Interference-based technique for designing cutter flank using multiple radial infeed in gear skiving

The design of a gear skiving cutter is particularly concerned with the interference problem between cutter flank and tooth gap. In this study, we propose an interference-based technique (IBT) to help with the cutter flank design by calculating the critical interference surface, which acts as the criterion surface for cutter flank interference check and provides the guidance to the design parameter determination for an interference-free cutter flank. By applying multiple radial infeed strategy, this study shows that the interference-check for cutter flank in skiving rough or semi pass is necessary even it can obtain interference-free in the finishing pass. Specifically, the interferences primarily occur at the recess flank of gear because of the decreasing local relief angle during a single-cut. The numerical results clearly reveal the interference moments that help provide a comprehensive understanding of the interactive between cutter and tooth gap. Because the zero-level of the critical interference surface equals to the cutting edge, this method can also be used for cutting-edge profile generation based on the given tooth gap. Case studies are presented for the clarification on interference condition, interference-free flank design process and cutting-edge profile design based on the non-standard tooth gap profile.