It is one thing to look at what gears do and how they work, but it is another thing to look deeper at how exactly gears are made and constructed. Today, that is exactly what we are going to do. Gear shaping and gear hobbing are both common ways to create gears. To look at the difference between gear shaping and gear hobbing, continue reading below.

Gear Shaping

This is a convenient and versatile method of gear cutting. Truthfully, this is one of the most popular production choices in gear manufacturing. This process is done by using a specific machine to create the teeth of the gear.

Gear Hobbing

Cutting splines, sprockets, and gear cutting, in general, is done using this process. Gear hobbing uses a special type of milling machine that allows for the teeth or splines to be progressively cut into the material by a series of cuts made by the tool this tool is called the hob.

Accuracy

There are benefits that come with each gear production. For example, the movement accuracy of gear hobbing is high. While that is not the case for gear shaping, gear shaping is more accurate in the surface finish. This is because the mechanic gear shaper is more complex. When comparing the two even further, the manufacturing process is simpler and easier to manufacture more accurately.

Productivity

In most scenarios, gear hobbing is more productive than gear shaping. This is because, in gear hobbing, there is not a large number of redundant metals. There is an instance, however, where gear shaping can compete with gear hobbing in terms of productivity. That scenario occurs when the gear is smaller in size and the teeth have a large and small-tooth width.

Looking at the accuracy and productivity allows you to better see the difference between gear shaping and gear hobbing. These two gear producing systems are alike, yet have their differences. Hopefully, this explanation gives you a better foundation to understand that.

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