Herringbone-like gearbox

thingiverse

This is a small experiment I made to create model gears with a unique herringbone tooth shape. The modeling process involved using FreeCAD's Involute gear and Loft functions, which yielded a result that looks great. Since it also serves as a visually appealing object to fiddle with, I decided to share it. To bring the design into reality, I employed Simplify3D to slice it, arranging both gears in one print job and the base plus two caps in another to accommodate printing them in distinct colors. The entire project printed within about two hours. The actual printing process was carried out using an Arduino Materia 101 with black and bronze 1.75mm PLA material, laid down in 0.2mm layers at a 50% infill rate for added sturdiness. Instructions Printing the design is fairly straightforward - I recommend running both gears through one print job while producing the base along with two caps via another. Afterward, align the interlocking gears (being mindful of their tooth direction) and then gently slide them into position. Once securely fitted onto their axes, check that each cap should click snugly over its respective axis without needing any form of glue to secure it. If a cap appears loose upon fitting, just place a small droplet of adhesive inside the corresponding cap's inner flat surface, followed by pressing the component into its new axis alignment. Be certain to handle the operation with care in order not to let excess adhesive run down along the axes, which could interfere with proper gear functionality.