Generation grinding in bevel gear machining is a discontinuous grinding process in which machining is done tooth by tooth. The generating movement of grinding wheel and workpiece is coupled.
Infeed is done through the grinding wheel before entering the flank. During generation grinding all axes are moved, however, the grinding wheel is not infed in the sense of grinding stock.
Plunge grinding is a discontinuous grinding process in wich machining is also performed tooth by tooth. Both tooth flanks are machined simultaneously. There is a surface contact between tooth flank and grinding wheel. Due to the plunge movement of the grinding wheel in axis direction, the grit path runs in parallel to the tooth base and the surface structure runs in tooth width direction.
Grinding grooves running in parallel to the tooth base emerge. The grinding direction is from ring gear toe at the inner diameter to ring gear heel at the outer diameter, or vice versa. Only ring gears can be produced by means of plunge grinding. Pinions cannot be ground with this process due to their geometry.