Shaping with a pinion-shaped cutter

Shaping with a pinion-shaped cutter

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.

Finishing operations

As produced by any of the process described, the surface finish and dimensional accuracy may not be accurate enough for certain applications. Several finishing operations are available, including the conventional process of shaving, and a number of abrasive operations, including grinding, honing, and lapping.