THIS RESEARCH PROJECT INVESTIGATED THE RESEARCH NEEDS IN PRECISION GEAR MANUFACTURING, THE MAIN FOCUS WAS GEAR PRODUCTION AT BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON, INCORPORATED. THIS WORK WAS CONDUCTED AS PART OF THE INFAC PROGRAM UNDER SUBCONTRACT FROM IIT RESEARCH INSTITUTE. FIFTEEN OPPORTUNITIES WERE IDENTIFIED FOR R&D PROJECTS. FOUR OF THESE WERE DEEMED TO BE HIGH-IMPACT PROJECTS AND ARE IN THE AREAS OF HEAT TREATMENT AND GRINDING. THE BENEFITS OF THESE HIGH IMPACT PROJECTS WERE ESTIMATED AND FOUND TO BE VERY SIGNIFICANT AND ARE REPORTED IN THIS PAPER. QUANTIFICATION OF BENEFITS ALSO WAS MADE FOR THREE ADDITIONAL MEDIUM IMPACT PROJECTS.