Abstract: A compact high through-put gear cutting machine collects stress transmitting structure adjacent to the work piece significantly reducing the weight and cost of the machine while providing a high degree of rigidity. This structure is positioned so as not to collect hot metal chips resulting from the cutting process which are cleared through an opening in the structure to a tubular frame isolated in stress and heat from the stress structure. DC synchronous servo motors drive five of the axis slaved to the cutter axis which is an AC induction motor driven by a vector drive. A lightweight tubular frame replaces a cast iron frame traditional in such machines. A compact axis structure is obtained by eliminating a y-axis or cutter feed motor and synthesizing that motion through a relatively shallow z, y axis table.