All cutting and machining operations produce some type of burr or leave sharp edges on metal components. These unwanted byproducts are especially troublesome when producing precision components such as gears. The burrs can loosen from the gear - either during assembly or later when the gear is in operation - and damage components or lead to critical part failure.

Deburring or chamfering of gear teeth is gaining attention in practical settings. And with a view to make the production sequence as efficient as possible, it is becoming increasingly important to be able to implement the deburring tasks directly on the cutting machine after spiral cutting.

The latest technological solutions help keep chamfering and deburring operations in-line -- often without increasing cycle times.

Chamfering and deburring have been described as "unloved," a "necessary evil" and, in fact - "dead." After all, manual deburring is still common in many shops.

Chamfering and deburring of cylindrical gears does not get much love from manufacturers. The process is seen as a necessary evil since it is adding cost without adding value. However, there are good reasons for not underrating this important auxiliary process. Chamfering and deburring takes care of several issues which may come up during the manufacture of quality gears.

The objective, according to Dr.- Ing. Hansjörg Geiser, head of development and design for gear machines at Liebherr, was to develop and design a combined turning and hobbing machine in which turning, drilling and hobbing work could be carried out in the same clamping arrangement as the hobbing of the gearings and the subsequent chamfering and deburring processes.

Banyan Technologies introduces a robotic chamfering device suitable for deburring, chamfering and radiusing the edges of slew bearing ring gears.

Compass Automation unveiled its Robotic Deburring System at Gear Expo 2009.

This report presents some interim results from an ongoing project being performed by INFAC, the Instrumented Factory for Gears. The purposes of this initial phase of the project were to demonstrate the feasibility of robotic automated deburring of aerospace gears, and to develop a research agenda for future work in that area.