3D printing ring gears?

[Buick35]

I'm not familiar with 3d printing but I wonder if a set of ring and pinion gears could be made using a 3 d printer. I know there would be a demand for a taller gear set for 35 Buicks like I have.

Edited March 23, 2023 by Buick35
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[edinmass]

Answer is simple.....NO. You could have a set made for about 4500......give or take. Question is, what series and if the engine can pull the ratio.......maybe, maybe not. A gear splitter would be the same money, and you could have an under/over unit.

[bryankazmer]

You could print the master from which to make the mold perhaps, but that's just the beginning of making a gear.

[joe_padavano]

In the aerospace world, we print compressor and turbine impellers for rocket engine turbopumps, which operate in much more severe environments than automotive ring gears, so yes it IS possible. Whether or not it is cost effective today is a different question, but the cost of printing metal parts continues to come down. Be aware that the gear would not be "net" shape out of the printer. The surface will be too rough, for starters, and the part may require a post-printing heat treatment in addition to the final machining.

[Gary_Ash]

There are a number of options for 3D printing things direct to metal in materials that might be tough enough for a ring gear.  The pinion gear would be a lot tougher thing to print exactly round.  In any event, the surfaces would not be smooth enough to use in a car, would still need all of the machining set-up to machine gears from scratch.  We can dream, but the reality is the technology isn't quite ready. 

[prewarnut]

There are companies that will CNC machine, from different materials, a product. Various companies advertise that they can replicate it if you create and send a DXF or similar 3-D CAD file. I recently did this for a 2-D project but 3-D gears are possible for automotive, aerospace, robotic, and other applications. Spec'ing the material and also the "finish" for the interfacing surfaces is the devil in the detail.

[37_Roadmaster_C]

@joe_padavanohit the answer on the head.  YES , it can be done. Is it cost effective? Not right now. I am guessing, but it may very well be cost effective in a few years.  It has not been that long ago when things like smartphones were a dream for the average person. Now..............

[Buick35]

Maybe for my two year old grandson.He's really into cars already,must be in the blood.When my son was his age he was more into computers but now he has a few old cars.