Apparatus and method for inspecting and/or measuring gear wheels

A method comprising:

• chucking a gear wheel workpiece in an apparatus, the apparatus comprising
• a first spindle including a chuck adapted to fasten thereon and rotationally drive a gear wheel workpiece;
• a rotational drive adapted to rotationally drive the gear wheel workpiece when it is fastened on the first spindle;
• a measurement device configured to obtain geometric data of, a position of, a structural characteristic of and/or a noise characteristic of the gear wheel workpiece when it is fastened on the first spindle;
• wherein the rotational drive is adapted to
• rotationally drive the first spindle with the gear wheel workpiece fastened thereon during a measurement/inspection phase at a first rotational velocity, while the measurement device obtains geometric data of, a position of, a structural characteristic of and/or a noise characteristic of the gear wheel workpiece, and
• rotationally drive the first spindle with the gear wheel workpiece fastened thereon at a second rotational velocity that is greater than the first rotational velocity during a spinning phase adapted to spin off liquid that at least partially wets and/or adheres to the gear wheel workpiece;
• wherein the chucking step includes chucking the gear wheel workpiece in the chuck;
• obtaining geometric data of, a position of, a structural characteristic of and/or a noise characteristic of the gear wheel workpiece;
• and
• performing a spinning phase including spinning the gear wheel workpiece before and/or after the obtaining step, thereby spinning liquid off of the gear wheel workpiece;
• wherein the method includes performing the obtaining step and the spinning step without re-chucking the gear wheel workpiece.