Machining a race gear of a constant-velocity joint

An apparatus for finishing race grooves and lobe outer surfaces of a constant-velocity race gear centered on a gear axis, the apparatus comprising:

• a groove-machining tool;
• means for rotating the groove-machining tool about an axis;
• a surface-machining tool;
• means for rotating the surface-machining tool about an axis;
• means holding the workpiece for
• a) engaging a first groove of the race gear with the rotating groove-machining tool and relatively moving the race gear and rotating groove-machining tool arcuately to finish the first groove while holding the race gear against rotation about its gear axis;
• b) disengaging the first groove of the race gear from the rotating groove-machining tool while holding the race gear against rotation about its gear axis;
• c) rotating the race gear about its gear axis to align a second groove with the rotating groove-machining tool while engaging a first lobe outer surface with the rotating surface-machining tool to finish same;
• and
• d) repeating steps a) through c) to finish the second groove and a second lobe outer surface and so on until all the grooves and lobe outer surfaces of the race gear are finished.