NEXT GENERATION TOOLING
  • Home
  • About
  • Tooling
    • BIG KAISER
    • Carmex
    • Martindale Gaylee
    • NTK Cutting Tools
    • OSG Tap & Die
    • Performance Micro Tool
    • Platinum Tooling
    • Somta Tools
    • TechniksUSA
  • Workholding
    • 5th Axis
    • BIG KAISER
    • Carvesmart
    • Earth Chain
    • mPower Workholding
    • Orange Vise
  • News
  • Promotions
  • Events
  • Video
  • Technical

Custom Hobbing Tool Enables 45-Degree Angles

5/21/2014

0 Comments

 
Case Study From: 5/1/2014 Modern Machine Shop, Edited by: Emily Probst, Associate Editor
To machine helical gears at 45-degree angles, Gurecky installed a customized multifunctional machine from DMG Mori Ellison Technologies with a hobbing tool from Heimatec.
As the competitive nature within a market increases, so does the need for increased productivity and throughput by handling the parts less. 

One way to meet this need is to accomplish more operations in one setup. Gurecky Manufacturing Services Inc. of Rosenberg, Texas, decided to enhance its manufacturing operations by purchasing a machine that could act as a regular CNC lathe and machine helical gears at the same time. 

However, a custom hobbing tool from Heimatec Inc. (Prospect Heights, Ill.) was necessary to achieve a desired 45-degree helix angle.
Picture
The cluster gear at the left features a 45-degree helix angle and two 23-degree helix angles with both left- and right-hand orientation.
Gurecky was founded in 1983. Today, the company operates out of a 43,000-square-foot facility, serving the oil, gas and energy industries. The company produces multifaceted precision parts ranging from prototypes to mass production. 

To remain competitive, Gurecky constantly invests in advanced manufacturing equipment. For example, since buying its first DMU 50 ecoline from DMG Mori (Hoffman Estates, Ill.), the company has moved production from traditional vertical machining centers (VMCs) to the more versatile five-axis DMG Mori machines.

In late 2012, Gurecky President John Dorman decided it was time to purchase a CNC machine specifically for gear hobbing. The company approached DMG Mori Ellison Technologies and decided to install its customized multifunctional NLX 2500SY/700 with the ability to hob gears. What made this particular application challenging was the fact that Gurecky needed to machine helical gears at a 45-degree angle. This was a problem because standard hobbing units only allow ±30 degrees of helix angle adjustment due to loss of rigidity.

Undaunted by the task, Heimatec said it could design a custom hobbing tool with ±45 degrees of adjustment to use in conjunction with the new machine. According to Preben Hansen, president of Heimatec, lathes and their coordinating controls are more sophisticated these days, so a dedicated hobbing machine isn’t always necessary. “As long as the machines can handle it, we can build a tool to do it.”

After a few months of testing, the tool was complete and ready to be put to work. Rigidity is the key to tackling this difficult machining operation, he says. “It’s a pretty difficult operation, and when you’re twisting that tool, there’s a lot of leverage. You have to be concerned with the rigidity of the tool. When you’re turning at 45 degrees and milling at the same time, you tend to lose rigidity,” he says.

To combat this loss, Mr. Hansen says Heimatec’s hobbing units are designed with a strong bearing structure. In turn, this structure provides the rigidity necessary to reduce backlash and increase tool life. It also increases the performance of the hobs that do the cutting, he says.

The hobbing unit can run at 3,000 rpm and provide 63 Nm of torque. “One of the things we do to help is increase the torque through a gear reduction,” Mr. Hansen says. “Many times, it’s a 1:1 ratio, and we go 2:1. So if its 3,000 rpm into the tool, the tool only rotates at 1,500 rpm. So we increase the torque output by gearing down the tool.”
To combat this loss, Mr. Hansen says Heimatec’s hobbing units are designed with a strong bearing structure. In turn, this structure provides the rigidity necessary to reduce backlash and increase tool life. It also increases the performance of the hobs that do the cutting, he says.

The hobbing unit can run at 3,000 rpm and provide 63 Nm of torque. “One of the things we do to help is increase the torque through a gear reduction,” Mr. Hansen says. “Many times, it’s a 1:1 ratio, and we go 2:1. So if its 3,000 rpm into the tool, the tool only rotates at 1,500 rpm. So we increase the torque output by gearing down the tool.”
Picture
Heimatec’s custom hobbing tool features a strong bearing structure that helps Gurecky achieve 45-degree helix angles.
Heimatec and DMG Mori Ellison Technologies set up the hobbing attachment, wrote the program code and started cutting the 45-degree helical gears in a quarter of the time that it took in the past. Completing more operations in one setup has been a major time saver for Gurecky. Previously, the part would be turned on the lathe, then taken off and set up for a secondary hobbing operation. The hobbing operation alone took one to two hours. Now, the company can machine precision parts on the CNC lathe using the custom hobbing unit in 8 to 10 minutes, start to finish. Another benefit of the single setup is that scrap has been reduced from about 10 percent to 1.6 percent, greatly improving overall efficiency and the company’s bottom line.

