How to dynamically create 3D formed threads for 3D printing and control the tolerances.

[Ex Machina]

So, this is the video I shared in another thread here on the forums. I'm reposting it here so it is easier to find. It's about creating a "custom tool" to make 3D threads quickly and easily using the Dynamic Parts Library of Alibre.

In his video, you will see how to design, make into a dynamic library part, and use a "Boolean Threading Die" to create external threads quickly, even with exact tolerance control. The way this works is, every time you need an external thread you can generate the appropriate size, locate the generated part correctly around the shaft to be threaded, and Boolean subtract it. It's a bit of a long one but I hope you enjoy it and let me know if you need more help with making the design or defining the library parameters. Also, let me, and other readers of this thread, know if you have found some way to make this even better and more useful.

 

[DavidJ]

To work with degrees, rather than include the 2*Pi/360 in equation, you can separately set the angle

angle = 30deg (or 30° )

The you can use cos(angle) in your calculations. Unfortunately, you have to do this in 2 steps - trying cos(30deg) directly will not work.

 

[Ex Machina]

To work with degrees, rather than include the 2*Pi/360 in equation, you can separately set the angle

angle = 30deg (or 30° )

The you can use cos(angle) in your calculations. Unfortunately, you have to do this in 2 steps - trying cos(30deg) directly will not work.

That's also true. Yup. Cool idea. I admit I didn't think about doing that.

But I think that showing the conversion also has its value. Someone might use it in excel for example, lol.

P.S. Actually having a separate variable for the angle value might make it easier to incorporate 55degree Whitworth threads to this method.

 

[kritoke]

He has a lot of good videos, him and Joko are my go to videos and now the Alibre channel is rapidly becoming a new favorite.

 

[gwbruce]

I agree. Between Ex Machina and JoKo they are providing a lot of very useful information. Thanks to them both.

 

[Ex Machina]

For the sake of completion, I made another video on how to create a boolean tap. It's mainly the same methodology but with a few differences worth mentioning.

 

[gwbruce]

Konstantinos I was hoping you would do this video. After getting the threading die setup for both metric and Ansi my next thoughts were to do a tap. I know you said it wasn't too difficult but I just haven't had time to sit down and work it all out. Thanks for the video. Now I will have a tap and die to speed things up. Great video.

 

[Ex Machina]

Thanks Gary! I remember you asking me to do a video like that, so I always wanted to do it. But the Sheet Metal series dragged on a bit, and then my main system contract "Mad Laptop Disease" and had to be sent back to ASUS, so this got pushed back.

But in the end, it only took me what..? 3 months to get round to doing it...

 

[gwbruce]

Well guess what I now have!! I have a tap in both metric and imperial. Thanks to Konstantinos. Had a bit of a glitch in the imperial version not getting the helix to adjust length (not sure what was wrong) I just deleted it and redid it and it worked. Thank you so much @Ex Machina .

 

[Joseph_L]

He has a lot of good videos, him and Joko are my go to videos and now the Alibre channel is rapidly becoming a new favorite.

I agree. Between Ex Machina and JoKo they are providing a lot of very useful information. Thanks to them both.

Thank you all, I always feel humbled to know I make content that is helpful.

 

[Ex Machina]

Hello everyone! I just uploaded a supplementary video to the original one on how to make 3D formed threads for Atom 3D and Alibre Design Pro. Let me know what you think guys!

 

[gwbruce]

Really great video Konstantions. I think it is important to show that the other versions of Alibre besides Expert can achieve the same results but with a different workflow. That to me shows the power of the software. If you have Atom you can still get the same result as someone with Expert. Good job.

 

[Weekdayweekend]

I'm working on getting my tolerances dialed in, but once that's done, I'll have these videos to thank every time I add threads to a model.