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CHAPTER 4

MANUFACTURING OF GEARS

4.1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter describes the manufacturing process of test gear

samples. Six categories of gears were manufactured as mentioned below:

 Solid 20MnCr5 spur gear

 Solid Cast Iron grade-35 spur gear

 Sold hylam spur gear

 Laminated spur gear (all plies 20MnCr5)

 Bimetallic spur gear (20MnCr5 + Cast Iron grade-35)

 Sandwich spur gear (20MnCr5 + Hylam)

The six categories of gears come under two types. One is solid gear
(conventional type). Hobbing process is used for producing this solid
20MnCr5, Cast Iron grade-35 and hylam gears. Another one is stacked gears
(laminated, bimetallic and sandwich gears). Blanking /stamping and other non-
conventional type machines can be used to produce stacked gear plies.
20MnCr5 sheets and hylam sheets are available in the market for the required
thickness. However, the initial investment for press tools and other special
machineries are high. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate such stacked
gear‟s performance before investing. For investigation purpose, plates were
turned, faced, drilled and then assembled using fasteners and hobbed like
conventional gears. Gear cutting details (specification) as recommended by the
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manufacturer of PTO and deviation recommended by gear quality class 9 as per

DIN 3962 are given in Table 4.1.

Table 4.1 Specification of gear set

DESCRIPTION PINION GEAR

No. of teeth 20 25
Module 3.898
Pressure angle 20º
Major diameter (mm) 87.86-0.05 107.37-0.05
Pitch circle diameter (mm) 77.96 97.45
Base circle diameter (mm) 73.25 91.573
Addendum modification (mm) 1.247 1.256
Circular arc thickness on pitch circle
7.03 7.037
(without backlash) (mm)
Backlash normal to tooth (mm) 0.15 – 0.25 0.15 – 0.25
Root circle diameter (mm) 69.85 ±0.1 89.39 ±0.1
True involute form diameter (mm) 74.9 94.5
Start of active profile (mm) 7.8 11.67
End of active profile (mm) 23.7 27.26
Centre distance (mm) 90
Profile form deviation (mm) 0.028
Profile angle deviation (mm) 0.020
Total pitch deviation (mm) 0.080
Pitch error (mm) 0.032
Tooth trace angle deviation (mm) 0.028
Concentricity deviation (mm) 0.063
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For the experimental purpose, gears are mounted using 8 teeth

splines for easy mantling and dismantling. The major diameter of the spline is
36.5 mm and minor diameter is 32.1 mm having ah width of 6 mm. Spacers
made from mild steel are used to arrest the axial movement of gears.

4.2 MANUFACTURING OF SOLID SPUR GEARS

The manufacturing process of solid (conventional) spur gear is

shown in Figure 4.1.

Figure 4.1 Flowchart of solid gear manufacturing process

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Figure 4.2 20MnCr5 gear Figure 4.3 Cast iron grade-35 gear

Figure 4.4 Hylam gear

Raw materials (bar) of 20MnCr5, Cast Iron grade 35, Hylam were
purchased for the nearest dimension, sliced using metal cutting machine saw
for 25 mm thickness, turned to 87.86 mm diameter and faced to 20 mm
thickness. The produced gear blank with required dimension is machined using
gear generation process (Hobbing). Shaving process is used for the finishing of
gear teeth. As a final stage inspection of finished gear was carried out. The
manufactured solid 20MnCr5 spur gear is shown in Figure 4.2, Cast Iron
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Grade-35 spur gear is shown in Figure 4.3 and Hylam Spur Gear is shown in
Figure 4.4 all the gears are of quality class of 9.

4.3 MANUFACTURING OF LAMINATED SPUR GEAR

For the manufacturing of laminated spur gear, the raw material was
turned to 87.86 mm diameter and then sliced carefully for every 6 mm
perpendicular to the centre axis of the bar.

Figure 4.5 Flowchart of stacked gear manufacturing process

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Figure 4.6 Stacked gear blank plies

Each slice (plies) was then faced to 4 mm using a centre lathe.

Provision for holding 3 mm thickness work piece was made on the lathe chuck.
The process involved in manufacturing of laminated spur gear is shown in
Figure 4.5.

To make a gear blank of 20 mm face width, 5 plies of 4 mm

thickness were assembled using 3 sets of bolts and nuts. Specification of bolt
and nut is shown in Table 4.2, to precisely align and to arrest relative motion
between each plies, two dowel pins were used. The specification of dowel pin
is shown in Table 4.3.

Table 4.2 Bolt and nut specification

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Table 4.3 Dowel pin specification

Fasteners were arranged in the diameter of 51 mm by which it will

not be disturbed by keyways or splines. Figure 4.7 shows how plies were
assembled and hobbed to get the laminated gear.

