Methods and systems for producing high strength and adjustable stiffness components

A composite gear, comprising:

• a base material forming a gear body and at least one gear tooth extending from the gear body, the gear tooth having a tooth face, a tooth flank, a tooth fillet, a tooth root, and a tooth tip;
• a first material covering a first area of the gear tooth, the first area including the tooth root;
• and
• a second material covering a second area of the gear tooth, the second area including the tooth root;
• wherein the first material is applied in a first thickness, the second material is applied in a second thickness, the first area has a first height measured from the tooth root and the second area has a second height measured from the tooth root, and the first height is different from the second height.

A method for producing and reinforcing a composite gear, comprising:

• providing a base material comprising a polymer;
• forming a composite gear from the base material, the composite gear having a gear body and at least one gear tooth extending from the gear body, the at least one gear tooth having a tooth face, a tooth flank, a tooth fillet, a tooth root, and a tooth tip;
• depositing a first metallic material to a first area of the at least one gear tooth of the composite gear, the first area including the tooth root of the at least one gear tooth;
• and
• depositing a second metallic material to a second area of the at least one gear tooth of the composite gear;
• wherein the first metallic material is applied in a first thickness and the second metallic material is applied in a second thickness.