Nidec Machine Tool Corporation recently developed the "SE25FR Plus," a gear shaping machine dedicated to making high-precision small-module gears used in robots. (Note: Module (m) is a unit representing the size of a gear tooth. It is derived by dividing the diameter (mm) of the pitch circle by the number of teeth.) The company simultaneously developed a small-module cutting tool specifically for the new gear shaping machine. By providing this dual support in high-precision gear cutting machines and cutting tools from a single source, Nidec Machine Tool responds to the need for reduction gears of increasingly higher precision in the expanding global robot market.
![SE25FR_n_web.jpg](/ext/resources/2022/06/30/SE25FR_n_web.jpg)
Nidec Machine Tool launched its "FR Series"—the name is derived from “Fine Pitch Reducer for Robot.” Its development was undertaken in response to market expansion for industrial and life-support robots in recent years, which led to a sharp rise in demand for the high-precision small-module gears inside the precision reduction gears used in robot joints. The new SE25FR Plus is a high-end model developed especially for shaping strain wave gears, which require high precision. Strain wave gears are mechanical devices that utilize the variance between elliptical and circular movements to reduce and output dynamic rotation speed. Outstanding rotation precision has been achieved through the adoption of ultra-high-precision bearings and direct-drive motors in the two core components: the work table and the cutter head. Direct-drive motors drive their target utilizing torque from the motor directly, without passing through a gearbox or other intermediary mechanism; this enables suppression of wear on parts and driving loss due to friction, etc. This provides gear cutting precision of ISO class 3, enabling cutting precision higher than the model SE25FR, which is of ISO class 6.
The small-module cutting tool to be launched together with the SE25FR Plus features a newly developed dedicated tool material and a special coating, "MightyShield μ" for micromachining. The tool material incorporates carbide particles offering improved toughness and wear resistance, while the new coating produces a uniform thin film below 2 micrometers (μm) thick that has no impact on tool shape error. The result is outstanding shaping even with difficult-to-cut materials, and the ability to achieve gear shapes down to the submicron level. Furthermore, Nidec Machine Tool provides one-stop support in gear cutting machines and cutting tools, from the prototype development stage through mass production.
Nidec Machine Tool possesses comprehensive proposal capability—encompassing not only its high-precision gear cutting machines but also all aspects relating to gear cutting, skiving, and grinding, including automated systems. Going forward, as a leading producer of gear-cutting machines to support not only the manufacturing industry but also the market for robots, which are increasingly adopted in the healthcare and service industries, Nidec Machine Tool will continue to lead the way in monozukuri: the traditional Japanese concept of craftsmanship.
Specifications of the New SE25FR Plus Gear Shaping Machine
SE25FR Plus | |
Max. workpiece diameter | 250 mm |
Max. cutting module | 1.25 mm |
Max. gear width | 60 mm |
Spindle stroke speed | 180 to 1,800 str/min |
![shaper cutter](/ext/resources/2022/06/30/rc-upload-1656603312983-1.png)