Abstract: Gear shaving is an efficient precision finishing process widely applied in gear production for machine tools, automobiles, ships, aerospace, and other industries due to its high efficiency, low cost, and strong adaptability. However, the tooth profile concave error in gear shaving has long been a technical challenge in gear manufacturing, significantly affecting the tooth surface accuracy and meshing transmission state of the workpiece gear, thereby limiting the application of gear shaving in high-precision scenarios. This paper systematically explores the influence laws of multi-source factors (including shaving contact ratio, machine tool movement, and installation errors) on gear shaving, reveals the formation mechanism of tooth profile concave errors, and proposes optimization measures and a non-isosceles shaving cutter design method to reduce or eliminate such errors. This research holds significant theoretical and practical value for advancing the gear manufacturing industry and achieving efficient gear shaving.
Keywords: gear shaving, tooth profile concave error, multi-source factors, optimization measures, non-isosceles shaving cutter
1. Introduction
Gear shaving is a vital process in gear precision manufacturing. Despite its advantages, the tooth profile concave error remains a persistent issue, impacting gear accuracy and performance. This paper delves into the mechanisms behind this error and explores optimization strategies.
2. Literature Review
2.1 Domestic Research Status
Chinese scholars have conducted extensive research on gear shaving and tooth profile errors. Cai Anjiang et al. analyzed process methods to eliminate and reduce tooth profile errors, conducting in-depth research on numerical calculation of the meshing angle and obtaining optimal solutions using iterative methods, effectively reducing the tooth profile concave error in gear shaving. Liu Lei et al. investigated the influence of factors such as shaving process, contact ratio, and installation errors on gear shaving characteristics, systematically analyzing the formation mechanism of tooth profile concave errors .
2.2 Overseas Research Status
Overseas scholars have also conducted extensive research. Japanese scholars such as KUBO, UMEZAWA, and MORIWAKI studied gear shaving from aspects including meshing load-carrying capacity, tooth surface contact, and meshing stiffness. Well-known gear expert Professor Litvin and his team studied gear shaving through gear transmission methods, analyzing modified gears’ contact and transmission characteristics through simulation calculations.
3. Problem Statement and Research Objectives
The main technical challenges in gear shaving are understanding the mechanism and pattern of tooth profile concave errors and exploring optimization methods for gear shaving processing. To address these, this paper aims to:
- Reveal the formation mechanism of tooth profile concave errors systematically.
- Propose optimization measures for gear shaving processing.
- Introduce a design method for non-isosceles shaving cutters.
4. Methodology
4.1 Establishment of Gear Shaving Analysis Model
Considering the existence of chip grooves and cutting edges on the shaving cutter tooth surface and the time-varying state of tooth surface material removal of the workpiece gear, an accurate gear shaving analysis model was established to reflect the real gear shaving process.
4.2 Influence Analysis of Multi-source Factors
- Shaving Contact Ratio: The variation in shaving parameters was equivalented to changes in the contact ratio to study its influence on gear shaving characteristics.
- Machine Tool Movement: Based on metal cutting theory, a shaving cutting force model was constructed to quantitatively study the influence of machine tool movements (spindle speed, radial feed motion, and axial feed motion) on shaving forces and cutting speeds.
- Installation Errors: A gear shaving analysis model incorporating installation errors was established, deriving compensation displacements and studying the influence of axis intersection angle errors and center distance errors.
Table 1: Summary of Multi-source Factor Analysis
| Factor | Influence Analysis Method | Key Findings |
|---|---|---|
| Contact Ratio | Equivalent to parameter variation | Significant impact on shaving characteristics and tooth profile concave errors |
| Machine Tool Movement | Constructing a cutting force model | Radial feed motion is the most critical factor |
| Installation Errors | Introducing errors into the analysis model | Larger influence from axis intersection angle errors than center distance errors |
4.3 Optimization Measures and Non-isosceles Shaving Cutter Design
Based on the analysis, optimization measures were proposed, including shaving cutter design optimization, machine tool movement parameter optimization, and compensation displacement optimization considering installation errors. Additionally, a non-isosceles shaving cutter design method was introduced when specific shaving parameters could not further satisfy processing characteristics.
5. Experimental Verification
5.1 Experimental Setup
Shaving experiments were conducted using a gear shaving machine to verify the correctness of the proposed models and optimization measures.
5.2 Experimental Results and Analysis
The experimental results showed that the proposed gear shaving analysis model accurately reflected the real process. The optimization measures effectively reduced tooth profile concave errors. The non-isosceles shaving cutter design enhanced processing stability and reliability.
Table 2: Experimental Results Summary
| Optimization Measure | Experimental Verification | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Shaving Cutter Design | Variation in tooth profile accuracy | Improved |
| Machine Tool Movement | Change in shaving force and speed | Optimized |
| Installation Error Compensation | Adjustment in transmission error and tooth depth error | Reduced |
| Non-isosceles Cutter | Stability and reliability testing | Enhanced |
6. Conclusion and Suggestions
This paper systematically explored the influence laws of multi-source factors on gear shaving, revealing the formation mechanism of tooth profile concave errors. Optimization measures and a non-isosceles shaving cutter design method were proposed and experimentally verified. Future research could further refine these models and methods to address more complex and diverse gear shaving scenarios.