BEVEL

Bevel refers to an edge or surface that is not perpendicular to the face from which it is cut or joined. Beveling creates a sloped surface by removing material at an angle, and is applied to a wide range of materials, including metal, wood, glass, and stone. Beveled edges serve several purposes, such as reducing sharpness, easing assembly, improving aesthetics, or enabling better mating of parts.

In technical drawing and manufacturing, the bevel angle is the angle between the bevel surface and the reference plane. Beveling is distinct from chamfering in common usage: a chamfer is typically a short, uniform 45-degree cut at a corner, while a bevel can be any non-90-degree angle and length, depending on the application.

Bevel gear refers to a conically shaped gear set in which the pitch surfaces are conical, enabling motion transmission between intersecting shafts. Variants include straight bevel gears, spiral bevel gears, and Zerol bevel gears, used in automotive differentials, machine tools, and aviation equipment, among other applications.

Beveling is achieved with various tools and methods. In metalworking, grinders, flame or plasma cutters, and machining centers can produce beveled edges, often to prepare weld joints or deburr edges. In woodworking, routers and chisels are used to shape bevels for joints and decorative purposes. Glass and stone beveling typically employs specialized grinding wheels or belts to create a smooth, angled edge.