Gear from an EPSON printer

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Olympusman
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Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2012 12:31 pm

Gear from an EPSON printer

Post by Olympusman »

Image

Image
Michael Reese Much FRMS EMS Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA

Beatsy
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Location: Malvern, UK

Post by Beatsy »

Interesting shots. The gears are surprisingly precise (crisp edges), even at high mag. That doesn't necessarily mean they're accurate though... :)

Olympusman
Posts: 5090
Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2012 12:31 pm

Gears

Post by Olympusman »

Now with all these new-fangled computers, a tech can design the gear in CAD, output the design to another computer to make the mold to cast the gears and on and on. Years ago, someone had to sculpt a gear to make a mold. I remember doing a photo shoot in the 1970s in which CNC mills were run by a paper tape with holes in it.
I also did another shoot of a prototype CAD system which we had to shoot in the conference room of the company because there were no windows so we could burn in the CRT screen in camera with the lights off in the room after the initial flash shots. Unfortunately, the conference room was carpeted and everybody built up a static charge, so if anyone touched the computer, the whole thing crashed and we had to start all over again.

Mike
Michael Reese Much FRMS EMS Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA

Beatsy
Posts: 2105
Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 3:10 am
Location: Malvern, UK

Post by Beatsy »

Interesting tales Mike. I don't know if it's my advancing years, or just my innate cynicism, but I can't help feeling that half the "technical advancements" of the past few decades only benefit producers (their cost) not us consumers (quality and price). I prefer metal gears for one. And don't start me on "new improved" recipes! That means they found even cheaper muck to substitute for actual food in the product. Grrr :x

BugEZ
Posts: 850
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2011 7:15 pm
Location: Loves Park Illinois

Post by BugEZ »

I am a retired gearbox design engineer. Not sure what the purpose of photographing these plastic gears may have been? Because they were there? I have photographed plastic gears as candidates for stacking actuator mechanisms (hobby side of my life) but never for work. Not many plastic gears used in aircraft propulsion related gearing! Metal gears I find more photogenic.

My gear photography over the last 10 years was usually to illustrate manufacturing flaws or operation problems like no oil, poor cooling etc.

Is there an agenda to these photos? I don’t recognize any obvious flaws.

K
Aloha

Olympusman
Posts: 5090
Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2012 12:31 pm

Gears

Post by Olympusman »

Just interested in the design, particularly how the gear is reinforced.

Mike
Michael Reese Much FRMS EMS Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA

BugEZ
Posts: 850
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2011 7:15 pm
Location: Loves Park Illinois

Post by BugEZ »

Olympus man wrote
...just interested in the design, particularly how the gear is reinforced
Understood. For what it is worth the gear tooth proportions and rim thickness (under the teeth) look fine. Don’t know the load path, but I suspect much of the reinforcement visible may relate to connection to other gears, or to ejecting the molded gear from the tool.

But back to the photos, they are excellent. Shiny white surfaces are difficult and you handled this well.

Keith

Olympusman
Posts: 5090
Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2012 12:31 pm

Gear

Post by Olympusman »

Thanks. Illuminated with a quartz iodide gooseneck desk lamp.

Mike
Michael Reese Much FRMS EMS Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA

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