Many of us often wonder about the manufacturing process of gears. The manufacturing of gears includes various steps which are highly specific and performed by profoundly exact machines only. These steps include various gear cutting processes and then finishing the process. The finishing process provides exactness to the gear. The machining process of gear manufacturing is known as gear cutting. Several gear cutting tools and machines are available in the market. Some tools are the common ones that are used regularly and others are the customized ones. The customized ones depend on the type of gear that is to be cut. The different gear cutting procedures differ in several ways from each other.
The list of common gear cutting techniques are:
Broaching
Broaching is a kind of method of machining or cutting of the gear used to make incredibly large gears.
This technique uses a dented device, called a broach that performs the job. Broaching is used for the development or cutting off the biggest gears. This technique is used for cutting odd forms where precision machining is necessary. Broaching is separated further in two kinds depending on the angle of cutting.
Linear Broaching: This is a commonly used technique where cutting is achieved by running the broach linearly to the work piece’s exterior surface. Linear broaching machines are commonly known to use.
Rotatory Broaching: The rotatory broaching process allows the axisymmetric cuts by spinning
and pushing the broach into the work piece, as opposed to linear broaching. The use of rotatory broaching is generally attributed to screw machines.
Broaching can be an expensive process but with large quantities, they create the biggest gears.
Hobbing
Hobbing method is perfect in cutting medium to large gears. This technique utilizes a hob which has equally divided cutting edges. These cutting edges cut teeth in the gears by making revolutions around the gear. This procedure is generally more affordable and significantly quicker than some other cutting method. Hobbing is the most regularly utilized technique to create spur and helical gears on account of its quick cutting technique.
Grinding
Grinding otherwise called milling, along with being one of the underlying cutting procedure, it is also the most important one. A grinding machine is utilized to perform the function of making tooth gaps in the gears. A favourable feature of this procedure is that we can make any sort of gear utilizing grinding technique.
Shaping
Gear shaping uses a multi-point cutter to make cuts on the gear. This is the most common technique used for gear cutting. With continuous rotations along the same plane of the gear, gear shaping is the most convenient and versatile techniques used for cutting gears. Gear shaping procedure utilizes multi-point cutting tools which provide precision. Gear shaping has many advantages as compared to other cutting techniques. Some of the advantages are same as a hobbing process with an added advantage of internal gear cutting. Gear shaping procedure utilizes multi-point cutting tools which provide precision. Gear shaping has many advantages as compared to other cutting techniques. Some of the advantages are same as a hobbing process with an added advantage of internal gear cutting.
There are various gear cutting tools available for performing these methods. Many tool companies manufacture accurate and efficient cutting tools.
