INTRODUCTION: One of the authors (WH) owns an industrial gear hobbing machine made by Alfred Gauthier GMBH of Germany, dating to 1952 (Photo 1). Gears are cut using a gear hob, which is a screw-like structure with axial slots to give it a cutting capability. The hob is mounted on a "hob spindle" and rotates at a rate of 100-300 RPM, depending on the material being machined. The gear blank is mounted in a "work spindle" and positioned at right angles to the hob, as shown in Photo 2.
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