AGMA 11FTM01 PDF

There are two major intentions to apply face gears in power transmissions: the advantage to be able to use a cylindrical gear as a pinion member; and particular design solutions which require a plurality of cylindrical driving members as in a propulsion system. While the automotive and truck industry conducted substantial research in the application of face gear systems in their drive trains, the results did not favor face gears versus bevel and hypoid gears. In many cases, the face gear system was found to be the less economical solution, as the manufacturing of the face gear itself was expensive. Machine tools require a special design, are not readily available, and the cutting tools have to be designed specifically for the particular face gear design. The obstacles which prevented manufacturers in the past to apply face gears were removed entirely, when a new way of forming the profile of face gear teeth, using standard bevel gear cutting and grinding machines as well as standard cutter heads was designed. The idea is based on the tools used in straight bevel gear cutting and grinding according to the CONIFLEX method, however, using a generating gear which is not flat like it is for straight bevel gears but cylindrical, resembling the mating cylindrical pinion for the particular face gear design. The complexity of modified cylindrical hobbing and shaping machines and job dependent custom tooling disappears completely with the new CONIFACE cutting and grinding process.