Simple 3D Gear design software recommendation
Could anyone recommend a "Simple 3D Gear design software" please. Would like to generate and machine a couple of bevel gears for 90deg transmission. Not for a strenuous operation, just a mechanical lifter. Looked at Gearotic but that is way over the top. Hopefully open source programme is available.
Any advise appreciated.
Re: Simple 3D Gear design software recommendation
There's nothing simple about gear design, especially once you get more complicated than a basic spur gear.
Best option would be to find somebody with a copy of gearotic who's willing to produce the code you need, or just buy a couple ready made gears.
Re: Simple 3D Gear design software recommendation
m-c - Not completely unfamiliar with relatively simple gear design. Just do not want to revise and re-teach myself at this time.
But would like to experiment with a couple of things. This would totally frustrate any third party!
The bevel gear add-in for F360 produces what I want but it is a trade off between graphic presentation and real gear form. But studying this to see if it will suffice in this instance. I need to cut with a vertical axis and radial toolpath, so will not be generically correct in any case. But I will will cut a pair and see. Maybe try printing the same in nylon on a metal core.
Re: Simple 3D Gear design software recommendation
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Leadhead
m-c - Not completely unfamiliar with relatively simple gear design. Just do not want to revise and re-teach myself at this time.
But would like to experiment with a couple of things. This would totally frustrate any third party!
The bevel gear add-in for F360 produces what I want but it is a trade off between graphic presentation and real gear form. But studying this to see if it will suffice in this instance. I need to cut with a vertical axis and radial toolpath, so will not be generically correct in any case. But I will will cut a pair and see. Maybe try printing the same in nylon on a metal core.
Could you not just buy the gears off the shelf? They are not that expensive from the likes of beltingonline?
Re: Simple 3D Gear design software recommendation
George - That`s not the spirit of it?? - Jigsaw mentality - more fun to do it, than what you end up with.
Re: Simple 3D Gear design software recommendation
Any decent CAD software has a polar array function, meaning you only need draw one tooth. also it should be possible to get a tooth cross section from somewhere (I haven't looked but feel confident)
Re: Simple 3D Gear design software recommendation
I think you'd get away with a standard tooth profile, tilted so it matches the correct cone angle.
I'd have to dig out the gear design/machining book I've got buried somewhere to confirm that though.
Re: Simple 3D Gear design software recommendation
Quote:
Originally Posted by
m_c
I think you'd get away with a standard tooth profile, tilted so it matches the correct cone angle.
I'd have to dig out the gear design/machining book I've got buried somewhere to confirm that though.
Trouble is, tooth needs to scale with distance along - tooth width and gap aren't constant. There are some standard ways of getting close using a dividing head and taking three cuts per tooth space but I'm not sure how you would fully automate that.
Re: Simple 3D Gear design software recommendation
For clarity, I am aiming at a full 3D file to cut conventionally on a 3 axis CNC. With the axis vertical and if practical a radial toolpath.
I believe I am almost there with a bit of caddery-pokery. Makes one very respectful of Art Fernety and his Gearotic software.
Re: Simple 3D Gear design software recommendation
Out of interest, what kind of size/tooth count are you looking at? Tool choice would be interesting as well - small enough to get into the bottom of the tooth but still giving a decent finish?