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How a Bevel Gear Is Made

Primary process: Gear Hobbing. The full route, materials, tolerances and design tips for a bevel gear, with an indicative cost.

Gear HobbingPrimary process
MachiningFamily
8Route steps
+/-0.01mmTypical tol.

A bevel gear is primarily made by Gear Hobbing. Gear cutting (hobbing and shaping) generates gear teeth with a rotating cutter timed to the blank, then often grinds them for quality. Below is the full route to make a bevel gear, the materials it suits, the tolerances to expect and the main design points. The route is free, from the finder.

Step by step

How a bevel gear is made

The usual route, raw material to finished part. The amber step is where the bevel gear gets its basic shape.

  1. Stock

    Start from bar, plate or billet sized for the bevel gear.

  2. Gear Hobbing (roughing)

    Rough out the main shape, leaving stock on the critical surfaces.
    Tooling Medium (hob)   Tolerance tight (gear grade)   Lead 2 to 8 weeks

  3. Finish machining

    Take the finishing passes that bring the bevel gear to tolerance.
    Tooling Medium (hob)   Tolerance tight (gear grade)   Lead 2 to 8 weeks

  4. Holes and features

    Drill, ream and tap, and where needed broach splines or cut gear teeth.
    Tooling None   Tolerance ±0.05 to 0.2mm   Lead hours to days

  5. Heat treatment

    Harden and temper if the bevel gear must resist wear or load, then finish-grind.
    Tooling n/a   Tolerance can distort   Lead days

  6. Grinding

    Where the bevel gear has bearing or sealing surfaces, grind them to the tightest tolerance and finish.
    Tooling Low (wheel)   Tolerance ±0.002 to 0.02mm   Lead days

  7. Surface finish

    Anodise, plate or coat for wear and corrosion resistance.
    Tooling Low   Tolerance adds microns   Lead days

  8. Inspection

    Measure the bevel gear against the drawing, on a CMM for close work.

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Precision

Tolerances to expect

TYPICAL TOLERANCE IT CAN HOLD
+/-0.01mm typicalcoarsefine+/-1mm+/-0.1mm+/-0.01mm+/-0.005mm
Where this process typically lands. Tighter is possible with extra operations like grinding, at higher cost.
Materials

Materials for a bevel gear

GradeWhy it suits this
AISI 8620Case-hardening steel, hard skin + tough core
AISI 4140Alloy steel, strong + tough, heat-treatable
Design

Design tips

General pointers. The full design-for-manufacturing list for a bevel gear is in the dossier.

  • Gear quality over-specified. Order the real AGMA class needed.
  • Full hardening. Carburise case only.
Cost

What a bevel gear should cost

Tooth cutting, carburising and any grinding set the price.

PER-PART COST vs VOLUME
one-offat volumeVolume per order, low to highCost per part
Per-part cost drops as volume spreads tooling and setup over more parts. The exact figures for a bevel gear at your volume, in your currency, are in the dossier.
MODEL EST.
$72 to 200 per part at 1 off
A rough ballpark only. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency, with the full breakdown.
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Everything you need to quote and source it

The free route above is yours. To actually put a number on a bevel gear and buy it well:

  • Should-cost at your exact volume in 12 currencies, with the material, processing, tooling and overhead breakdown
  • Who to source from, typical MOQ and lead time, and the exact RFQ checklist to send
  • A quote checker that tells you if a supplier quote is fair, and the red flags to watch
  • The full DFM list and a ready-to-send RFQ draft
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Related

Related parts made the same way

geargear rackgear surfacegear toothpinionreduction gearsetsplined shaftspur gearworm gearworm wheel
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See also: How Gear Hobbing works and the full route for a bevel gear in the finder.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How is a bevel gear made?
A bevel gear is primarily made by gear hobbing. The route is: Stock; Gear Hobbing (roughing); Finish machining; Holes and features; Heat treatment; Grinding; Surface finish; Inspection.
What does a bevel gear cost?
It depends on size, tolerance and volume. As a rough ballpark it starts around $72 to 200 per part at 1 off and falls with quantity. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency. A model estimate, not a quote.
What material is a bevel gear made from?
Common choices are AISI 8620; AISI 4140.
What is the main process for a bevel gear?
Gear Hobbing. Precision gears, splines and sprockets.
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