Method and grinding machine for grinding a gear wheel workpiece

A grinding machine comprising:

• a spindle configured to receive and rotationally drive a worm grinding wheel;
• a spindle configured to receive and rotationally drive a gear wheel workpiece;
• a dressing device configured to receive and rotationally drive a dressing tool;
• a plurality of NC-controlled axes configured to execute relative movements between the worm grinding wheel and the gear wheel workpiece for grinding the gear wheel workpiece and to execute relative movements between the worm grinding wheel and the dressing tool for dressing the worm grinding wheel;
• and
• a controller operatively connectable to the grinding machine for, after dressing the worm grinding wheel, execution of an axially relative movement between the worm grinding wheel and the gear wheel workpiece in parallel or diagonally to an axis of rotation of the workpiece and a relative shift movement between the worm grinding wheel and the gear wheel workpiece in parallel to an axis of rotation of the tool;
• wherein the controller defines a variable ratio between the shift movement and the axially relative movement so that during grinding of the gear wheel workpiece after dressing of the worm grinding wheel, a different ratio is used than during grinding of the gear wheel workpiece before said dressing of the worm grinding wheel;
• and
• wherein one or more of the grinding machine or the controller is configured to define the ratio between the shift movement and the axially relative movement using an engagement density.