Experimental split ring/harmonic planetary drive

thingiverse

This is an experimental split ring/harmonic planetary gearbox; the input Sun gear drives the top ring which has 2 more teeth than the ring below - each revolution of the carrier (planets) will move the outer ring by 1 tooth. This setup is still experimental as suitable documentation on this type of gearing reduction cannot be found or accessed. Design considerations must take into account the planet carrier, currently omitted due to ongoing work on exact gear spacing which proves more complex than anticipated due to two different modules used to align ring diameters. Technical data for reference: Bottom (fixed) ring teeth: 56 Top (output) ring teeth: 58 Sun teeth: 24 Planet teeth: 16 Bottom ring module: 1.5mm Top ring module: 1.45mm Planet module: 1.45mm Sun module: 1.5mm Upcoming updates will include real pictures of the project, and if successful, the design will be completed and shared. Note: Designed to be mounted on NEMA23 standard motor. Update: A video of the prototype in operation has been added. The experiment turned out to be a success, but printing in PLA posed limitations due to its properties not being ideal for gear systems. Tight tolerances required minimal manual sanding and finishing. The video shows a slightly modified output ring as it was not necessary to enclose it fully for testing purposes. System functions with no visible or otherwise noticeable backlash, and operates as intended. Therefore, this experiment is now concluded, and work will begin on enclosing and releasing a fully functional and ready-to-print gearbox. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yRP8Xe_WHM