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A study was made of the possibility of using an acoustic emission (AE) technique to estimate the maximum load applied to automotive carburized gears under actual operating conditions. Three-point bending tests done on carburized steel specimens showed that, provided a small crack was induced in the material, AE was not generated until the material was subjected to a higher bending load than the maximum load previously applied. Using this effect, the maximum load applied to gears, in which a crack had been induced during endurance testing, was estimated. Although the estimated maximum load was about 14% higher than the actual load, the AE technique appears to be a promising method for use in the design and durability assurance of carburized parts of automotive powertrains.