Skiving, as a versatile machining process, holds great promise in manufacturing, offering efficient solutions to gear production.
FREMONT, CA: Gears are crucial in various industries, especially in high-volume sectors like auto manufacturing, where efficient production is a priority. Traditional methods like hobbing for outer gears and broaching for inner gears have their limitations, and shaping needs to be more efficient. Skiving, also known as scudding, is a machining process that combines gear hobbing with axial feed, offering a more efficient alternative. This continuous machining sequence enables high cutting speeds and engages multiple teeth simultaneously.
Skiving is particularly advantageous when dealing with interfering contours like workpiece shoulders. Maintaining a minimal space at the end of the gear is essential during machining, but smaller spaces increase the risk of collisions with the cutting tool. Power skiving allows for tighter clearances, facilitating tool proximity to interfering contours while shaping the gear. Optimal chip flow is achieved by orienting the workpiece vertically at the top. The use of the hydrostatic guiding principle for the set axis enhances stability and vibration damping. The machine's symmetrical design, with controlled terminal linear expansion, ensures precise and consistent performance.
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The machine boasts two milling spindles for power skiving, providing flexibility in production. One spindle can be dedicated to roughing, while the other handles finishing. It's also possible to produce two different gearings on a single workpiece or use two identical tools to extend tool life. Programming a power skiver can be intricate, involving cylindrical and conical tools. The conical tools have a clearance angle, unlike the cylindrical ones. The tool must be positioned with a kappa angle, demanding precise alignment under the workpiece's center. It's common in skiving to adjust the kappa angle for each cut, ensuring that the workpiece and tooling fit perfectly into the existing gear for the next cut.
The machine has an intelligent user interface designed specifically for power skiving. This intuitive interface streamlines programming by requiring users to input data from the tool, drawing, and workpiece. The software then generates the program and calculates the correct component positions, making it user-friendly and efficient for workers. Skiving has significant potential for wider adoption in manufacturing. Recent advancements in power skiving tools have increased their attractiveness and usage in various industries. One notable application is the production of internal gears for the planetary gearboxes commonly found in electric vehicle motors, enhancing efficiency in complex component geometry production.
While skiving is a method that has been introduced previously, its dynamic nature and high RPMs made it challenging to execute on older machines, limiting its use to niche applications. Advancements in manufacturing technology, including new tool coatings, have made skiving more feasible and accessible for manufacturers, expanding its capabilities for various industries. Its ability to address interfering contours, high-speed cutting, and flexibility in tooling applications makes it a valuable addition to the manufacturing landscape. Furthermore, the user-friendly interface and advanced software simplify the programming process, making it accessible to a broader range of industry professionals. With the continuous evolution of power skiving tools and the growing market opportunities, the potential for skiving to revolutionize gear manufacturing and contribute to producing intricate components in various sectors is evident.
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