Where do you go when you need a custom gear machined? Your choice of shop may have a big impact on your end result.
Many CNC machine shops don’t have the technology to complete the gear on their own. They’ll use the equipment they already have on hand to machine the blanks, then outsource to a precision gear shop to cut the gear’s teeth.
But outsourcing adds one extra step to your manufacturing timeline and threatens to increase overall lead time.
To avoid unnecessary risk and delays, work with a precision gear shop that has all the right technology and expertise. At Ketchie, we handle the entire gear machining process in-house at our North Carolina facility, saving customers time and money.
Ketchie’s Custom Gear Cutting Technology
To machine gears, many shops rely exclusively on technology like CNC turning that they already have available. While this capability works well for machining blanks, it may be costly when it comes to cutting the teeth on a gear. Special shaping or broaching tools are typically required, and the expenses add up quickly.
Ketchie is different. Yes, we’re a true-blue CNC machine shop—but we’re also experts in precision gears. We have the technology to manufacture your entire gear in our shop. We machine the blanks using traditional equipment and then cut the teeth with our gear shapers.
Gear shapers allow us to accomplish what traditional machining can’t:
Internal blind hole splines. Often used in construction and rail industry applications, internal blind holes on gears are complex features to machine. A gear shaper is one of the most efficient machines that can accurately cut internal blind hole splines on these parts.
Large ring shaper work. Some of the gears we make have up to 36” diameter rings, with teeth on the inside, outside, or both. Using our gear shaper and our technical expertise, we create custom fixtures so we can complete this work in-house.
Competitive costs. Gear shapers are semi-attended machines, and having one operator run machines simultaneously creates labor efficiencies. In some cases, we can run multiple gears on the same shaper as well. We are able to pass the cost savings from these efficiencies on to our customers.
Benefits of Machining Gears In-house
The benefits of having your custom gears machined in-house at Ketchie include:
Reduced risk. Know exactly who is machining your gear from start to finish, and trust that we’re using the most precise technology.
Shorter lead time. Get your pasts faster since there’s no need to ship them out and wait on another shop’s timeline.
Efficiency. Ultimately, gear shapers are more efficient because they’re designed for cutting gears, whereas CNC turning creates gears in a less efficient, workaround setting.
Supply chain consolidation. When you work with Ketchie, you reduce risk and the number of vendors to manage, since we create the entire gear at our location.
There’s more than one way to cut a gear. But having the right technology and machinists makes all the difference when you need a quick and high-quality solution at a competitive price.
Next time you need a gear made, go to a shop that specializes in them! Request a quote from Ketchie for your custom gears.