allies Signal(TPE331), General Electric(CT7),Pratt & Whitney Canada(PT6A series and JPATS), Raytheon, Vans, and Rotex CorporationsFact|date=February 2007.

Modern Day Company

As of 2007 Woodward Governor became a $1 billion company with establishments all across the globe including: Japan, China, Europe and many othersFact|date=August 2008.

References