Chip Geometry and Force Prediction in a Virtual Power Skiving Model

The high-speed gear cutting method known as power skiving has benefitted greatly from advances in machine design, and its increasing implementation in industry is causing the ability to plan and optimize skiving processes to become increasingly important. This report describes the methodology of obtaining force predictions in a virtual power skiving model. First, a kinematic model is developed to represent the motion of the skiving cutter in the workpiece coordinate system and to calculate the relative velocity between the workpiece and cutter. Then, a dexel-based calculation of the cutter-workpiece engagement is used to calculate uncut chip cross-sectional geometry. Finally, force vector directions are calculated, and force predictions are made. Further study into the effects of skiving kinematics on gear profile and lead error are performed using virtual gear metrology. Work has begun on the validation, improvement, and refinement of the virtual power skiving process to achieve more accurate predictions.