[mrcodewiz]

Would there be any interest in an application that could generate the G-Code for milling timing pulleys on a fourth axis?

I know there are some software packages out there already (I have tried them) but I wasn't real thrilled with them so I decided to write an app to help me create pulleys in a slightly different manner.

The main differentiators with the one I built are:

• End Mills are Fully Configurable
• Gear specs are Fully Configurable
• G-Code output can be tailored
• All machining can be done with a standard end-mill

The way it gets by without the use of special endmills (50 degree cutter, 40 degree cutter, etc) is that the correct Y and Z dimensions as well as the proper gear rotation angle are calculated (based off of # teeth and diameter) to place a tooth at a position where the tooth edge liesperpendicular to the X/Y axes (see image below)



Each land is first milled out at the Y0 location, then the -Y location is determined and each tooth gets the left angle cut, then same for the +Y side.

Here is a short video to give a general idea of how it works - the long boring parts have been removed.

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpJ9VtVE_4k"]YouTube - Gears[/nomedia]

Here is a still shot of one of the right tooth edges being milled:



Here is a screenshot of the application's main dialog.



And here are a couple pictures of a 16 tooth gear I milled out.





Also, here is some help documentation that I put together that explains a little more:

Help Files


I still haven't worked out all of the bugs. There are a couple more configuration options I would like to add like a different DOC for milling the tooth angles vs. the lands since they aren't full width and I need to test it out on the other pulley types (I have been doing all of my testing with .200 pulleys so far).

If there is any interest and maybe a few people are willing, I would like to give out a few copies just to have people beta test for a few weeks and help me work out the kinks.

-Kevin

[Starleper1]

Not sure if you've seen this one but it's probably the most sophisticated Gear/Pulley software I've seen. It's called Gearotic Motion I bought a seat and it's amazing what it can do for the price. Art (Creator of Mach3) is behind it all with a partner BobL I believe.

[TXFred]

What would really interest me, and get me to pay money, is a program that would generate gcode for worm gears.

I know it's a tall order, but I'd love it.

[mrcodewiz]

Not sure if you've seen this one but it's probably the most sophisticated Gear/Pulley software I've seen. It's called Gearotic Motion I bought a seat and it's amazing what it can do for the price. Art (Creator of Mach3) is behind it all with a partner BobL I believe.

I did see that and it is a cool piece of software. It just didn't do what I wanted which was to create the G-Code for a fourth axis. It may just be my CAM software but it would not be a simple matter to convert a gear DXF into something that I could cut out on my fourth axis. If I were cutting it out flat, then yes.


Edited to add: I take it back - it looks like maybe it does generate 4th axis g-code but I haven't quite figured out how it works.

[mrcodewiz]

I did see that and it is a cool piece of software. It just didn't do what I wanted which was to create the G-Code for a fourth axis. It may just be my CAM software but it would not be a simple matter to convert a gear DXF into something that I could cut out on my fourth axis. If I were cutting it out flat, then yes.


Edited to add: I take it back - it looks like maybe it does generate 4th axis g-code but I haven't quite figured out how it works.

I found a video of a fourth cutting out a large gear from the gearotic app. Very similar concept. Pretty cool. I woul guess it could do these little timing pulleys too - not sure.

[Starleper1]

It most definitely outputs 4th Axis code...

[mrcodewiz]

I went out and read up on Gearotica this morning and checked out some posts in the forums. It looks like a pretty cool app and there was mention of possibly building in a 'pulley wizard' although it looks like you can force it to create some of the timing pulleys as-is. Definitely going on my 'want' list.

[mmprestine]

Doesnt mean that you cant make your app. free for everyone.

[mrcodewiz]

I think I may just do that. I will post up an install sometime this week.

