The working principle of a milling machine.
Release time：2026-01-09
I. Core Working Principle
The core of milling-based gear machining is profile replication:
1. Regarding cutting tools: Use a form gear milling cutter whose blade cross-sectional shape exactly matches the cross-sectional shape of the tooth space of the gear being machined (including the profiles of the tooth top, tooth root, and involute tooth flank).
2. Machining process: Using the milling machine’s primary motion (rotation of the milling cutter) and feed motion (movement of the worktable), first mill the full depth and width of one tooth space; then, using a dividing head, precisely rotate the workpiece by an angle corresponding to one tooth (i.e., 360°/Z, where Z is the number of teeth on the workpiece); finally, mill the next tooth space.
3. Repeat the above process until all tooth spaces have been milled, ultimately obtaining the complete gear.
II. Essential Sports and Components
1. Main motion: The high-speed rotational motion of the form gear milling cutter, which provides the cutting power—this is the fundamental motion of a milling machine.
2. Feed motion
1. Vertical feed: The worktable (or milling head) moves in the vertical direction, controlling the depth of the tooth groove (from the tooth top circle to the tooth root circle).
2. Horizontal feed: The worktable moves horizontally, enabling the milling cutter to cut along the length of the tooth groove (in the direction of the gear’s tooth width) and complete the machining of the entire tooth groove.
3. Indexing Motion: This is the key motion in gear milling, achieved by the indexing head. After each tooth space is milled, the indexing head, via gear transmission, precisely rotates the workpiece by an angle of 360°/Z, ensuring that the spacing between adjacent tooth spaces is uniform and guaranteeing the indexing accuracy of the gear.
III. Simplified Steps for the Work Process
1. Tool Selection: Based on the module m, number of teeth Z, and pressure angle α of the gear being machined, select the corresponding forming gear milling cutter. (Milling cutters with the same module are typically available in sets of 8 or 15, to accommodate gears with different numbers of teeth and minimize tooth profile errors.)
2. Clamping and Adjustment
1. The milling cutter is mounted on the milling machine’s arbor, and its position is adjusted to align it with the center of the workpiece.
2. The workpiece is mounted on the chuck of the dividing head, and its other end is securely supported by the tailstock, ensuring that the workpiece’s axis of rotation is parallel to the feed direction of the milling machine.
3. Adjust the indexing plate of the dividing head and set the indexing parameters (i.e., the angle by which the workpiece needs to rotate after milling each tooth).
3. Milling the first tooth space: Start the milling machine, with the milling cutter rotating. Use a vertical feed to mill down to the depth of the root circle of the tooth, then use a horizontal feed to mill along the width of the tooth, thereby completing the machining of the first tooth space.
4. Indexing: Stop the feed, operate the indexing head to rotate the workpiece precisely by one tooth angle, and then lock the indexing head.
5. Repeated milling: Repeat steps 3 and 4 to mill all the tooth slots one by one.
6. Inspection and Unloading: After machining is completed, remove the workpiece and inspect parameters such as the pitch diameter at the tooth top, the root diameter, the pitch circle tooth spacing, and the tooth profile.
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