INDEXING

Meaning of Indexing:
Milling operations sometimes, require the rotation of job correct to fractions of minutes, for each groove;
slot etc., to be cut evenly on the job surface. The accuracy of spacing of teeth is very important
particularly when the work is of precision character e.g., gear teeth, shafts, cutter teeth etc.

Indexing - Indexing is an operation of dividing a periphery of a cylindrical work piece into equal number
of divisions by the help of index crank and index plate. A manual indexing head includes a hand crank.
Rotating the hand crank in turn rotates the spindle and therefore the work piece.

Indexing /Dividing head:

The operation of rotating the job through a required angle between two successive cuts is termed as
indexing. This is accomplished with the help of a milling attachment known as dividing head, which is an
accessory to the milling machine. It helps to divide the job periphery into a number of equal divisions, i.e.,
square, hexagonal octagonal, etc.

In dividing head, the first requirement is met by an index-crank and the second by the index plate. The
index-plate has a number of holes arranged concentrically, so that each circle has a number of holes
equally spaced.

The crank has an arrangement in connection with the plunger-pin, which can slide through the slot and
the crank is pivoted at the centre of a disc. This crank can be rotated about the axis and the plunger can
be fixed at any desired hole.
The rotation of crank is transmitted through a gear to the job, so that the number of complete revolutions
will result in certain revolutions of the job. The ratio of crank and the shaft on which job is mounted is 40:
1, i.e., when the index plate makes 40 revolutions, the job makes one revolution.

For quick-placing of plunger and in order to avoid the counting of holes, fixed arms (sectors) are provided
which can be set apart at any number of holes desired.

Parts Used in Indexing Mechanism

Indexing Plate – Indexing plate is a circular plate and it has equally spaced holes. There are minimum 6
holes in an indexing plate. This indexing plate is connected to a crank which is connected to a handle. This
indexing plate is stationary in Simple Indexing Mechanism and can move in Differential Indexing
Mechanism.

The following types of index-plates having the holes given against them are available.
Brown and Sharp:
Plate 1 : 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20.
Plate 2 : 21, 23, 27, 29, 31 and 33.
Plate 3 : 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 47 and 49.
Parkinson:
Plate 1 : 24, 25, 28, 30, 34, 37, 38, 39, 41, 42 and 43.
Plate 2 : 46, 47, 49, 51, 53, 54, 57, 58, 59, 62 and 66.
Cincinnati type
First Plate - 24, 25, 28, 30, 34, 37,38, 39,41,42 and 43
Second Plate- 46, 47, 49, 51, 53, 54, 57, 58, 59, 62 and 66 holes

Crank – This crank has a handle which is rotated manually and give the initial rotation to the worm shaft
and worm which transferred to the worm wheel.

Crank Pin – Crank Pin is used to lock the rotation of the crank. Crank pin is inserted into the whole of
indexing plate which is fixed and does not rotate and hence the rotation of crank is locked.

Worm Shaft – This shaft is connected with the crank and rotates with it. It connects the crank to the
worm.

Worm – Worm is connected to the crank by worm shaft. This worm is like a threaded screw. It is a
single-threaded worm. When the crank is rotated using handle this worm also rotates due to rotation of
worm shaft and a single tooth in worm wheel which is connected to the worm passes through the worm.

Worm Wheel (W.W) – The worm wheel contains teeth like gears. When all the teeth of worm wheel
passes through the worm. The worm wheel completes one rotation.

Swivel block – Mounted in base enables headstock to be tilted from 5º below horizontal to 10º beyond
vertical

Spindle - Spindle is connected with the worm wheel and rotates as the worm wheel rotates. When all
the teeth of worm wheel passes through the worm, this worm wheel completes one rotation and the
spindle connected to the worm wheel also completes one rotation. This spindle is connected to a plate
known as face plate.

Face Plate – This face plate is connected to the spindle and rotates as the spindle rotates. This face
plate is connected to the workpiece and this workpiece also rotates with this face plate.

Change Gears – These gears are used in differential indexing mechanism for rotating the indexing plate
in forward or backward direction as required. These gears are connected to the worm wheels and take
worm wheel rotation as input and output its rotation to indexing plate.

The machine formed by combination of all these parts is called indexing head.

Common Methods of Indexing:

There are five methods of indexing.

These are listed below:

(1) Direct indexing,
(2) Simple or plain indexing,
(3) Compound indexing,
(4) Differential indexing,
(5) Angular indexing.
1. Direct Indexing:
It is also named as rapid indexing. For this direct indexing plate is used which has 24 equally spaced holes
in a circle. It is possible to divide the surface of workpiece into any number of equal divisions out of 2, 3,
4, 6, 8, 12, 24 parts. These all numbers are the factors of 24.

