GearHeads Corner

Hello,

I downloaded the "demo" a while ago with the intent of purchasing this for use on upcoming projects.

The time has come to purchase and start making GT2-5mm pulleys, and I can't for the life of me figure out how Gearotic will chose to generate the Gcode.

I have a CNC mill (Taig) with rotary table (Sherline) and a CNC lathe (Taig).

I wrote a Gcode program years ago that simply drills a circular pattern (either with 3-axis or using the 4th). I would then bore a shaft hole and turn it down on the lathe to the diameter, revealing the teeth.

I was hoping to use Gearotic for several reasons, which includes more flexibility in making teeth. I'm rambling... Point: I just don't understand how the software wants me to "position" the work and in what machine.

Gary:

  The demo will show the process I think..

  For a gt2-5, you have a choice really, either you cut it in 2d , which would be fine for laser slabs that glue
together or something, or you do it on 4th axis, but be warned, since a gt2 is not an involute its a matter of selected
the parameters you figure will get you closest to the quality you want. The 4th axis does only tangental shaving,
or single pass. Personally I think the best result would be if you made a cutter in the shape of the profile ( Gearotic
puts out that profile), and then use the 4th axis workbench to make the gcode for that cut in straight line passes.

  If you use tangental, look to the simulation closely and note how much of any particular pulley is properly profiled,
and if that meets your needs or not. I do mine in a 3d printer so the STL is fine, but 4th axis on a noninvolute can be
varying levels of accuracy depending on the shape of that profile.

Art

Ok, thanks. I thought as much, I guess I was being distracted by it stating it doesn't save (because it's a demo), so I couldn't see the Gcode to figure it out.

I did make a cutter which fits the GT2 5mm profile for use in my mill with the 4th axis and my fly-cutter.

I guess I'll indicate somehow to Gearotic that I have this tool and then:

1) it will generate the 4th axis rotations for each tooth
2) it will allow me to specify the depth of each X pass with this cutter until the tooth depth is achieved?

Hi Gary:

    While it wont save , it will generate the paths and simulate it so you can see what the motions are doing. Yes, you can sepecify depth per pass, width of pass, etc..