Manufacturing Method for Large Cylindrical Worm Gear Set of ISO Type I on Universal CNC Machine Tools

Abstract

Large cylindrical worm gear set of ISO type I are manufactured using endmill tools on universal CNC machine tools. This manufacturing method requires neither special gear-generating machines nor special tools. The tooth flank forms of ISO type I cylindrical worm gears are involute helicoids as a standard. The targeted theoretical tooth flanks of the worm and the mating worm wheel are determined based on a tooth contact analysis (TCA) of such worm gear set. The cutting conditions of the worm are determined after the offset distance between the worm axis, and the central axis of the endmill tool is calculated. Afterward, the worm is manufactured by controlling only two axes on machine tools using a swarf milling method by use of the side of the endmill tool under the determined conditions. Meanwhile, the targeted theoretical tooth flanks of the mating worm wheel are modeled in 3-dimensional computer-aided design software, and the worm wheel is manufactured by a swarf milling method in a computer-aided manufacturing process. The comparison of experimental and analytical tooth contact patterns indicates almost no difference between the two tooth contact patterns.