Research on thermal deformation of large-scale computer numerical control gear hobbing machines

Abstract

Research on thermal deformation of large-scale computer numerical control (CNC) hobbing machines is on the purpose of obtaining the law of thermal deformation of gear hobbing machines to improve machining precision. According to the structure characteristics of hobbing machines, this paper presents a novel computing model of thermal deformation based on the theory of the thermal expansion deformation of metallic materials, the extensional beam theory, non-uniform temperature distribution of the Euler-Bernoulli beam and Kirchhoff theory of plane-section assumption. Then, the coupling theory of axial and bending deformation of hobbing machines based on the deformation element and equilibrium element method is proposed. The experimental measurement system and platform for thermal deformation of gear hobbing machines is established. The temperature and displacement data of thermal deformation of a certain type gear hobbing machine is analyzed, which has demonstrated the law of thermal deformation of hobbing machines. The locus curves for overall displacement error of cutting points and teeth trace error are obtained. Comparing deformation theory and experimental data, the relative error is lower than 5%, which verifies the computing model proposed by this paper, and shows the research method has great significance for structural optimization, local temperature control, and prediction and compensation for thermal deformation error of gear hobbing machines.