Page 50 - MACHINE TOOLS WORLD MARCH 2022 Digital Magazine

TECH INNOVATION #SKIVING CUTTERS

Industry-first

in-process

measurement

of skiving

cutters on

GCX Linear

A practical closed-loop solution for producing the highest quality skiving tools for EV manufacture

ith the race to meet targets for electric vehicles
(EVs) such as the International Energy Agency’s
W(IEA) Sustainable Development Scenario, which
aims to reach 245 million EVs in stock, about 30% of the market
share, by 2030; solutions for manufacturing challenges in this
growing industry are required. According to the Global Electric
Vehicle (EV) Outlook 2021 report, there were 10 million electric
cars on the world’s roads at the end of 2020, following a decade
of rapid growth. Electric car registrations increased by 41% in EVs is changing the requirements for the gear industry. Higher
2020, despite the pandemic-related worldwide downturn in engine speeds of up to 20,000 rpm mean a higher gear ratio is
car sales in which global car sales dropped 16%. Worldwide, required for efficiency. Using a planetary gear set, also known
about 370 electric car models were available in 2020, a 40% as the epicyclic gear train, the sun and planet gears are external
increase from 2019. 18 of the 20 largest Original Equipment gears assembled inside a ring gear. The external gears are
Manufacturers (OEMs), such as the BMW and GM Groups, have produced by hobbing then grinding.
committed to increasing the offer & sales of EVs. The internal ring gear is traditionally produced with shaping or
Skiving is the most efficient process for manufacturing gears broaching. However, shaping is slow, while broaching relies on
for EVs. Bringing new technology together, the GCX Linear now cumbersome tooling. Another trend, driven by the more compact
includes in-process measurement to improve the manufacturing new transmission design in EVs, is multiple gears on one shaft
process of skiving cutters significantly. Responding to that are very close to each other; due to the interference, the
the market demand, ANCA brings a complete solution for smaller ones on the shaft cannot be manufactured by hobbing.
manufacturing and sharpening skiving cutters. The GCX Linear EV’s noise emission is also a considerable concern. Gears
sets the new standard for producing the highest quality skiving for EVs need to meet even tighter tolerances - increased from
tools in carbide and HSS. Its in-process measurement with the DIN 10 to DIN 6 for internal gears. The gear industry sees
analogue probe provides an accurate closed-loop manufacturing hard skiving as a revolutionary process to produce the millions
process, an industry-first innovation. of gears needed for the new EVs. The GCX achieves tighter
tolerances ensuring accurate gears that will address the
Drive longer, drive quieter: taking gears from DIN 10 challenges of longer life and reduce noise emissions.
to DIN 6 Skiving is a continuous material removal process, combining
45% of all gear production is for vehicle transmission. The rise of the rolling motion and milling motion. While meshing with the

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