3D printing a gear box, I'm having some problems with the gears getting stuck.

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the challenges faced in building a 20:1 gearbox prototype using 3D printing. Participants explore issues related to gear engagement, potential design flaws, and the accuracy of 3D printed components.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Experimental/applied

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes the gearbox design, noting that the gears are aligned in a straight line and expressing concern that this may cause them to lock up.
  • Another participant suggests grinding a chamfer into each gear tooth to improve engagement.
  • Concerns are raised about the accuracy of 3D printing, particularly with low-cost FDM machines, and recommendations are made to adjust the feed rate and heat the build area for better results.
  • A participant mentions the use of a gear template generator from Mattias Wandel, but cautions that the resulting gear profiles may not be true involutes due to approximations made in the design.
  • Further caution is reiterated regarding Wandel's gear profiles, with a suggestion that while they may look better than standard 3D software primitives, they may not perform as well in terms of true involute geometry.
  • One participant notes that the gearbox has minimal side-to-side movement, which is typically necessary for compensating clearance, but this can lead to inefficiencies.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views regarding the design and functionality of the gearbox, with no clear consensus on the best approach to resolve the issues presented. Concerns about the accuracy of 3D printed gears and the implications of design choices remain contested.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight potential limitations in the accuracy of 3D printing and the design of gear profiles, with unresolved questions about the impact of these factors on the gearbox's performance.

dennis_n
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I'm building a simple 20:1 gearbox prototype with 2 compound gears in a row connecting to a third small gear at the end. My goal is to multiply the rotational speed of the small gear.
They are all engaged on a straight line. But for some reason they get stuck most of the time.
I'm trying to figure out what the problem may be.
I had to make the shafts part of the base of the gearbox (cause my printer doesn't print support material, and I wouldn't be able to print a gear on top of a shaft), so each gear has a hole and it spins freely around the shaft. I don't know if that is less efficient than the shaft being part of the gear. I'm not an engineer to know those kinds of details.
I'm also wondering if all the gears being on a straight line, somehow causes them to lock in place most of the time.
I was hoping someone might have an idea.
 
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The shape of the gear is key for proper entrance and exit of teeth.

1. Have you tried grinding a chamfer into each tooth?

2. 3D prints are notoriously inaccurate. especially with low cost FDM machines. play with the feed rate of your plastic. Try to get the head a close to the part as possible. If possible heat the the build area while printing. This will make the deposition more uniform.

3. Try using the free gear template generator offered by Mattias Wandel at woodgears.ca: http://woodgears.ca/gear_cutting/template.html
 
A caution about using Wandel's gear profiles. They are quite good enough for wooden gears, which is the purpose for which he markets his software, but I don't believe that they are true involutes, as far as I can tell. I have had some correspondence with him, and he is guarded about what he will reveal, but it appears that he has made some approximations that will result in something other than true involutes.
 
OldEngr63 said:
A caution about using Wandel's gear profiles... it appears that he has made some approximations that will result in something other than true involutes.

Good to know OldEngnr63...

You could always do it by hand, but Wandel's look better than the gear primitives found in most 3d software I have encountered. For a hobby project it's worth a shot.
 
The resulting gearbox has very little side to side movement. Usually you have to compensate for clearance and so doing will make an inefficient gear box whereby the gears move side to side a lot.

Regards
John
sticker printing
 

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