A Simulation-Based Error Analysis Approach for the Crown Gear Hobbing Process

Face gears are increasingly used in compact precision assemblies, yet systematic knowledge about how manufacturing errors propagate into functional deviations remains limited. In particular, the kinematics of the hobbing process for face gears differs fundamentally from established processes for cylindrical gears, resulting in complex sensitivity patterns with respect to tool positioning, machine errors, and process parameter variations. This paper presents a kinematics-based simulation framework to analyze the influence of characteristic error sources in the hobbing process on the resulting crown-gear geometry. The approach models the full engagement between the virtual hob and workpiece and allows the systematic introduction of geometric and kinematic deviations, such as tool runout, axial and radial misalignments, pitch errors, and spindle-related perturbations. The resulting gear topographies are evaluated with geometry-based metrics relevant for micro-scale applications to characterize their impact on flank shape, symmetry, and tooth-space formation. The results provide qualitative insights into which error mechanisms most strongly affect the geometric features of face gears and under which conditions these sensitivities become critical.