Modelling and experiment of gear hob tooth profile error for relief grinding

Abstract

Gear hob is an important tool that is most used in gear processing. Hob accuracy directly exerts an overwhelming influence on the quality of the processed gear. Generally, the hob tooth profile accuracy is mainly determined by relief grinding process. Studies on tooth profile errors of gear hobs caused by severe friction and cutting with the high-speed rotation of the wheel during the form grinding machining of hobs are limited. Thus, a theoretical model of the tooth profile error prediction under different machining parameters was established based on the analysis of coupling influence of high temperature and high strain rate on gear hobs in the relief grinding process. The model was completed on the basis of the dynamic explicit integral finite element method of thermo-mechanical coupling. Through the prediction model, the influence of the grinding depth a_p, feed speed V_w and grinding speed V_s on the tooth profile error can be analysed. In addition, an algorithm for accurately calculate the grinding wheel axial profile by combining instantaneous envelope theory and hob normal tooth profile was proposed. The hob relief grinding experiments were carried out using the proposed grinding wheel profile algorithm. The relative error of the prediction obtained by comparing the calculation results of the prediction model with the experimental results is within 10%. Results prove the validity of the prediction model. This finding is greatly important for optimising the accuracy of hob relief grinding.