In SolidWorks, making gear is a simple process. To make a gear you just need to follow a few basic steps which are as follows:
- Start by sketching three concentric circles.
- Make angles of 10,5,2.5 degrees from the center of the circles.
- Make a 3 point arc with the first point as the 2nd circle and the second point as the 3rd circle
- As soon as the above profile is complete use the mirror entity to make a closed loop.
- Now use a circular pattern with the required number of copies.
- Then trim the inner circle to make a closed loop.
- Now finally extrude the sketch to get final gear design.
Here is a short step-by-step guide
Designing gears in SolidWorks involves a few steps:
- Start a new part and create a sketch on the front plane.
- Use the “Circle” tool to create a circle of a suitable diameter for the gear.
- Use the “Smart Dimension” tool to set the diameter of the circle.
- Exit the sketch and create a new sketch on the same plane.
- Use the “Gear” tool to create the gear profile.
- Use the “Smart Dimension” tool to set the number of teeth, pitch, pressure angle, and other relevant dimensions.
- Exit the sketch and use the “Extrude” tool to create the gear.
- Use the “Circular Pattern” tool to create multiple copies of the gear with the desired spacing and number of teeth.
- Add any additional features, such as shaft holes or keyways, as needed.
Important gear design parameters
- Number of Teeth: The number of teeth on a gear is a critical parameter, as it determines the gear’s diameter and affects the gear ratio. A gear with more teeth has a larger diameter and a higher gear ratio, while a gear with fewer teeth has a smaller diameter and a lower gear ratio.
- Pitch: Pitch is the distance between two adjacent teeth in a gear. It is an important parameter as it determines the spacing of the teeth and affects how well the gears mesh together. The pitch of a gear is often specified in terms of the circular pitch or the diametral pitch.
- Pressure Angle: The pressure angle is the angle between the line of action and the tangent to the pitch circle of a gear. It determines the direction and amount of force that is transmitted between meshing gears. A common pressure angle for gears is 20 degrees, but other angles such as 14.5 or 25 degrees may be used depending on the application.
- Module: Module is a parameter used in metric gear design that describes the pitch of a gear in millimeters. It is similar to the diametral pitch used in imperial gear design but expressed in a different unit. The module is determined by dividing the pitch diameter of the gear by the number of teeth.
These parameters are all critical in determining the performance and functionality of a gear. Other important parameters include the face width, helix angle (in the case of helical gears), and the addendum and dedendum, which describe the height of the teeth above and below the pitch circle, respectively. A thorough understanding of gear design parameters is important for creating efficient, reliable gear designs.