Along with the increased adjustment angle, Heimatec designed the custom hobbing tool to be interchangeable, which enables Gurecky to use different arbor sizes. The company can put a different kind of hob in the unit and switch to a different part fairly simply. According to the company, this feature has saved more than $200,000.
0 Comments

    Author

    Our blog section is written by several different people. Sometimes, it from our team here at Next Generation Tooling at other times it's by one of the wonderful manufacturer's we represent in California and Nevada

    View my profile on LinkedIn

    Archives

    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    October 2015
    September 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    October 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    June 2012
    April 2012
    January 2012
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    April 2011
    February 2011
    April 2009

    Categories

    All
    5 Axis
    Aerospace Composites
    Agile Manufacturing
    Allied AccuPort 432
    Allied APX
    Allied EcoCut
    Allied GEN2 T A
    Allied GEN3SYS
    Allied Machine
    Allied Opening Drill
    Allied Original T A
    AMF
    BIG Daishowa
    Big Kaiser
    Big Kaiser 318
    Big Kaiser C-Cutter Mini
    Big Kaiser EWD EVO
    Big Kaiser Mega Synchro
    Big Kaiser Smart Damper
    Big Kaiser Sporen
    Big Kaiser Unilock
    BIG PLUS
    Blue Photon
    Boring
    Boring Bars
    Boring Heads
    Boring Large Diameter
    Carmex
    CERAedge Coating
    Chamfering
    CNC Milling
    CNC Turning
    Coating AlCrN
    Coating AlTiN
    Coating CERAedge
    Coating PVD
    Coating TiAlN
    Coating TiN
    Coating WXL
    Collets
    Collets DNA
    Collets ER
    Countersinks
    Deburring
    Digital
    DMG Mori
    Drilling
    Drills Minature
    Drills Spade Type
    Earth Chain
    Efficiency
    End Mills
    End Mills Ceramic
    End Mills Minature
    Engraving Tools
    F20M10
    Fiber Reinforced
    Fifth Axis
    Fixturing
    Gibson Guitar
    Guide Bushings
    Haas Automation
    Hard Milling
    Heimatec
    Heimatec BMT
    Heimatec VDI
    Henninger
    Herringbone Cutter
    Hobbing
    Hypermill
    IMTS
    IPad
    ITunes
    Kennametal
    Lean Manufacturing
    Machining App
    MA Ford
    MA Ford 178
    MA Ford 278
    MA Ford Diacon
    MA Ford Tuffcut 138
    MA Ford Tuffcut XR7
    Magnetic Deburring
    MASA Tool
    Material 17 4
    Material 304
    Material Aerospace
    Material Aluminum
    Material Carbon Fiber
    Material CFRP
    Material Exotic Alloy
    Material Honeycomb
    Material HRSA
    Material Laminate
    Material Nomex
    Material Peek
    Material Stainless Steel
    Material Steel
    Material Titanium
    Microconic
    Microconic 5C
    Microconic F20M10
    Micromachining
    Modern Machine Shop
    Mold
    MPower
    MPower ModLoc
    MPower SpeedLoc
    MPower SpinSelect
    Next Gen Tooling
    NTK
    NTK SX7
    NTK SX9 SiALON
    OSG ADF Drill
    OSG Exopro
    OSG Exotap
    OSG HY-Pro Carb
    OSG Tap & Die
    OSG VA-3
    OSG VC-10
    Parlec
    PCD
    PCT
    PMT
    Presetter
    Reamers
    Right Angle Head
    RockLock
    Rotary Toolholders
    Router Downshear
    Router Tooling
    Router Upshear
    Set Up Reduction
    Shrink Fit
    Somta Tools
    Specials
    Speroni
    SPINner
    Step Drill
    Suzuki
    Tapping
    Technicrafts
    Techniks
    Techniks Collets
    Tecnicrafts
    Tooling Package
    Tool Presetting
    Unilock
    Vanadium HSS
    Variable Flute
    Workholding
    Workholding Milling
    Workholding Turning

    RSS Feed

Picture

About
Contact
Products

Established 1995
​

Created by Rapid Production Marketing
Next Generation Tooling
10240 Cavalletti Drive
Sacramento CA 95829
916.765.4227
© 2019 Next Generation Tooling, LLC. 
All Rights Reserved

Find us on Instagram @nextgentool

  • Home
  • About
  • Tooling
    • BIG KAISER
    • Carmex
    • Martindale Gaylee
    • NTK Cutting Tools
    • OSG Tap & Die
    • Performance Micro Tool
    • Platinum Tooling
    • Somta Tools
    • TechniksUSA
  • Workholding
    • 5th Axis
    • BIG KAISER
    • Carvesmart
    • Earth Chain
    • mPower Workholding
    • Orange Vise
  • News
  • Promotions
  • Events
  • Video
  • Technical