Page 123 - Gear Technology Solutions

next section will show how top, and root can be relieved by preserving a conjugate
profile center.

®
Figure 9: Contact analysis of Coniflex Pro gearset without crowning

®
9.5 Principle of Coniflex Pro Profile Generation

®
The Coniflex flank profile generation is directly analog to the profile generation of
®
cylindrical gears. One side of the Coniflex cutter represents one side of the
trapezoidal slot channel of a slot from the generating gear (see Figure 10, left
graphic). While the channel rotates around the generating gear axis, the work gear
rotates around its axis, connected to the generating gear rotation by the ratio of
roll. This process produces, in profile direction, the direct analog to the cylindrical
gear involute. The slot depth is proportional to the pitch diameter which increases
along the pitch cone from toe to heel [5]. The configuration in Figure 10 is
®
consistent with the Coniflex Pro pitch line generation, when the root angle of the
basic settings is identical to the pitch angle of the straight bevel gear. This also
means that the straight bevel gear generated in the left side graphic of Figure 10
will be conjugate after the process.

In the center graphic in Figure 10, the plain side of the wheel is generating the
flank surface analog to the left side graphic. The wheel has line contact with the
®
involute flank surface at any time of the generating process. The Coniflex
principle of a rotating plane generating the flank profile without any oscillation or
stroke motion revolutionized the manufacturing of straight bevel gears in the
1940’s. The cutting time of an average straight bevel gear was reduced to less
than 10% of other processes which required a complete stroke motion for each
generating flat. The side effect of this process is the fact that the plane is in a
circle. The radius of the circle produces a root line which is circular instead of
straight (see DDepth in Figure 10, center). A cutter radius should be selected such
that the face width of the parts to be machined does not exceed 40% of the cutter

108