is a special form of milling machine that cuts
gears. It is the major industrial
process for cutting (as opposed to grinding) spur gears of
involute form.
The machine forms the gear via a generating process by rotating the gear
blank and the cutter at the same time with a fixed gearing ratio between
cutter and blank. The cutter has a profile given in cross section by the
fundamental rack for the gear tooth profile and is in the form of a helix so
that the sides of the teeth on the cutter generate the curve on the gear.
The helix has a number of cuts parallel to the axis to form the cutting
teeth and the profile is suitably relieved to provide cutting clearance.
Application
Notes:
