A professional who sets up and operates one or more spiral-bevel gear generating machines to cut and shape spiral or hypoid teeth on metal bevel-gear blanks according to specifications, machining instructions, and knowledge of gear types and generating procedures. Respnsibilities include:

• Reads blueprint or machining instructions to determine gear type, dimensions, and number of teeth, and machine settings and cutter to be used.
• Clamps workpiece in fixture or presses it on arbor, and positions it to cutting angle.
• Positions and secures cutter on spindle in relation to workpiece, using wrenches and turning handwheels.
• Moves levers to set cutter and workpiece rotation speeds in relation to each other.
• Mounts gears, cams, or templates in machine to control indexing of workpiece and rolling motion of cutter.
• Starts machine, turns valve handle, and directs flow of coolant against cutter and workpiece.
• Verifies conformance of machined gear to specifications, using micrometers, master gears, and special gear inspection equipment.
• May compute data, such as gear dimensions and machine settings, applying knowledge of shop mathematics.
• May machine plastics or other nonmetallic materials.
• May be required to have experience with custom or production work, or with particular material, product, or size, type, or trade name of machine.