In this case first of all worm and worm wheel is disengaged. We find number of holes by which spring
loaded pin is to be moved. If we want to divide the surface into 6 parts than number of holes by which pin
is to be moved 24 /N for 6 parts N = 6.

So number of holes  24/6 4 holes that is after completing one pair of milling whole surface of
workpiece we have to move the pin by 4 holes before next milling operation, that is to be done for 5
number of times for making hexagonal bolt.

2. Simple or Plain Indexing:

In this case, different index plates with varying number of holes are used to increase the range of
indexing. The index is fixed in position by a pin called lock pin. The spindle is then rotated by rotating the
handle which is keyed to the worm-shaft as shown in Fig. 16.61.
The following relation is used for simple indexing: T = 40/N, where T gives the number of turns or parts of
a turn through which the index crank must be rotated to obtain the required number of divisions (N) on
the job periphery.

Let us take an example of a gear blank on which 64 teeth are to be cut.

i.e., the worm is to be rotated by the handle through one complete rotation and two-third of the number
of holes of any circle.

3. Compound Indexing:
The principle of operation of compound indexing is the same as that of simple indexing, but the only
difference is that compound indexing uses two different circles of one plate and hence also sometimes
referred to as hit and trial method.

The principle of compound indexing is to obtain the required division in two stages:

(i) By rotating the crank or handle in usual way keeping the index plate fixed.

(ii) By releasing the back pin and then rotating the index plate with the handle.

For example, if a 27 teeth gear is to be cut, then T = 40/27 i.e., the rotation required for one tooth spacing
is 40/27 which may be written as 2/3 + 22/27 or 12/18 + 22/27.

So for each tooth, the worm will be rotated by 12 holes of 18 hole circle with the help of the crank and
then the index plate is rotated by 22 holes of the 27 hole circle.

4. Differential Indexing:
Available number of index plates with different hole circles, sometimes confine the range of plain
indexing. In such cases, differential indexing is found to be more suitable. Between the indexing plate and
spindle of dividing head, a certain set of the gears is incorporated extra. Dividing heads are provided with
such standard set of gears.

During the differential indexing, the index-plate is unlocked and connected to a train of gears which
receive their motion from the worm gear spindle. As the handle is turned, the index plate also turns, but
at a different rate and perhaps in the opposite direction. Differential indexing makes it possible to rotate
the work by any fraction of revolution with the usual index plates furnished with the equipment.

For making the necessary calculations and to find the change of gears to be placed between the spindle
and the worm shaft, use the following relation:

where ‘N’ is the number of divisions to be indexed and ‘A or n’ is a number slightly greater or less than N.
The relation given by equation (1) will give a gear ratio to be placed on spindle (Driver) and the work shaft
(Driven). The arrangement of gears can be in the form of simple wheel train or compound wheel train or
compound wheel train depending upon the suitability and requirements.

The difference of N and n causes the index plate to rotate itself in a proper direction relative to crank. If
(A-N) is positive, the index plate wills rotate in the direction in which crank is rotated and if (A-N) is
negative, it will rotate in opposite direction to that of crank.

5. Angular Indexing:
Instead of rotating the job through certain division on its periphery, sometimes it may be needed to
rotate the job through certain angle. Angular indexing is used for this purpose. Since the crank and spindle
ratio is 40:1 and hence when the crank moves through one revolution, the spindle or the job moves
through 1/40 of revolution, i.e., the job will revolve through an angular movement of 9°.

If it is desired to index a job by 35 degree, then the index head movement required to perform the
operation will be = (35/9) = 3(8/9) = 3 + ((8 X 3) / (9 X 3)) = 3 + (24/27), i.e., the crank must be turned three
complete revolutions plus 24 holes in the 27-holes circle.
Helical of Spiral Milling in Indexing:
One of the important indexing operations to be performed on milling machine is the helical or spiral
milling. Generation of flutes on twist drills, milling of helical and spiral gears, milling of worms and cutter,
etc. are some of the examples of this class.

In the case of helical milling, the job is rotated and side by side it is moved linearly due to movement of
table under the rotating cutter fixed in one position. This is done by connecting the worm shaft to the
milling table feed screw with the help of a set of gears. Lead of the helix depends upon the rate at which
the job is rotated with respect to table movement.