Figure 4.7 Transformation of plies in to gear

Two supports (Figure 4.8) were used to mount the assembled gear
blank (stacked assembly) in the gear hobbing machine for teeth cutting.

Figure 4.8 Supports for stacked gear blank

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Figure 4.9 Assembled plies with support

These supports were useful for seating the stacked gear with good
grip. Spaces were provided in the supports for the bolt head and the nut (Figure
4.9). Manufactured laminated spur gear with 5 plies is shown in
Figure 4.10.

Figure 4.10 Manufactured laminated gear

4.4 MANUFACTURING OF BIMETALLIC SPUR GEAR

Since cast iron will not be available for the required thickness. CI -
35 (Cast iron Grade-35) plates to be manufactured from the nearest standard
dimension piece available in the market. The raw material (20MnCr5 and Cast
Iron grade 35 bars) was turned to 87.86 mm diameter and then sliced carefully
for every 6 mm perpendicular to the centre axis of the bar. Each slice (plies)
was then faced to 4 mm.
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Here, to get a gear blank of 20 mm face width, plies are assembled

in the manner where, ply number 1, 3 and 5 are 20MnCr5 and ply number 2
and 4 are Cast Iron grade-35 (Figure 4.11).

Figure 4.11 Bimetallic gear – assembly details

Figure 4.12 Bimetallic gear

The disadvantage of this type of gear is that, Cast Iron plies cannot
be manufactured using press working operation because of its mechanical and
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physical property. However, cast iron has good machining property so, it can
be manufactured using normal lathe operation. Except the order of assembly of
plies the manufacturing process is similar to laminated gears.
The manufactured bimetallic gear is shown in Figure 4.12.

4.5 MANUFACTURING OF SANDWICH SPUR GEAR

In sandwich gear hylam plies were sandwiched by 20MnCr5 plies.

Hylam materials are available in both sheet and bar type in the market.
The manufactured sandwich gear is shown in Figure 4.13.

Figure 4.13 Sandwich spur gear

Average weight of single hylam gear ply of 4 mm thickness is

18.3 g. The manufacturing process is similar to bimetallic spur gear where cast
iron plies was replaced with hylam plies.
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4.6 WEIGHT MEASUREMENT OF MANUFACTURED GEARS

Weight of each manufactured gears is listed in Table 4.4.

The average weight of 5 samples of each gear / ply was measured.

Table 4.4 Weight of manufactured gears

S.No. Description Average Weight (g)

1 20MnCr5 solid spur gear 621.34

2 Cast Iron Grade 35 spur gear 542.35

3 Hylam spur gear 96.64

4 Laminated spur gear 655.11

5 Bimetallic spur gear 624.45

6 Sandwich spur gear 443.6

From the weight measurement it was inferred that, the average

weight of a single ply of 20MnCr5 is 123.94 g. The average weight of cast iron
grade-35 ply is 108.63 g and for hylam ply the average weight is 18.34 g. The
weight shows that the average weight of hylam ply is 85.20% less when
compared to 20MnCr5 ply. Figure 4.14 shows the samples taken for weight
measurement.
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Figure 4.14 Samples for weight measurement

4.7 INSPECTION

After the manufacturing of the above said gear samples, each gear
sample was subjected for the following geometrical inspection and found to be
satisfied.

Figure 4.15 Parkinson gear tester

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Using the profile projector the manufactured gear tooth‟s image was
matched to the master image with the aid of transparent sheet. Magnification
level of X20 was made in the profile projector for inspection as discussed in
Chapter 6.

Then the gears were tested in Parkinson gear roll tester, which is
shown in Figure 4.15. The accuracy of this tester is ± 0.001 mm.
The master/standard gear was fixed on the fixed spindle and the gear to be
tested is fixed on the sliding carriage spindle. Both the gears were maintained
in mesh with spring pressure. They were allowed to rotate freely without
clearance. Then the gears were rotated and deviation is indicated in dial
indicator. The results of gear samples are within the manufacturer tolerance,
and it is fully satisfied. Manufactured gear samples were then allowed for
experimental investigation.

4.8 CONCLUSION

The manufacturing method of each gear is discussed in this chapter.

All the test gear samples were manufactured under the AGMA quality grade 9.
Gear tooth was produced by a gear generation process (hobbing) followed by
gear shaving process. It was also observed that, the average weight of sandwich
spur gear is 443.6 g and it is 28.6% less when compared with 20MnCr5 gear.
All the manufactured gears were subjected to inspection and the selected gears
were allowed for experimental investigation.