Advanced Manufacture of Spiral Bevel and Hypoid Gears

In this study, an advanced method for the manufacture of spiral bevel and hypoid gears on CNC hypoid generators is proposed. The optmal head-cutter geometry and machine tool settings are determined to introduce the optimal tooth surface modifications into the teeth of spiral bevel and hypoid gears. The aim of these tooth surface modifications is to simultaneously reduce the tooth contact pressure and the transmission errors, to maximize the EHD load carrying capacity of the oil film, and to minimize power losses in the oil film. The proposed advanced method for the manufacture of spiral bevel and hypoid gears is based on machine tool setting variation on the cradle-type generator conducted by optimal polynomial functions and on the use of a CNC hypoid generator. An algorithm is developed for the execution of motions on the CNC hypoid generator using the optimal relations on the cradle-type machine. Effectiveness of the method was demonstrated by using spiral bevel and hypoid gear examples. Significant improvements in the operating characteristics of the gear pairs are achieved