Abstract: A system and method for forming a feature on an inner surface of a gear includes a sensor for sensing the position of a feature on the gear, a cutting station having a cutting tool for forming the feature on the inner surface of the gear, and a controller. The controller is operable to determine an amount of rotation necessary to rotate either the gear or the cutting tool such that the feature on the inner surface of the gear is formed at a desired orientation relative to the feature on the outer surface of the gear.

Abstract: The invention provides an enhanced method and system for machining an array of components. A holding mechanism is provided for holding an array of components in a machining process. The holding mechanism comprises: a rigid base plate and at least one support for holding a raw material while machining, one end of each support being coupled to the rigid base plate. The holding mechanism is further provided with a secure plate movably coupled to the rigid base plate. The secure plate is provided with one or more holding parts such as double-sided tape or guiding pins for holding the raw material. The secure plate can be elevated to hold the raw material during a machining operation such as peripheral machining.

Abstract: A device for centering a work piece with respect to a centerline of a tool includes a radially-stationary component rigidly secured with respect to the tool such that the radially-stationary component and the tool are concentric. A biasing mechanism is biased away from the radially-stationary component to apply substantially equally-distributed radial force at a periphery of the work piece to thereby center the work piece with respect to the tool. A method of broaching a work piece having an inner and an outer diameter includes machining the outer diameter and then applying circumferentially-distributed radial force to the inner diameter or the outer diameter to thereby center the work piece with respect to a broach tool. After the applying step, the method includes broaching the inner diameter of the work piece using the broach tool.

Abstract: A linear broaching machine for machining rotating parts wherein a plurality of tooling carriages are mounted upon a moving chain and broach type tools are supported by the carriages wherein the tools are moved in a linear path into engagement with a rotating workpiece to remove metal from the workpiece and form an accurately sized cylindrical surface concentric to the workpiece axis of rotation. The tool carriages are spaced from each other providing non-machining access durations wherein the workpiece may be loaded or unloaded from its rotating support spindles.

Abstract: The boss of a steering wheel is serrated by setting the steering wheel on a serrating broaching machine, inserting a serrating broach into a through hole defined in the boss of the steering wheel, and then pulling the serrating broach with a broach chuck gripping the serrating broach to cut serrations on an inner surface of the through hole in the boss. The steering wheel is positioned nonrotatably in a prescribed angular orientation on the broaching machine while placing the boss on a holder of the broaching machine. Then, the serrating broach is inserted through the through hole in the boss into the holder of the broaching machine while holding the serrating broach in a prescribed angular orientation around the axis thereof with respect to the broach chuck. Finally, the serrating broach is pulled from the boss with the broach chuck gripping the serrating broach to cut serrations on the inner surface of the boss.

Abstract: A broaching machine for broaching an outer surface of a rotor of a rotor assembly which includes a support shaft projecting from opposite end faces of the rotor for supporting the rotor rotatably about its axis. The machine includes a backing plate for backing the rotor assembly such that one of the end faces of the rotor is held in contact with backing plate. The circumferential position of the rotor assembly is established by a positioning pin which extends from the backing plate, and engages a hole formed in the rotor. The machine includes a first centering device which has a center engageable with one of opposite ends of the support shaft so as to hold and center the support shaft at the one end, and a second centering device having a V-block and a retainer block which are engageable with the other end of the support shaft so as to hold and center the support shaft at the other end.

Abstract: A workpiece holder for a vertical broaching machine for broading annular workpieces is particularly useful for simultaneous broaching of two ball-bearing races in the rings of homokinetic joints. A workpiece support, rotatable relative to a baseplate about a common axis and accepting the workpiece coaxially by means of a tightening device, is nonrotatably connected to a double-ended piston which can be subjected to the action of pressure-oil, the piston being guided rotatably and axially displaceably between two end positions in a cylinder. Complementary set of teeth are provided at one end of the piston and on a facing surface, nonrotatably connected to the baseplate, these teeth being in mesh when the piston is in the first end position, thus centering the piston and holding it in a nonrotational manner.