[mactec54]

mrcodewiz

I don't agree, it should not even be expected to be fee,Can you do other timing pulleys, like GT5 GT10 Etc

[mrcodewiz]

mrcodewiz

I don't agree, it should not even be expected to be fee,Can you do other timing pulleys, like GT5 GT10 Etc

It currrently (theoretically) does X, XL, MXL, T2.5, T5, and T10 although any gear that can be defined by:

pitch distance
tooth angle
tooth height
tooth width

can be added just by modifying the configuration file. As long as the tooth profile is the same as the above style it 'should' work. I say should because so far I have only cut XL pulleys.

[devers6]

I agree that just because the Gearotica program does a similar thing doesn't mean you have to give yours away. I like the idea of Gearotica, and I may ultimately buy it, but I have need for a timing gear program right away; and if it is priced right I would consider buying yours. Name your price, and you might have at least one buyer here.

[mrcodewiz]

I was thinking ultimately maybe $15 or $20 although I don't feel confident enough to charge for it right now since I haven't really tested enough gears and scenarios. If you would like to help test it out, I could send you a copy in exchange for your feedback.

[mattbesquare]

I was thinking ultimately maybe $15 or $20 although I don't feel confident enough to charge for it right now since I haven't really tested enough gears and scenarios. If you would like to help test it out, I could send you a copy in exchange for your feedback.

I have been out since this last semester stareted, but am very happy to return to this. I have spent so much money on gears it makes me cry inside....and with the parts waiting to start on macine two i would be second in line to grab an app like this.

[arizonavideo]

I say not free but low cost too.

You would be surprised on how many people will spend $19.95 on anything that will do the job.

Go for it if you have the skills.

[Starleper1]

although it looks like you can force it to create some of the timing pulleys as-is

You can do pulleys with Gearotic by manipulating the "Shift" and "Stubbing" factors. Under the library there are profiles created for XL and MXL pulleys.

[mrcodewiz]

I sent out a couple copies of the app for testing (thanks, guys). I found a few minor bugs which I had to correct first. The pitch diameter and outer diameters were not getting calculated quite right - I had to add a value to the config files for each belt profile to better calculate the value (pitch Line To Belt Tooth distance). I also added a config setting for DOC when doing the tooth angles.

[mrcodewiz]

The app is coming along. I have still been testing mainly with 200XL but those results look promising.

It was pointed out to me that MXL teeth have varying tooth angles depending on the number of teeth on the gear so the app now incorporates the ability to define pulley dimensions within ranges of tooth counts.

I cut a larger 26 tooth gear with it last night. 1.5" wide which I will cut into 2 different gears. Between my overly conservative cutting values (.008 DOC @ 6 IPM) and some unnecessary cutting paths, it took 3 hours. I have since optimized the G-Code generation to remove the dead air cuts and add rapids to return to 0 after each cut. Between that and using more ideal cutting speeds and depths, this gear should easily be down to less than an hour.

Here are a few shots of the gear I made last night. You can clearly see the tooth angles. The reason they don't currently go to the full depth of the tooth is because I am using a 1/16" cutter which is wider than the land.

[fatal-exception]

I was going to buy Georotic motion awhile back, but only need the 4th axis stuff for the odd gear I need here or there. I would be much happier with a simpler program that only does pulleys for a reasonable price. (I use way more pulleys than gears)

My buddies and I have had many conversations about selling software. There are many ways to look at it. Cheap may mean more sales, but also more headaches dealing with crabby users. Expensive may mean less sales but more skilled and devoted users. If you have a solid utility that does what you advertise it to do, I would go down the cheap road and try to grab the additional sales. Another thing to think about is that if the utility is cheap and you sell many of them, you will most likely be favored if you decide to build and sell other utilities (that rival existing utilities) because you have a customer base that knows your product.

Anyways, like I said, I would be interested in your utility when it's available.

Paul

[mrcodewiz]

I am going to sell it for around 15 or 20 dollars. I don't know if that is cheap or not but it seems pretty reasonable to me. I would have paid that for something similar if it existed.