Gear finishing methods Among the following operations, which one is classified as a gear finishing process aimed at improving surface finish and slight profile accuracy after generation?

Introduction / Context:
Gear manufacturing often proceeds from roughing/generation to finishing. Generation methods produce the tooth geometry efficiently, while finishing methods enhance surface quality, noise performance, and service life.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Common gear processes: milling, hobbing, shaping (generation) versus finishing such as shaving, honing, lapping, and burnishing.
• Objective: identify which listed process is a finishing step.

Concept / Approach:
Burnishing is a cold-working finishing method using hardened rollers or gears to plastically smooth asperities, improving finish and sometimes slightly correcting minor deviations. It does not remove material like hobbing or shaping.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Classify options: shaping, milling, and hobbing → generating methods.Burnishing → finishing by plastic deformation, not chip removal.Therefore, the finishing process among the choices is burnishing.

Verification / Alternative check:
Gear finishing catalogues list burnishing alongside shaving, honing, and lapping for noise reduction and improved pitting resistance.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Shaping, milling, and hobbing are used to generate tooth form; they are not finishing operations. Broaching (E) is a generating/forming method for internal gears, not finishing.

Common Pitfalls:
Assuming any post-cutting pass is “finishing”; confusing gear shaving (material removal) with burnishing (cold work only).

Final Answer:
burnishing