For a multitasking machine, you would most likely opt for a spindle-mounted hob, probably using a Capto or HSK toolholder for the greatest rigidity.”Ĭompared with many machining processes, cutting forces are relatively high with hobbing. “On a turret-based lathe,” he said, “you’ll need to purchase a special hob holder from someone like WTO or MD Tooling, which mounts on the turret and supports the cutter from both ends. But he said there’s also machine-dependent tooling to consider. Robert Smiley, applications engineer at DMG Mori USA’s 5-Axis Center of Excellence in Hoffman Estates, said the company’s Technology Cycles make the programming aspect of hobbing easier. That’s the beauty of any multitasker or mill/turn.”Įasy or not, there’s still plenty to know before embarking on any gear-making project.
Also, companies generally want to integrate their processes into as few operations as possible. “Hobbing and indeed any kind of gear making is just so much easier on a multitasking machine. “Unless you have high production, you’re probably not going to buy a gear-cutting machine, new or used, because operating one calls for a very specialized skill set,” said Kevin Kraieski, senior application engineer at Okuma America. The hobs used on CNC lathes are no different from those used on dedicated hobbing machines. And as far as using a decades-old hobbing machine goes, it’s difficult enough to find qualified CNC machinists. Multitask machines and mill/turn lathes are known for their ability to reduce part handling and work in process while increasing part quality, and geared parts are no exception. And because users need dedicated tools anyway, many people might suggest that it makes more sense to purchase a used, far less expensive mechanical hobbing machine and stick it in a corner for occasional gear jobs rather than waste valuable multitasking time on a suboptimal machining process.īut not so fast.
No machinist or shop owner likes to hear the words “slower rate” used in any sentence. Each uses the same hobs found on any comparable hobbing machine, and each is capable of producing a variety of high-quality gears and splines, although at a slightly slower rate than a dedicated hobber. Okuma America Corp., Charlotte, North Carolina, has gear packages for the company’s Multus multitask machines, as well as several of its mill/turn centers. offers similar gear-hobbing options, or Technology Cycles, on its NLX, CTX and NZX series lathes. Hoffman Estates, Illinois-based DMG Mori USA Inc. The Florence, Kentucky, machine builder isn’t alone. Splines are among the many gear forms produced on multitask and mill/turn machines. There are three modules to serve milling, hobbing and power skiving gear-cutting strategies.”
#Power skiving dmg products software#
“There’s also a software package included on the Integrex AG machines titled Smooth Gear that lets you plug in values, such as diametral pitch, helix angle, pressure angle, cutter diameter and various gear form information, and the control will make the program for you. “Because synchronization is critical when hobbing, we’ve added scale feedback to the Z-axis and the milling spindle,” he said. Mike Finn, senior applications development engineer, said the unit has several additional features that allow it to perform at a higher level than a standard Integrex.
#Power skiving dmg products series#
One example is the Integrex AG series multitask machine from Mazak Corp. Thanks to increasingly capable CNC machines and on-board programming software that tames even the gnarliest of gear forms, machine shops everywhere are performing their low- to medium-volume gear work in-house.
This is why most shops have long subcontracted their gear-cutting needs to specialty houses, which have the equipment and tools necessary to perform such esoteric work. It also demands accurate synchronization between the rotating workpiece and cutter and a working knowledge of terms like root circle, pressure angle and module.
It is a single-pass process and, in terms of multitaskers and mill/turn lathes, primarily for external gear production.Īs you might have guessed, hobbing requires specialized cutting tools called hobs. As the hob rotates, the machine is fed in the longitudinal axis into the workpiece, which rotates in the same direction but at a slower rpm. It uses a rotating drum-shaped cutter that, depending on the gear type, is either held parallel to the workpiece centerline or tipped at a slight angle. Hobbing, like most gear-making operations, is a complex process. Whatever the case, here’s yet another way that these machines can add value and flexibility to any job shop or discrete manufacturing company: gear hobbing. Perhaps you’ve considered investing in one. Perhaps you already own a multitask machine or a mill/turn lathe. Precise synchronization between the cutter and spindle is needed for any gear-machining operation.
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