Gear manufacturing can take a variety of forms, since there are many materials and processes that can be used, and many types of gears that can ultimately be produced. Gear hobbing is just one important process you should know about.
Hobbing is a way to cut and shape gears, used with a specialized type of milling machine. The cutting tool itself, called a hob, generates the teeth in gears and splines. But there are some things you should know about the process before you place your next gear order:
- It’s fast. Gear hobbing is one of the fastest processes available for making gears. The machine is relatively simple, and for complex gears, a rough cut can speed up the process even further. In some cases, gears can be stacked in multiple units, so the machine can hob them all at once.
- It’s accurate. Hobbing requires special machines and expertise, and it produces very accurate gears.
- Multiple hobbing machines exist. There isn’t a single type of “hob” or hobbing machine—there are multiple variations for different applications.
- It’s highly practical. Hobbing doesn’t just exist for spur gears—depending on the type of hobbing machine being used, hobbing itself can be used to create cycloid gears, helical gears, involute gears, worm gears, ratchets, splines, and sprockets.
- Shaping exists for internal gears. Hobbing can’t be applied to internal gears, where the teeth face inward instead of outward—but there is a highly similar process, called shaping, which can be used instead.
Are you ready to place a gear order? Are you interested in learning about the other processes we use to make your gears? Contact Federal Gear today!