A method and apparatus for processing a metallic workpiece with defined edges (e.g., a gear) comprises media blasting of the workpiece by directing a first media against exposed surfaces on the workpiece to increase the root strength of the gear, the blasting causing the defined edges to be radiused or mushroomed, ceasing the media blasting, loading the workpiece into a finishing apparatus, and subjecting the workpiece to a finishing process with a second media, the exposed surfaces on the workpiece being subjected to the finishing process to reduce the radiused edges on the workpiece created from the media blasting. The process of moving the workpiece to the spindle-finishing apparatus from the media blasting may be performed automatically by a machine. Once the workpiece has been subjected to the finishing process with the second media, it may be removed from the spindle-finishing machine, washed, and rinsed with rust inhibitor whereby wear properties of the workpiece are enhanced.

A method and apparatus for processing a metallic workpiece with defined edges (e.g., a gear) comprises media blasting of the workpiece by directing a first media against exposed surfaces on the workpiece to increase the root strength of the gear, the blasting causing the defined edges to be radiused or mushroomed, ceasing the media blasting, loading the workpiece into a finishing apparatus, and subjecting the workpiece to a finishing process with a second media, the exposed surfaces on the workpiece being subjected to the finishing process to reduce the radiused edges on the workpiece created from the media blasting. The process of moving the workpiece to the spindle-finishing apparatus from the media blasting may be performed automatically by a machine. Once the workpiece has been subjected to the finishing process with the second media, it may be removed from the spindle-finishing machine, washed, and rinsed with rust inhibitor whereby wear properties of the workpiece are enhanced.

A combined gear cutting apparatus includes a workpiece drive portion, a first processing portion holding and moving a first tool to a processing position for a workpiece, a second processing portion holding and moving a second tool to a processing position for the workpiece, and a control portion which includes a storage portion storing workpiece information indicating a configuration of the workpiece before first processing is performed, first tool information, second tool information and relative position information. The control portion includes a tooth groove configuration calculation portion calculating tooth groove configuration information of the workpiece based on the first tool information, the workpiece information and the relative position information obtained when the first processing is completed. The second tool is configured to move to a start position of second processing for the workpiece based on the tooth groove configuration information, the second tool information and the relative position information.

A drive shaft includes a plurality of external crowned spline teeth configured for transmitting torque in a drive system such that contact stress can remain substantially even as misalignments occur. The drive shaft can be manufactured by forming a groove in a drive shaft blank in a direction perpendicular to the side faces of the spline teeth being formed. The resulting spline teeth can have crowned side-wall surfaces that have equal crown drops along the height of the side walls of the spline teeth.

The invention relates to a method for the fine-processing of a toothing by a single-indexing method, wherein a disk-type fine-toothing machine (S) that rotates about its axis is brought into rolling processing engagement with a tooth flank of the toothing in order to remove material from the tooth flank, wherein a line contact is established while in processing engagement, and the contact line moves over the tooth flank in accordance with a movement having a directional component (Xc0) that is radial to the toothing axis (C), and wherein the processing engagement is maintained in the same pitch with a reduced tangential distance between the tooth flank and the disk plane of the fine-processing tool and with a sign reversal of the radial directional component of the contact line displacement.

An apparatus for smoothing an inner toothing and/or an outer toothing of a component part. At least two radially adjustable smoothing gears, which engage in the inner toothing and/or outer toothing, are rotatably arranged inside the inner toothing and/or outside of the outer toothing. During smoothing, the component part is not firmly clamped but rather only rests loosely on a support. A thrust ring is provided at least at one of the smoothing gears for limiting axial movements of the component part, which occur during smoothing.

An apparatus for smoothing an inner toothing and/or an outer toothing of a component part. At least two radially adjustable smoothing gears, which engage in the inner toothing and/or outer toothing, are rotatably arranged inside the inner toothing and/or outside of the outer toothing. During smoothing, the component part is not firmly clamped but rather only rests loosely on a support. A thrust ring is provided at least at one of the smoothing gears for limiting axial movements of the component part, which occur during smoothing.

The present invention shows a process for gear manufacturing machining a workpiece by a tool on a gear manufacturing machine, wherein the workpiece is machined by a generating machining process in which the tool for gear manufacturing machining rolls off on the workpiece at a predefined center distance and axial cross angle, wherein the gear manufacturing machining preferably takes place on two flanks, with a desired tooth trace shape and/or tooth thickness of the gearing being generated by the generating machining process. The process is characterized in that an additional condition is predefinable and in that the center distance and the axial cross angle are determined in dependence on the desired tooth trace shape and/or tooth thickness of the gearing and on the additional condition.

A method for the production of a workpiece having a corrected gear tooth geometry and/or a modified surface structure by a diagonal generating method by a modified tool, wherein a modification of the surface geometry of the tool is produced in that the position of the tool dresser is varied during dressing in dependence on the angle of rotation of the tool and/or on the tool width position and/or wherein a modification of the surface geometry is produced which has a constant value at least locally in the generating pattern in a first direction of the tool and is given by a function in a second direction of the tool which extends perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the modification of the tool produces a corresponding modification on the surface of the workpiece, and wherein the modification on the surface of the workpiece is a directed crowning without shape deviations.

A process for improving the excitation behavior of a ground bevel gear set by altering the surface structure of a gear set member from tooth slot to tooth slot (Teeth 1-3). The method comprises shifting the roll-positions in a way that not every facet or flat (F) is positioned the same way on each flank (2) and/or changing the distances of the roll angle along a tooth slot (delta RPj) whereby flats are spaced unequally (i.e. varying widths) along the tooth. One or more additional processes for altering the surface structure may be included.