Cutterhead approximation machining method of line contact spiral bevel gear pairs based on controlling topological deviations

To improve the meshing performance and increase the bearing capacity and service life of spiral gear pairs, a cutterhead approximation machining method based on controlling geometric topological deviations was proposed to solve the problem where line contact spiral bevel gears with tapered teeth depth cannot be machined by cutterheads. First, a mathematical model of the line contact conjugate flank was established, and the geometric topological deviations model of the comparison between the machining tooth flank and the theoretical tooth flank was obtained. Second, the deviation of each tooth flank point was calculated by the topological differential calculus analysis. Finally, with the machining tooth flank approaching the theoretical tooth flank as the modification objective, the additional cutting motions and machining compensation parameters of cutterheads were obtained to control the machining tooth flank deviations and reduce them to the allowable deviations of the theoretical tooth flank, and the cutterhead approximation machining of line contact spiral bevel gear pairs with tapered teeth depth was realized. The contact simulation analysis and rolling test verified the correctness of the line contact conjugate flank model and the feasibility of the cutterhead approximation machining method.