Posted by Stepan on July 08, 2011 at 17:56:48:
In Reply to: gear software posted by david on June 22, 2011 at 16:21:01:
David, this is the way to go. In addition to DMG and Depo, MAZAK from KY is now offering 5-axis CNC milling machines for cutting Gleason and Klingelnberg gears. Unlike other companies like DMG or Depo from Germany, MAZAK has better customer support in the US because they are in KY. I have seen them cut really nice 2 meter Dia Gleason case hardened gears on MAZAK machines with demonstration of the nearly ideal contact pattern on rolling test. I think MAZAK is the first company in the USA that demonstrated a correct tooth contact pattern on gears cut on 5-axis CNC. DMG or Depo demonstrate cutting of a gear or a pinion but never a meshing set. Which makes me think that MAZAK used better spiral bevel modeling software. But the machine itself and a correct cutting strategy makes a big difference in success. It seems that MAZAK is currently the most promising supplier of this new spiral bevel gear CNC gear cutting technology in the US.