Gleason 350 GHS

The Gleason 350 GHS is a CNC gear hobbing machine engineered for high-productivity generation of spur gears, helical gears, and splined shafts with a maximum workpiece diameter of 350 mm (13.78 in). Designed and built by Gleason Corporation in Rochester, New York, the 350 GHS targets automotive driveline manufacturers, commercial vehicle gear producers, and industrial gearbox shops requiring a dependable high-speed hobbing platform capable of handling medium-batch to high-volume production schedules. The GHS designation reflects Gleason's high-speed hobbing architecture, optimized for carbide hob tooling running at elevated cutting speeds to minimize cycle times without sacrificing gear quality.

The machine features a thermally symmetric cast-iron structure with finite-element-optimized ribbing to minimize thermal drift and structural vibration during high-speed cuts. The hob spindle accommodates hobs up to 160 mm in diameter and 200 mm in length, and is driven by a direct-drive motor capable of delivering spindle speeds up to 3,000 RPM — well suited to modern carbide and HSS-PM hob grades cutting at surface speeds of 250–500 m/min on steel workpieces. The workpiece table accommodates arbor-mounted blanks and chucked shaft-type parts, with a tailstock for added rigidity on longer shaft work. Automatic hob shifting ensures even distribution of hob tooth wear across the full hob length, extending tool life significantly in production environments.

Gleason equips the 350 GHS with the SIEMENS SINUMERIK 840D sl control running Gleason's proprietary GEMS (Gleason Engineering and Manufacturing System) operator interface. GEMS simplifies job setup by allowing operators to enter gear parameters — module, number of teeth, helix angle, pressure angle, hob geometry — and automatically calculating all machine axes positions, feeds, and speeds. NC program generation is internal, meaning no external CAM system is required. Dry cutting capability, via an integrated chip conveyor and mist extraction system, is fully supported, reducing coolant costs and improving environmental compliance while maintaining cutting performance with coated carbide hobs.

The 350 GHS integrates smoothly with Gleason's broader production cell vision. The machine's loading interface supports Gleason's GP series pick-and-place automation and third-party gantry loaders, enabling lights-out production of high-volume gear families. Gleason's Smart Manufacturing connectivity allows real-time monitoring of spindle loads, hob wear status, and cycle counts via OPC-UA or MTConnect for integration into Industry 4.0 factory environments. Gear quality achievable with the 350 GHS typically reaches DIN 5–7 depending on tooling quality, workpiece material, and cutting parameters, making it appropriate for automotive transmission rough-hobbing prior to shaving or grinding, as well as finish-hobbing of gears that do not require subsequent grinding.

In the competitive CNC hobbing landscape, the 350 GHS competes with the Liebherr LC 300, Pfauter P 400 series, and Mitsubishi GE series. New 350 GHS machines are priced between $400,000 and $600,000 depending on automation level, dry-cut configuration, and software packages. The machine represents a sound investment for automotive and industrial gear producers seeking to consolidate medium-capacity hobbing operations onto a modern, well-supported platform with deep application engineering support from Gleason's global service network.