Internal, external, spur, helical - everything is possible with the new LS 180 E gear shaping machine. This machine masters all types of gearing, including electronic helical guide and asymmetrical geometries.

Liebherr has come full circle with this machine. Last year, they introduced the LS 180 F gear shaping machine, which can, as of this year, be equipped with a new shaping head. That head has a directly driven spindle, which can perform helical movements without any additional mechanical effort. "This machine is therefore ideal for all helical gearing," highlights Torsten Schwabe, team leader in development and design of shaping machines at Liebherr-Verzahntechnik GmbH. The LS 180 E closes the gap and complements the lower end of the range of shaping machines so that all models of the shaping machines now have an electronic shaping head.

"We can offer maximum flexibility on one machine," adds Dr.-Ing Andreas Mehr from Technology Development and Consulting for Grinding and Shaping at Liebherr-Verzahntechnik GmbH. "It can machine spur and helical gears in one setting and thus shape several gear teeth out of one workpiece."

This is particularly interesting for automotive shafts, because, for example, the reverse gear must have straight teeth and the first gear must have helical teeth. "With the LS 180 E, developers can effortlessly try out different amounts of crowns - also asymmetrical - on the gear flanks for the prototype production," Mehr said.

The lead modifications can be established with the simple input of the target data in the control. The machine control panel assumes all other calculations. There is the option of a precise µ correction following machining and gear checking. For this, the operator only needs to enter the corresponding measured values in the correction window.

This machine is also well positioned in production. If a shaft was previously shaped on two machines, as described above, it can now be manufactured on one machine in one clamping. Gear development is ongoing and constantly being refined.  Manufacturers therefore need machines that respond to and support these advances, and work efficiently in spite of reduced batch sizes with increasing variants. The LS 180 E is tailored to these requirements and is suitable for prototype development as well as for series production and flexible productions of suppliers.

With a max. stroke number of up to 1500 double strokes per minute, the machine can efficiently achieve high quantity production rate. The LS 180 E can work in wet or dry mode; however, the tool is heavily loaded during dry machining which limits the performance. Furthermore, its small installation area makes integration in small factories possible. "Nowadays, gearboxes are often provided by suppliers to the automotive manufacturer. They in turn have to machine many different workpieces", states Andreas Mehr knowingly. "A flexible machine is often a better option for such operations than two machines with fewer functions." The new machine makes its debut in 2017 at EMO in Hanover.

Advantages of electronic helical guide include easily programmable modifications, excellent tooth trace quality thanks to the precise µ correction option (DIN 1 to 3) and reasonable chip formation that leads to very good profile quality (S stroke). Possible tooth trace modifications include symmetrical crowning, symmetrical taper and asymmetrical crowning and tooth alignment modifications.