Manufacturing Process

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Gear Manufacturing Methods
➢Gears can be manufactured by most of manufacturing processes discussed so far (casting,
forging, extrusion, powder metallurgy). But as a rule, machining is applied to achieve the final
dimensions, shape and surface finish in the gear. The initial operations that produce a semi
finishing part ready for gear machining as referred to as blanking operations; the starting
product in gear machining is called a gear blank.
➢ Two principal methods of gear manufacturing included.
1. Gear forming, and
2. Gear generating

➢Each method includes a number of machining processes, the major of them included in this
section.

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➢In gear form cutting, the cutting edge of the cutting tool has a shape identical with the shape of
the space between the gear teeth.
➢ Two machining operations, milling and broaching can be employed to form cut gear teeth.

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➢In form milling, the cutter called a form cutter travels axially along the length of the gear tooth
at the appropriate depth to produce the gear tooth. After each tooth is cut, the cutter is
withdrawn, the gear blank is rotated (indexed), and the cutter proceeds to cut another tooth.
The process continues until all teeth are cut.
➢Each cutter is designed to cut a range of tooth numbers. The precision of the form-cut tooth
profile depends on the accuracy of the cutter and the machine and its stiffness.

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➢In form milling, indexing of the gear blank is required to cut all the teeth. Indexing is the process
of evenly dividing the circumference of a gear blank into equally spaced divisions. The index
head of the indexing fixture is used for this purpose.
➢The index fixture consists of an index head (also dividing head, gear cutting attachment) and
footstock, which is similar to the tailstock of a lathe. The index head and footstock attach to the
worktable of the milling machine. An index plate containing graduations is used to control the
rotation of the index head spindle. Gear blanks are held between centres by the index head
spindle and footstock. Work pieces may also be held in a chuck mounted to the index head
spindle or may be fitted directly into the taper spindle recess of some indexing fixtures.

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➢Broaching can also be used to produce gear teeth and is particularly applicable to internal
teeth. The process is rapid and produces fine surface finish with high dimensional accuracy.
However, because broaches are expensive-and a separate broach is required for each size of
gear-this method is suitable mainly for high-quantity production.

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➢In gear generating, the tooth flanks are obtained (generated) as an outline of the
subsequent positions of the cutter, which resembles in shape the mating gear in the
gear pair.
➢ In gear generating, two machining processes are employed, shaping and milling.
There are
 several modifications of these processes for different cutting tool used,
1. Milling with a hob (gear hobbing)
2. Gear shaping with a pinion-shaped cutter, or
3. Gear shaping with a rack-shaped cutter.
➢ Cutters and blanks rotate in a timed relationship: a proportional feed rate between
them is
 maintained. Gear generating is used for high production runs and for finishing cuts.

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➢Gear hobbing is a machining process in which gear teeth are progressively generated by a series
of cuts with a helical cutting tool (hob).
➢ All motions in hobbing are rotary, and the hob and gear blank rotate continuously as in two
gears meshing until all teeth are cut.

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➢When hobbing a spur gear, the angle between the hob and gear blank axes is 90° minus the
lead angle at the hob threads. For helical gears, the hob is set so that the helix angle of the hob
is parallel with the tooth direction of the gear being cut. Additional movement along the tooth
length is necessary in order to cut the whole tooth length.
➢The action of the hobbing machine (also gear hobber) is shown in the figures. The cutting of a
gear by means of a hob is a continuous operation. The hob and the gear blank are connected by
a proper gearing so that they rotate in mesh. To start cutting a gear, the rotating hob is fed inward
until the proper setting for tooth depth is achieved, then cutting continues until the entire gear is
finished.

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➢This modification of the gear shaping process is defined as a process for generating gear teeth by a
rotating and reciprocating pinion-shaped cutter.
➢The cutter axis is parallel to the gear axis. The cutter rotates slowly in timed relationship with the gear
blank at the same pitch-cycle velocity, with an axial primary reciprocating motion, to produce the gear
teeth.
➢A train of gears provides the required relative motion between the cutter shaft and the gear-blank
shaft. Cutting may take place either at the down stroke or upstroke of the machine. Because the
clearance required for cutter travel is small, gear shaping is suitable for gears that are located close to
obstructing surfaces such as flanges.
➢ The tool is called gear cutter and resembles in shape the mating gear from the conjugate gear pair,
the other gear being the blank.
➢Gear shaping is one of the most versatile of all gear cutting operations used to produce internal gears,
external gears, and integral gear-pinion arrangements. Advantages of gear shaping with pinion-
shaped cutter are the high dimensional accuracy achieved and the not too expensive tool. The process
is applied for finishing operation in all types of production rates.