While performing helical milling, the following points must be taken into consideration:

a. The table of the milling machine must be set at an angle (equal to the helix angle) to the normal
position of the table. This is done so that when the job advances and at the same time revolves also, the
impression left by the cutter in the job will be identical to the contour of the cutter. The direction in which
the table is swiveled determines the hand of spiral.

b. There must be a proper relation between the movement of job and table.

c. The job is to be fed to the cutter by the table movement.

Lead of helical milling machine is the distance through which the table moves when the spindle of dividing
head moves through one revolution without any change in velocity ratio between the dividing head
spindle and the table feed screw.

Sometimes it is necessary to introduce change gears between the worm shaft and the table feed screw,
because when the table travels a distance equal to the lead of helix, the job must have completed one
revolution. This can be achieved by introducing change gears. The formula given below holds good for the
change gears.
Q 1. Find out the index movement required to mill a hexagonal Bolt by direct indexing. The rapid index
plate has 24 holes.

Solution: Number of holes to be moved = 24/N

=24/6=4
Therefore after machining one side of the bolt, the index plate has to move by 4 holes for the next
face to the machine.

Q 2. Set the dividing head to mill 30 teeth on spur wheel blank by simple indexing.
Solution: Index Crank movement = 40/N
= 40/30
= 4/3
= 4/3 * 7/7 =1+(7/21)

1 Full turn and 7 holes in 21 holes circle of the index plate.

Q 3. Let us make 69 divisions of workpiece circumference by indexing method. (Using

compound indexing)

Solution
Follow the steps given below:

(a) Factor the divisions to be make (69 = 3  23) N = 69.

(b) Select two hole circles at random (These are 27 and 33 in this case, both of the hole circles
should be from same plate).

(c) Subtract smaller number of holes from larger number and factor it as (33 – 27 = 6 = 2  3). 23
Milling

(d) Factor the number of turns of the crank required for one revolution of the spindle (40). Also
factorize the selected hole circles.

(e) Place the factors of N and difference above the horizontal line and factors of 40 and selected
both the hole circles below the horizontal line as given below.

Cancel the common values. 69= 23x 3

6 2x 3
40  2x 2x 2x 5
27 =3x 3 x3
33= 3 x11
 (f) If all the factors above the line are cancelled by those which are below the line, then the
selected hole circles can be used for indexing otherwise select another two hole circles.

In this case there is need to select another hole circles. Let us select 23 and 33 this time and repeat
the step 5 as indicated below.
69= 23x 3
10= 2x 5
40= 2x 2x 2x 5
22= 23x1
33= 11 x3
(Difference of hole circle values)

Encircled numbers below the line are the left out numbers after canceling the common factors. All
the factors above the horizontal line are cancelled so selected hole circles with 22 and 33 holes
can used for indexing.

(g) Following formula is used for indexing :

Following formula is used for indexing :

= 

In this formula N1 = 23 and N2 = 33 (N1 is always given smaller value out of two).

(h) Multiply all the remaining factors below the line as 2 x2x 11 =44.

The formula above will turn to = --

We will neglect the +ve sign. 1 -1

The –ve sign indicates backward movement.

Action
For indexing of 69 divisions, the indexing crank should be moved by 21 holes circle in forward
direction and then crank along with the plate are moved by 11 holes in 33 hole circle is reversed
(backward) direction.

Q 4. Let us make 57 divisions of workpiece circumference by indexing method. (Using

differential indexing) The change gears supplied with the dividing head are as follows:
24, 24, 28, 32, 40, 44, 48, 56, 64, 72, 86
The available index plate hole circles are as follows:
Plate 1: 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
Plate 2: 21, 23, 27, 29, 31, 33
 Plate 3: 37, 39, 41, 43, 47, 49
Solution

Indexing,

but there is no 57 hole circle, So select a number close to 57.

Now the selected is 56, so the Indexing,

It may be written as 5x3/7x3=15/21

Choose plate 2: 21 holes circle, have to turn 15 holes on 21-hole circle

Now Change gear selection,

There is no 5 and 7 tooth’s gear, so -5/7 can written as,

There is 40 and 56 both number of tooth gear is available in supplied change gear, so we can
select both gear.
The fraction is negative and simple gearing is to be used, the index plate rotation is
counterclockwise and two idlers must be used.

For indexing 57 divisions, a 40-tooth gear is mounted on the dividing head spindle and a 56-tooth
gear is mounted on the worm shaft.

Index idlers must be used. Plate rotation is negative and two idlers are used.

After proper gears installed, the simple indexing for 56 divisions should be followed.