Dry Cutting and Its Application in Gear Processing
Abstract
Dry cutting is a kind of machining technology which was widely applied in many industries. Dry cutting technology is well known technology for comprehensive use of machine tools and cutting tools, and can achieve the desired manufacturing surface and dimensional precision in the field of mass production. In this paper, the introduction about dry cutting will be focused on. And the application scenarios of dry cutting will be also discussed, especially in gear processing.
1. Introduction
Dry cutting is a kind of machining technology which does not need cutting fluid to lubricate, cool down, protect the cutting tools and workpiece from heat. It is a type of machining process that uses the force of the cutting tools to cut away the material from the surface of the workpiece. Dry cutting process can be used in many types of materials instead of only soft materials such as aluminum, copper and so on. This technology can also be used in gear processing by using gear cutting tools.
2. Application in gear processing
In gear processing, dry cutting technology is quite suitable for mass production. By using the dry cutting technology, a gear cutter’s accuracy can be improved, and the cutting force can be reduced. The dry cutting process can also avoid problems such as tool wear, heat-affected area, and residual stress which induced by heat.
Nowadays, dry cutting technology is widely used in gear cutting process. For example, dry milling cutter is widely used in CNC gear machining. This tool is usually in cylindrical shape and has multi-serrated cutting edges. The cutting speed used for gear cutting process is usually slow when compared with other cutting process. Even so, the rate of cutting fluid consumption can be greatly reduced.
During gear cutting process, the cutting strain of the tool is usually very high. As a result, fractures sometimes occur along the tool surface due to thermal fatigue. The application of dry cutting can reduce the cutting strain and reduce the rate of tool fracture.
Moreover, dry cutting has superior cutting accuracy. Gear parts can be machined within a few micrometers by using dry cutting. Also, the machining surface is relatively smooth and uniform. The cutting tool’s life on dry cutting will be extended, so it can save cost.
3. Conclusion
Dry cutting technology is a kind of efficient and advanced machining process which can be used in many fields and especially in gear cutting process. With this technology, the wear and tear of cutting tools can be reduced and cutting force is reduced, which enables to improve the accuracy and cutting speed. Moreover, dry cutting process is economical for gear processing for its lower cost, longer cutting tool life, superior surface finish and higher cutting accuracy.
