The main hard-finishing process for high-quality gears. Generating grinding uses a threaded wheel that meshes with the gear like a hob, while profile or form grinding uses a dressed wheel that matches the tooth space and indexes tooth by tooth. Grinding removes the distortion left by carburizing and allows precise tip relief and crowning, but excess heat causes grind burn.
Pinion's going to gear grinding after carburize, leave five thou a flank of stock and we'll put the crown in on the grinder.
Leave enough stock to clean up heat treat distortion on every tooth, or one tooth will show a black, unground patch.
Also heard as
- form grinding
- generating grinding
Related terms
Grind burn
Heat damage to hardened gear teeth from aggressive grinding, which softens or rehardens the surface.
Carburizing
A heat treatment that diffuses carbon into the surface of low-carbon steel gears, then quenches for a hard case.
Hard gearing
Shop term for case-hardened, ground gears, as opposed to through-hardened soft gears that are cut to finish.
Crowning
A slight barrel shape along the tooth face so contact stays centered despite misalignment and shaft deflection.