Gear hobbing has been an integral part of gear making. Whereas milling would be used to produce the basic gear shape, gear hobbing performs the much more intricate task of shaping the gear. Various facets of gear teeth emerge once hobbing is complete, including its thickness, profile and addendum.

Gear hobbing is used in the making of virtually all types of gears, splines and sprockets.

Speaking in very general terms, gear hobbing is used to impart accuracy. But with the advent of CNC machining and the handing over of control from the human hand to the digital interface, gear hobbing has been seen to take a bit of a back seat with regards to its importance. With CNC, machines have been able to produce gears and splines of sufficient accuracy post just one cut, such that gear hobbing is not always required. In fact, one may say, hobbing is becoming a relatively niche choice.

In this article we look at why gear hobbing was so important, and why it may remain part of the gear making process for some time to come.

• Accuracy – Gear hobbing is a must-do process for gears that must adhere to tight tolerances or must meet their specifications closely.
   
• Versatility – Gear hobbing can be used to create various tools which re not gears. As long as the hob is of the correct specification, it can be used to create splined shafts and more.
   
• Speed – Gear hobbing is a relatively faster process than other methods. Moreover, multiple gears can be cut simultaneously.
   
• Options – Gear hobbing machines and tools come in a number of configurations. Regardless of the application and the type of gear to be cut, a gear hobbing machine can be found or be custom-configured to suit the need.

True Gear manufactures a complete selection of splined shafts, external and internal gears, and internal splines. All gears and spline shafts undergo a thorough quality inspection process and our gears and splines can be customized to meet your volume and size requirements.

At True Gear we invest in our machinery and our people. From the latest CNC machines to regular training means we are able to offer the highest quality gears time after time, and exceed client expectation.