Manufacturing Method of Large-Sized Spiral Bevel Gears Using Multi-Tasking Machine Tool with Five Axis Control

Abstract

Large-sized spiral bevel gears in a Klingelnberg cyclo-palloid system are manufactured using multi-tasking machine tool with five axis control. This manufacturing method has some advantages that realize arbitrarily modification of tooth surface and machining of the part except tooth surface. The pitch circular diameter of the gear treated in this study is more than 1,000 mm. For this study, first the numerical coordinates on the tooth surfaces of the spiral bevel gears are calculated and the tooth profiles are modeled using a 3D-CAD system. Afterwards, the large-sized spiral bevel gears were manufactured based on a CAM process using multi-axis control and multi-tasking machine tool. After rough cutting, the workpiece was heat-treated and it was finished by a swarf cutting using a radius end mill. The real tooth surfaces were measured using a coordinate measuring machine and the tooth flank form errors were detected using the measured coordinates. Moreover, the gears were meshed each other and the tooth contact patterns were investigated. As a result, the validity of this manufacturing method was confirmed.