Re: Does anyone know of some cheap gear design software ?

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, Doug Fortune <pentam@c...>
wrote:

> hawk_realm wrote:
> >
> > Hi,
> > Does anyone know of any cheap (or free) CAD gear design software ?
> > Or maybe a plug-in for 3DSMAX ?
>
> Try this page, it will generate DXF given your gear parameters
> (you'll need to convert the DXF-> gcode)
>
> http://sinfor.lcs.mit.edu:8180/pcbmill/gears
>
> cheers
> Doug Fortune
> http://www.cncKITS.com
>

This page that Doug has linked to will produce a gear for CAD and
illustration purposes only. It's in no way accurate as regards being
a true involute.
One way to check this is try to draw a gear of 14.5PA and a low
number of teeth say 12, and look at the result.
Anything below the pitch line is just a drawing, a gear of these
specs will have massive undercutting.

Monte's answer to look at Machinists Mate is also only half correct.
Although tis is a brilliant program and I use it a lot it actually
only draws sprocket teeth and not gear teeth.

The best program out there without spending mega$$$ is an old
shareware program called Geargen 1.1.
Still downloadable from many sites this will draw a very accurate
profile. After a lot of searching I still haven't found anything
better.

John S.