Coordinate measuring and manufacturing spiral bevel gears

Improved manufacturing and control systems for spiral bevel gear fabrication were developed in recent years. This scientific system provides gear manufacturers the ability to control flankform geometry on bevel gears. Prior to this, gear teeth were measured and controlled using tooth contact patterning method. Because spiral bevel gear tooth geometry is not traceable to any known curve and is traceable to the system that produces it, it was necessary to work with machine tool builders in developing this new technology. Software was develop to describe the three dimensional curve of spiral bevel gear tooth form. Zeiss precision coordinate measuring systems were used to measure and control bevel gear tooth flankform using Gleason software programs.