Method for chamfering bevel gears

A method of chamfering at least one edge of a tooth on a bevel gear having a plurality of teeth with a rotatable chamfering cutter having a plurality of cutting blades, said method comprising:

• selecting at least one tooth edge for chamfering,
• defining said at least one tooth edge by a plurality of edge points located along said at least one tooth edge,
• determining an orientation of said chamfering cutter at each of said edge points,
• determining a path of chamfer cutter travel between each of said edge points,
• rotating said chamfer cutter and moving said chamfer cutter relative to said at least one tooth edge along said path of chamfer cutter travel to produce a desired chamfer on said at least one tooth edge, said chamfer cutter transitioning from a determined orientation at one point to a determined orientation at a successive point for all edge points along said path of chamfer cutter travel on said tooth edge,
• wherein the cutting blades of said chamfer cutter include a cutting edge and a radiused cutting tip, said chamfering of said at least one edge of a tooth being conducted by said cutting edge and wherein a cutting point of said chamfer cutter remains in a fixed position on said cutting edge,
• said method further including chamfering an edge of a root portion between successive teeth on said bevel gear, said chamfering of the root portion being conducted by the radiused cutting tip wherein the cutting point on said cutting edge is in motion along said radiused cutting tip during said chamfering of the root portion,
• wherein said method of chamfering is carried out without a teaching step.