I have used my CNC mill with an indexer as a slotter to shape internal splines and am hoping to use the same process to prototype a gear with both external and internal helical teeth.
The slotting attachment is fixed to the headstock nose, it is rigid, cannot index/rotate. Just a ground cobalt form cutter. The part/gear would be fixed position, rotated for each tooth to be cut. With the cutter and part fixed I would use an XY arc with a linear Z move to slot away the teeth. Would it be possible to form a good helical toothform with this method or would I waste my time?
The slotting attachment is fixed to the headstock nose, it is rigid, cannot index/rotate. Just a ground cobalt form cutter. The part/gear would be fixed position, rotated for each tooth to be cut. With the cutter and part fixed I would use an XY arc with a linear Z move to slot away the teeth. Would it be possible to form a good helical toothform with this method or would I waste my time?