APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FORMING POWDER METAL GEARS

摘要

A compacted and sintered gear blank is supported for rotation about a first axis adjacent a tool supported for rotation about a second axis transverse to the first axis. The tool has a series of gear cutting teeth and an adjacent set of gear densifying portions. The gear cutting teeth of the tool are moved into engagement with the powder metal gear blank to cut gear teeth into the blank. The tool is then shifted to bring the densifying portions of the tool into engagement with the teeth and the surfaces of the teeth densified by the tool.