The cooperation between HORN and DMG MORI allows the economical machining of gears. The continuous further development of HORN tool systems in combination with DMG MORI gearMILL software enables the user to productively manufacture gear components on universal machining centres with standard tools. The cost-effectiveness is evident with individual parts and prototypes and extends to the production of high-quality gear geometries in small and medium series.

With the gearMILL software, machine tool manufacturer DMG MORI has taken a decisive step in the economical production of gear components on universal machining centres. The software enables the calculation of different gear geometries and subsequent generation of the milling paths. This applies to spur, straight, helical and herringbone gears, worm gears, different bevel gears such as Klingelnberg cyclo-palloid and other gear geometries.

Standard tools and software set standards

Tools from the HORN standard range are used for gear cutting. These include end mills, ball nose cutters, torus end mills, side milling cutters and conical end mills. "Theoretically there is no limit to the module but in practice HORN mainly limits itself to gears up to module 30. However, more important than the specific module size is that gearMILL enables universal 5-axis machining centres to produce highly complex gears. The economic effect is enormous. On universal machining centres, it is possible to machine a raw part geometry first and then finish the gear in the same clamping for one-off production, prototyping or small to medium series production. This is a great economic and time advantage compared to conventional machining on expensive gear cutting machines," explains Joachim Hornung, Key Account Manager at HORN. The use of standard tools for gear cutting offers the user fast turnaround, lower tool costs compared to special gear cutting tools and flexibility due to the rapid availability of the HORN tool systems.

In close partnership over many years, HORN and DMG MORI have been cultivating further developments in the field of general machining technology. Increasing customer benefits, saving costs, reducing process times, increasing process reliability, reducing lead-times and, above all, using standard tool solutions universally were the common goals from the very beginning. The successful implementations in the market speak for themselves. High feed milling proved to be particularly advantageous. In recent years, HORN has placed special emphasis on this technology and developed an extensive standard tool programme. The wide range of high feed milling cutters, for example for near-net-shape roughing of gears, extends from cutter heads of the DAH system, solid carbide replaceable heads of the DG series to the solid carbide range of the DS series. The carbide grades specially developed by HORN are characterised by long tool life due to their high toughness and wear resistance. This also applies to the milling cutters for finishing tooth flanks, for example, special geometries and replaceable heads based on the DG system. The main advantage: high stability even with small modules. The rigid conical tool geometry requires only minor compensating movements of the machine. Even the root circle radius can be created with the same tool.

Accelerated manufacturing processes

The various milling cutters in HORN's standard programme comprehensively cover the demanding production of different gear geometries. In conjunction with gearMILL control software developed by DMG MORI, this results in flexible, fast and particularly economical machining of high-precision gear contours of any geometry on universal machining centres for production of prototypes and small to medium batches. Inflexible and expensive production using special gear cutting machines and tools can thus be replaced by accelerated manufacturing processes.