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from which to print small gears, material of manufacture

One of the advantages of 3D printers is uniformity. A novice printer can easily replace any part. Moreover, he does not have to go to the store or order an item from China. He can do all the details himself. Of particular value is the printing of gears. This is the “working” unit of the device, which is most prone to breakage and wear.

Which 3d printer is suitable for printing gears?

When we talk about printers, we mean FDM machines. These are 3D printers based on the layer-by-layer plastic deposition technology. Such devices allow you to close two tasks:

1. Print broken parts. Plastic is not durable. A gear or other part may simply break or wear out.
2. Printing custom or new parts. Development of spare parts from scratch. This also includes the design of gears for a homemade 3D printer.

It is difficult to name a specific printer model for making gears. It all depends on the size of the part and the corresponding working area of ​​the machine. But one thing is for sure: the device must print with high accuracy. For such work, it is worth carrying out additional calibration of the desktop and extruder in order to avoid mass marriage during printing.

Important! The part design is usually downloaded as an STL file. Parts can be printed for personal use only, not for sale.

What materials are suitable for making a gear on a 3D printer?

Naturally, the main material is plastic. But it may differ, depending on the goals and the final strength of the finished product:

1. Nylon (PA). Sufficiently durable material. This filament is considered one of the most reliable for the manufacture of moving parts and elements. A small minus of the material: it absorbs moisture well. You should not make gears out of nylon if the printer is in a room with high humidity.
2. PETG. This type of plastic is also classified as high-strength. It is slightly inferior in characteristics to nylon. Printers appreciate it for its good sinterability of the layers, as well as for sticking to the work surface.
3. PLA and ABS. These materials compete with each other. In terms of performance, they are approximately equal. Basically, the differences relate to the training of the printer himself. Some people are used to PLA and its operating temperatures of 75°C. Others have successfully used ABS by heating the material up to 105°C.

The choice of plastic depends on the skill of the printer, his financial situation, as well as on the final purpose of using the gear. If the part is lightly loaded and rarely used in work, you can choose PLA and ABS. For stronger parts, it is better to use PETG or Nylon (PA).

Interesting! PLA is known to be biodegradable. Because of this property, some printers are wary of using this type of plastic. They believe that the part can crumble over time. It's a delusion. The spare part may decompose if an appropriate environment is created for it. Nothing will happen to her in the air.

An example of finished products

How to print a gear on a 3d printer: step-by-step instructions

The entire printing process can be divided into three important stages: design (modeling), printing itself, post-processing of the finished product. Consider the manufacture of a gear, starting with work in a slicer and ending with the final processing and lubrication of the part.

Modeling

The process of modeling is the basis. There are a few important things to keep in mind at this stage:

1. If you have downloaded the industrial gear model in STL file, it is better to modify it manually. Namely, remove all cavities and holes that may be in the project. Such measures are allowed at the factory to reduce the cost of the part. At home, it is better to make a monolithic part. So stronger.
2. For self-made parts, you need to calculate the optimal number of teeth, calculate the pressure angle. If your printer can print with high accuracy, without jambs, you can choose a larger gear ratio (number of links). This will affect the smoothness of the one-piece design where the gear will be installed. There are also rules for the pressure angle: for a part with a pressure angle of 20 degrees, the minimum number of teeth is at least 13 pieces; for a gear with a pressure angle of 25 degrees - the minimum number of teeth is at least 9things.
3. Multi-tiered gears are best broken apart in a slicer and then glued together in post-processing. In this way, the best quality of the part can be achieved.

Be prepared for the fact that the part will have to be printed several times, along the way making adjustments to the 3D model of the product.

Slicing

Printing

The advantage of layering is that it is the cheapest way to get a part. Almost any gear can be made by yourself. But here also lie their disadvantages, which must be taken into account in the printing process itself:

1. Material shrinkage. Each type of filament shrinks. You need to know it, otherwise the part will turn out to be out of size. Measure the percentage shrinkage on the test cube with a vernier caliper before printing. Add the result to the settings.
2. The gear is a very precise part. Even a small deviation of 0.01 mm can affect further work. Therefore, it is important to calibrate the platen and extruder as perfectly as possible.
3. Print defects. They must be removed before work begins. Print a test cube, preferably on 4 corners, to rule out any defects on the final product.

But printing is only half the battle. Without fail, the 3D maker is waiting for the post-processing procedure. And here, too, there are nuances.

3D printing defects

Interesting! Before printing, it is better to treat the desktop with ABS dissolved in acetone. Apply it in a thin layer. This will improve the adhesive properties of the surface. The first layer will not come off during the printing process.

Postprocessing

Perhaps one of the most important stages. It is impossible to rush here, as any oversight can lead to a defective product. Post-processing consists of several stages:

1. Removal of supports, threads, sagging with a sharp knife or scalpel. Be careful, work without haste.
2. Sanding with fine sandpaper. Removal and grinding of all irregularities, almost final processing.
3. Immerse the part in dichloroethane solution for 5-10 seconds. The liquid will penetrate into small cracks, glue and strengthen the part. This step is not necessary if you are working with a strong filament.
4. End product lubrication. Last step. Lubrication is essential in heavily loaded systems. It prolongs the life of the part, the gears work more efficiently. For these purposes, it is better to take a thick lubricant based on: silicone, lithol or polytetrafluoroethylene. Apply the substance thickly with a dry paper towel so that no dust remains on the parts. Then forcibly turn the gear several times.

Be patient. In the post-processing process, the part may crack or even break. If this happens time after time, it may be necessary to change the filament and make adjustments to the design model.

Common causes of part failure in service: tooth wear to slip, tooth breakage due to excessive loading of the assembly, shaft fracture. In rare cases, a hub or spoke breakage occurs.

Important! Do not use WD-40 on plastic parts. It's quite aggressive. It is designed to remove dirt from metal products, but not to lubricate plastic gears.