Method of modifying gear profiles
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorChangsheng Guo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A disclosed method utilizes virtual representations of gear profiles produced in view of accuracies and capabilities of specific machine and tool combinations to validate profile finishing parameters. The virtual representations are utilized to identify modifications needed to account for process capability and are implemented into the process to change the nominal profile utilized for producing the finished gear profiles. The resulting nominal gear profile accounts for process variations and thereby provides a more accurate and repeatable gear tooth profile.
Claims15
A method of finishing a gear tooth profile comprising:
- determining a machine accuracy in repeating gear tooth profile forming processes;
- determining an accuracy of a tool mounted to the machine for forming a desired gear tooth profile;
- generating a representation of gear tooth profiles for mating gears utilizing the determined machine accuracy and the determined tool accuracy as a virtual simulation within a computer system;
- identifying deviations from a desired gear tooth profiles at an interface between the representation of gear tooth profiles of the mating gears with the computer system;
- determining modifications to the gear tooth profile accounting for the identified deviations from the desired gear tooth profiles;
- defining machine operating parameters required to provide the desired gear tooth profiles including the determined modifications to the gear tooth profile accounting for the identified deviations from the desired gear tooth profiles;
- and
- performing finishing operations of the gear tooth profiles of at least one of the mating gears.
A computer system for generating gear profile deviations comprising:
- a first module including information defining manufacturing process capabilities to produce a desired gear tooth profile;
- a second module modeling a process of finishing mating surfaces of gear tooth profiles in view of the information defining the manufacturing process capabilities provided in the first module, the second module generating a virtual representation of a completed gear set;
- and
- a third module comparing the virtual representation of an interface between the completed gear set to a desired gear tooth profile and define deviations from the desired gear tooth profile and defining variations in the desired gear tooth profile required to produce the desired gear tooth profile in view of manufacturing process capabilities.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.