A Novel Design of Cylindrical Hob for Machining of Precision Involute Gears

This paper aims at development of a novel design of precision gear hob for machining involute gear on a conventional gear-hobbing machine. The reported research is based on use of fundamental results obtained in analytical mechanics of gearing. For solving the problem, both the descriptive-geometry-based (DGB) methods together with pure analytical methods have been employed. The use of DGB methods is insightful for solving most of the principal problems, which consequently were analytically solved. The analytical methods used provide an example of application of the DG∕K-method of surface generation developed earlier by the author. For interpretation of the results of research, several computer codes in the commercial software MathCAD∕Scientific were composed. Ultimately, a method of computation of parameters of design of a hob with straight-line lateral cutting edges for machining of precision involute gears is developed in the paper. Coincidence of the straight-line lateral cutting edges of the hob with the straight-line characteristics of it generating surface eliminates the major source of deviations of the hobbed involute gears. The relationships between major principal design parameters that affect the gear hob performance are investigated with the use of vector algebra, matrix calculus, and elements of differential geometry. Gear hobs of the proposed design yield elimination of the principal and major source of deviation of the desired hob tooth profile from the actual hob tooth profile. The reported results of this research are ready to put in practice.