how to make gears in onshape

Daniel Parker

3 min read

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07-02-2025

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Meta Description: Learn how to design gears in Onshape with this comprehensive guide. We cover creating spur gears, helical gears, and more, with step-by-step instructions and helpful tips for beginners and experienced CAD users. Master Onshape's gear design capabilities and boost your engineering projects! (158 characters)

Introduction: Designing Gears in Onshape

Creating gears in Onshape can seem daunting at first, but with a structured approach and understanding of the tools available, it becomes a manageable and even enjoyable process. This guide will walk you through the creation of various gear types, from simple spur gears to more complex helical gears. We'll leverage Onshape's powerful features to ensure accuracy and efficiency in your designs. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced Onshape user, this tutorial will enhance your gear design skills.

Understanding Gear Terminology

Before diving into the design process, let's familiarize ourselves with some essential gear terminology. This foundational knowledge will greatly assist you in navigating Onshape's gear creation features and understanding the parameters involved.

• Module: A fundamental gear parameter defining the size of the gear teeth. It's the ratio of the reference diameter to the number of teeth.
• Number of Teeth: The count of individual teeth on the gear. This directly influences the gear's diameter and rotational speed.
• Pressure Angle: The angle between the line of action and the common tangent to the base circles of two mating gears. Common values include 14.5 and 20 degrees.
• Pitch Diameter: The diameter of the imaginary circle on which the teeth are assumed to be located.
• Addendum: The radial distance from the pitch circle to the top of the tooth.
• Dedendum: The radial distance from the pitch circle to the bottom of the tooth.

Creating Spur Gears in Onshape

Spur gears are the simplest type of gear, with teeth parallel to the axis of rotation. Let's create one using Onshape's built-in features:

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Start a new document: Begin a new part studio in Onshape.
2. Insert a feature: Choose "Insert" > "Gear".
3. Specify parameters: Enter the desired module, number of teeth, pressure angle, and other parameters in the dialog box. Onshape provides helpful visual feedback as you adjust these values.
4. Review the preview: Before finalizing, carefully review the generated gear preview to ensure it meets your specifications.
5. Create the gear: Click "Create" to generate your spur gear.

Tips and Tricks for Spur Gear Design:

• Precise parameters: Use precise values for module and number of teeth for accurate meshing with other gears.
• Material selection: Consider the material properties for your application when designing the gear.
• Tolerance: Use appropriate tolerances to account for manufacturing variations.

Designing Helical Gears

Helical gears are more complex than spur gears, with teeth that are angled along the axis of rotation. This angled tooth design provides smoother operation and higher load-carrying capacity.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Similar to Spur Gears: The process starts similarly to creating a spur gear: Select "Insert" > "Gear".
2. Helical Parameter: You will now have an additional parameter to adjust: the helix angle. This angle determines the inclination of the teeth.
3. Hand: You can specify the hand (right or left) of the helix.

Considerations for Helical Gear Design:

• Helix Angle: Carefully choose the helix angle. A larger angle results in quieter operation but may require more axial space.
• Axial Thrust: Be mindful of the axial thrust generated by helical gears. Proper bearing selection is crucial.
• Meshing: Ensure accurate meshing with mating gears by carefully selecting parameters.

Advanced Gear Design Techniques in Onshape

Onshape offers advanced features for gear design, including:

• Gear Modification: Modify existing gears by adjusting parameters or using other editing tools.
• Custom Gear Profiles: While Onshape provides standard gear profiles, advanced users can create custom profiles for specialized applications.
• Gear Simulation: Utilize Onshape's simulation capabilities to analyze gear performance and identify potential issues.

Conclusion: Mastering Onshape's Gear Design Capabilities

Creating gears in Onshape empowers you to design efficient and reliable transmission systems. By understanding the fundamental concepts and utilizing Onshape's powerful tools, you can confidently design a wide range of gears for your engineering projects. Remember to meticulously check your parameters and leverage the simulation capabilities to optimize your designs for optimal performance and durability. This guide provides a solid foundation, but continued exploration and practice will further refine your skills in Onshape's robust gear design environment.