Anybody here using TurboCad for 3D drawings?

ghazzer

Senior Member
I have some detailed TurboCad 2D drawings of a part I need for a TT and I want to transpose that to 3D, then get someone to print it with a 3D printer. I have tried viewing some instructional videos on YouTube, but either the audio has been crappy or those videos did not address what I was interested in.

I am using TurboCad Deluxe 21.2, NOT the Professional version.

Just hoping that someone here can point me in the right direction to figure this out.

Thanks - - -
 
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I have some detailed TurboCad 2D drawings of a part I need for a TT and I want to transpose that to 3D, then get someone to print it with a 3D printer. I have tried viewing some instructional videos on YouTube, but either the audio has been crappy or those videos did not address what I was interested in.

I am using TurboCad Deluxe 21.2, NOT the Professional version.

Just hoping that someone here can point me in the right direction to figure this out.

Thanks - - -

You don't need a 3d drawing, you need to make a solid model of the part and export it as an STL file, which is what a 3d printer uses.
 
Do you have a recommended application for creating a solid model? The TurboCad documentation for solid modeling all seem to require the Pro or Platinum versions.
 
yeah, actually if you have a 2D drawing with all relevant views I'll make a solid model for you and the STL file.
 
Not trying to rain on anyone's parade, but it the part you are thinking about making via a 3D printer is the gear shown in the thread you linked, there are a few more things to consider.
PL-570gear-teeth.jpg

How did you get the 2D drawing? Is it an involute gear? Do you know what the pressure angle and pitch diameter need to be? Without these and other parameters being correct, the chances of it working with other gears are slim. What you drew looks like a gear, and it may well work. But it has to mesh correctly. Some good info here.
 
Not trying to rain on anyone's parade, but it the part you are thinking about making via a 3D printer is the gear shown in the thread you linked, there are a few more things to consider.
PL-570gear-teeth.jpg

How did you get the 2D drawing? Is it an involute gear? Do you know what the pressure angle and pitch diameter need to be? Without these and other parameters being correct, the chances of it working with other gears are slim. What you drew looks like a gear, and it may well work. But it has to mesh correctly. Some good info here.

All of this is very true, and very important,,,,,,,, and extremely important when making gears that drive much of a load. I do not believe that this gear, given the application, carries sufficient load to matter a lot, as long as it will mesh reasonably well.
However, for this exact reason, I did make a solid model for the OP here, but I insisted on using a DXF file of his, which is just the geometry he had already come up with. I'm very aware it does not look like the pressure angles and pitch diameter are exactly correct, but then again, given the application,,,,,,, could work. It's a fit, form, and function effort right now. If the OP can get it printed and test it, it may well prove to need modification, which is very easily done as well. It's a reverse engineering project that he is doing on a part that many could use. He has the will to do it, but didn't quite have the methodology. I have done this for many years, primarily aerospace stuff, but the method still applies, so I offered to help. I didn't tell him what he needs, only trying to help with what he wants. If it doesn't work out the 1st time I'll gladly help with a mod.
 
My eyes are now 70 years old (as of yesterday!), but I used a 10X loupe, 30X & 60X magnifiers to examine the output gear, and the gear that drives it. Some of the teeth are slightly rounded but most of them present the profile shown above. This also matches the math and calculations I have done.

The first printing has been completed and I hope to pick them(2ea) up this afternoon. Then I will perform a form/fit/function test in the original gear box. I don't have the tools/equipment to do a torsion test of the shaft, but will get it printed in a stronger material if it is a good fit.

Many thanks to Renegade for his expertise and assistance - - -
 
Here is my 1st attempt at 3D printing. The one on the right has had the support structure removed.

I think I need a printer with higher resolution.


 
Here is my 1st attempt at 3D printing. The one on the right has had the support structure removed.

I think I need a printer with higher resolution.


no doubt there,,,,,,,,, didn't you say you already have some shafts made up? I think I'd shoot for a high resolution gear and then bond it to the shaft. I have a high res model of the gear only. You really need to tighten up the tolerance also,,,,,, about .001 would work.
 
The print master at my library branch was not in today, so I will call her tomorrow. The printer there is a LulzBot Mini, but I don't know its resolution. The Main branch has a CubePro Duo, and I will call them to learn that resolution.

I uploaded the .stl file to a commercial printer on the web. I need to talk to them before ordering because their rendered image did not show the flat on the shaft. Perhaps learning the resolution of the library's printer will help with that conversation. They can print it in nylon, which would probably be strong enough.

Printing a gear and mounting it on one of the SS shafts I already have would probably work, but I cannot figure out a failsafe way to keep it from rotating on the shaft, and keep it from shifting up or down.
 
What do you think about this:



The shaded area is an arc/chord that has been added inside the center core of the gear, and matches the flat area removed from the shaft. The flat area of the shaft has been extended to meet the added plug. This should prevent the gear from turning on the shaft, and keep it at the same vertical point. The 2mm end of the shaft sits in a brass bushing in the case of the gear box and the 'bottom' hub of the plastic(?) gear turns against the bushing. The slightly raised surface on the top of the gear is held in place by a boss in the plastic lid of the gear box.
 
I'm getting a little antsy!

Tomorrow is the expected ship date and I am anxious to see how this turned out. I had two gears w/o shafts printed in two different materials and I hope that at least one will have the detail and strength to do the job.

I took a harder look at the original gear, and researched some gear "standards", and then revised some of my drawings. The disc is more likely to be 18.00mm than my 1st cut at 18.1mm. I studied the actual gear teeth with a 30X and 60X magnifier, and compared that to the geometry of gears in a couple of papers on-line. This led to some slight changes in the shape of the teeth.

I have been pouring thru some SolidWorks tutorials trying to learn enough to construct a solid model with these revisions, and have not yet received two "how to" books that I ordered. Some techniques that I have been using for years in 2D CAD are done differently in 3D CAD, and it is damn tuff to teach this old dog new tricks. I have drawn the assembly as three parts (disc, hub and plug) and am trying to learn the technique(s) of orienting and aligning them to form the final piece.

Last nite I learned about something called "mating" that may do the trick but I haven't had a chance to try it
 
TurboCad Deluxe will only do wire frame 3D, would not generate solid modules, and I wasn't ready to shell out 2½ Benjamins to upgrade to the pro version. I lucked into a 2010 student version of SolidWorks for 10% of that. It has a steep learning curve from all the 2D work I have done with Generic CADD and TurboCad.

My order from Shapeways wasn't delivered today, so I am hoping for Monday. I am probably going to start another thread here in the DIY forum.
 
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Follow-up:
I got a lot of help and education from ConradH regarding gears and profiles of the gear teeth. I used that and a super deal on fleabay to upgrade to TurboCad Pro and create a solid model of the gear and generate an .STL file. Another helpful AKer made a 3D print of the gear and ConradH has confirmed that it is a good match with the pinion gear. Now I am trying to work out some details of mating the gear to the 3mm (~0.118") shaft so that they cannot spin or slide apart.

Remember that these things are small! The 40 tooth gear is about the size of a penny. The shaft is ~1" long and the diameter is less than 1/8".
 
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