Gear Cutting Tools

Gear cutting is the process of creating gears. The most common process of gear cutting includes broaching, hobbing and machining. The gears are generally made from metal, plastic and wood. Broaching process of gear cutting is used for very large gears or splines. Broaching in gear cutting is mostly used in very high production runs. In gear cutting hobbing uses a hob to cut teeth into a blank. The hobbing gear cutting processes mainly useful in medium to large production runs. Gear cutting is very complex process and shaping is the old method of gear cutting which results in mounting a gear blank in a shaper and using a tool shaped in the profile of the tooth to be cut.

The various types of gear cutting tools that are effectively used in all industries, some are discussed here. Involute gear cutters are those which generate gears with maximum precision. They are used when there would be no tooth finishing operation should be done to the gears formed. Involute spline gear cutters have a unique stud tooth depth to cut all types of standard or nonstandard involute Splines. Sprocket hobs are those gear cutters used for cutting roller chain sprockets for a range spanning from 1/4th inch-3 inch pitch. Worm wheel gear cutters are designed for plunge cutting. The Worm wheel hobs are unique in a way, they match the worm shaft with sharpening allowance.

A gear shaper is a gear cutter which is relieved for providing appropriate cutting edges and clearances. Shaper cutters are one of the best processes to produce gears. Disc shaper cutters are gear cutters that are effective for cutting any type of gear. They are also effective for cutting sprockets, splines, serrations or other types of involute forms. Shank type gear cutters are essentially designed to cut internal gears. Deep counterbore shaper cutters are the gear cutters commonly applied to cut shoulder gears. Pinion type gear cutters are shaped like spur gears. The Pinion type cutters are adept in cutting teeth of the internal gears.

The companies engaged in manufacturing such tools are using very high standard technology in producing such gear cutting tools. These gear cutting tools tend to be highly specified and should possess great quality. Manufacturing gear cutting tools for cutting spur or helical gears, involute or parallel splines, serrations, asymmetrical profiles, timing belts, sprockets, ratchets, roller chain or silent chain pulleys or special profiles require on the part of the manufacturers.

For more information please read Spline Broaches and also read about Gear Cutting and Gear Cutters