Patent ID: 7461441

Claim:
A device for soft machining of bevel gears, the device comprising: a receptacle for receiving a bevel gear blank; a machining arm capable of a pivotal motion around a pivot axis orthogonal to a plane defined by a horizontal axis and a vertical axis, having: at a first spindle holding a cutter head used as a bevel gear finishing tool, defining a first spindle axis, ad drivable by a slow first drive designed for larger torques around the first spindle axis, and at a second side a second spindle holding an end-milling cutter used as a gear cutting tool, defining a second spindle axis, and drivable by a fast second drive designed for smaller torques around the second spindle axis; a CNC controller, controlling the machine arm, configured: to pre-machine a predefined number of tooth gaps at an approximate position and with approximate dimensions on the bevel gear blank by directing the machining arm to pivot around the pivot axis so as to present the second spindle with the end-milling cutter toward the bevel gear blank, and then directing the second spindle drive to rotate at high speed for cutting the predefined number of tooth gaps using the end-milling cutter; to post-machine the predefined number of tooth gaps by directing the machining arm to pivot around the pivot axis so as to present the first spindle with the finishing tool toward the bevel gear blank, and then directing the first spindle drive to rotate at low speed while directing the machining arm to move so as to engage the finishing tool with the bevel gear blank for finishing the predefined number of tooth gaps using the finishing tool.