Gear Making Machines Designed for Robotics Industry
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Machine Tool launches FR series of precise, efficient hobbing and gear shaping machines.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Machine Tool, a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, has developed new models of hobbing and gear shaping machines to respond to need for precise, efficient manufacturing of strain wave gears and other precision reduction gears for robots.
The line includes a hobbing machine that is designed to create external gears and a shaping machine to make the internal gear. In contrast with conventional mass-production gears typically used in the automotive industry, which have modules (gear tooth sizes) of 1 to 4 and accuracy requirements of ISO class 8 or 9, gears for robots require greater precision, with modules of 1 or below and an ISO class of 3 to 6. The FR series was specifically designed to meet these demands.
These machines use direct-drive motors for both the main spindle to which the cutting tool (hob) is attached and the worktable spindle holding the workpiece, along with advanced control technology. By limiting the machine tool error to the greatest extent possible, this system is said to achieve a pitch error of 1 micrometer. Fast cutting speeds with rpm ranging to 8,000 is said to shorten processing time by as much as a third, contributing to greater productivity.
Related Content
-
6 Machine Shop Essentials to Stay Competitive
If you want to streamline production and be competitive in the industry, you will need far more than a standard three-axis CNC mill or two-axis CNC lathe and a few measuring tools.
-
Volumetric Accuracy Is Key to Machining James Webb Telescope
To meet the extreme tolerance of the telescope’s beryllium mirrors, the manufacturer had to rely on stable horizontal machining centers with a high degree of consistency volumetric accuracy.
-
Quick-Change Tool Heads Reduce Setup on Swiss-Type Turning Centers
This new quick-change tooling system enables shops to get more production from their Swiss turning centers through reduced tool setup time and matches the performance of a solid tool.