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➢In the gear shaping with rack-shaped cutter, gear teeth are generated by a cutting tool called a
rack shaper. The rack shaper reciprocates parallel to the axis of the gear axis. It moves slowly
linearly with the gear blank rotation at the same pitch-cycle velocity.
➢The rack shaper is actually a segment of a rack. Because it is not practical to have more than 6-
12 teeth on a rack cutter, the cutter must be disengaged at suitable intervals and returned to the
starting point, the gear blank meanwhile remaining fixed.
➢Advantages of this method involve a very high dimensional accuracy and cheap cutting tool (the
rack shaper’s teeth blanks are straight, which makes sharpening of the tool easy). The process
can be used for low-quantity as well as high-quantity production of spur and helix external gears.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1UOjBLo-2M

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• The surface of gear teeth produced through forming or generation process is
not very accurate and properly finished.

• Results in noise, excessive wear, backlash among meshing teeth or sometime in

ultimate failure of the gear in the drive.

• To overcome these defects, some finishing operations become necessary

after the gears are produced.

• It makes gear quite and smooth during running.

1. Gear shaving:
• Gear run at high speed in mesh and pressed against a hardened gear shaving
cutter.
• Sharp edges of the shaving cutter scrape small amount of metal from the
surface of the teeth removes surface irregularities.
2. Gear burnishing:
• Done before hardening of gears.

• Work gear rolled under pressure, accurately with hardened and

finished gear.

• Excessive martial from non-desired regions is plastically moved out by

rolling action.

• Though the method provides smooth and accurate tooth profile, it increases
localized residual stresses.

• Never advisable to employ the method on precision gears.

3. Gear grinding:
• Most accurate method of finishing gear teeth.
• Method is slower and more expensive but it gives highest quality gears.
4. Gear lapping:
• Lapping is often done on hardened gears (Hardness, > 45RC) to remove burrs,
scales, abrasions, nicks and irregularities from the surface and to remove small
errors caused by heat treatment.

• It is carried out by running the work gear in mesh with a mating gear or one or
more small cast iron toothed laps under a flow of fine abrasives in oil.

• During lapping the work is turned first in one direction and then in the other to
finish both sides of the tooth.

• Very small amount of material is removed during lapping.

5. Gear honing:
• Like lapping, honing is also suitable for finishing heat treated gears.

• It is carried out with the help of steel tools having abrasive or cemented carbide
particles embedded in their surface.

• The honing tool is pushed with constant force along the tooth space.

• The honing tools are costlier than lapping tools but the process is much
faster.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIOr-aZ_ZHk
By – Pankaj Dhut

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 CNC : Computerized Numerical Control (Computer +
ANumerical
numerical control
Control)system in
which the data handling, control
sequences,
Numerical and response
control to
is a programmable automation in which
input is determined
process bybyanNumbers,
is controlled on- Letters, and symbols.
board computer system at the
machine tool. is a process used in the manufacturing sector that
CNC Machining
involves the use of computers to control machine tools like lathes,
mills and grinders.

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 CNC LATHE
 CNC MILLING
 CNC PLASMA CUTTING
 CNC PUNCH PRESS
 EDM
 PLASMA CUTTING
 LASER CUTTING

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A CNC machine consist of following 6 major elements:
i. Input Device
ii. Machine Control Unit
iii. Machine Tool
iv. Driving System
v. Feedback Devices
vi. Display Unit

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In open loop systems the slide may overshoot or may not reach desired position
because of inertia, wear and tear and friction, hence inaccurate machining.
In closed loop systems the position sensors are used to correct slide movements
and achieve higher accuracy and repeatability

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 Controlled by G and M codes.
 These are number values and co-ordinates.
 Each number or code is assigned to a particular operation.
 Typed in manually to CAD by machine operators.
 G & M codes are automatically generated by the computer
software.

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• The tool or material moves automatically.
• Tools can operate in 1-5 axes.
• Larger machines have a machine control unit (MCU) which manages operations.
• Movement is controlled by motors (actuators).
• Feedback is provided by sensors (transducers)
• Tool magazines are used to change tools automatically.

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A group of commands given to the CNC for operating the machine is
called the program.
It consists of:
• Information about part geometry
• Motion statements to move the cutting tool
• Cutting speed
• Feed
• Auxiliary functions such as coolant on and off, spindle direction

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Sequence Preparatory Dimension Feed Spindle Tool Misc.
# Function Words Rate Function Function Function

N50 G90 G01 X1.40Y2.25 F10 S1500 T01 M03

Individual Words
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• O - Program number (Used for program identification)
• N - Sequence number (Used for line identification)
• G - Preparatory function
• X - X axis designation
• Y - Y axis designation
• Z - Z axis designation
• R - Radius designation
• F – Feed rate designation
• S - Spindle speed designation
• H - Tool length offset designation
• D - Tool radius offset designation
• T - Tool Designation
• M - Miscellaneous function

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i. Higher accuracy
ii. High repeatability
iii. Complex geometries can be made
iv. Higher production rate
v. Good finishing
vi. Number of programmes can be stored
vii. Operator not required much skills

ii. Usually generates closer tolerances than manual machines

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 High initial investment
 Computer and programming knowledge require
 Maintenance is difficult

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