Microfinishing shifts gears: Testing & Quality Assurance

When Profilator GmbH & Co. KG introduced Hard Scudding a few years ago, the company called the gear-making process “ground changing.” Now, the Wuppertal, Germany-based developer and manufacturer has followed up with its microfinishing process, which is designed to further improve gear making.

Microfinishing occurs after Hard Scudding and intends to make a high-quality gear even better by reducing surface roughness.

Like other finishing processes, microfinishing reduces friction. By increasing pitting resistance and thereby reducing fatigue on gear teeth, microfinishing after scudding extends gear life.

Profilator developed the microfinishing tool. Images courtesy of S. Knoy

“Microfinishing is a dry process,” said Scott Knoy, president of Profilator’s U.S. subsidiary, German Machine Tools of America Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan. “It runs without cutting fluids and does not rely on minimum quantity lubrication technology.”

A diamond-plated tool developed by Profilator is central to microfinishing. The tool allows a user to remove about 20µm of stock per flank. This amount does not substantially affect the gear geometry yet improves the quality of the surface finish.