Thread Maker v4.1

[Workshop_Notes]

I hadn't thought of that, specify taper ratio instead of taper angle. Is this what thread-using engineer types will find most intuitive?

What's a PG? And a BA?

Broadly speaking, it is unusual for tapered stuff to be specified in terms of angle. As most of this stuff was first produced on a lathe with two perpendicular axes of movement, it is much easier to specify tapers in terms of diameter reduction per unit length (in freedom units, inches per foot). Tapers expressed as angles have weird numerical values because the tangent of the taper angle is a 'nice' fractional value.

PG (DIN 40430) is an obsolete German thread used for electical conduit fittings. It has an 80 degree included angle. Metric conduit fittings are the standard now, generally 1.5mm pitch in whatever diameter, but adaptors are expensive and somewhat specialised. My reason for suggesting it is it opens the way to 3D print things using this thread, just as you have done with your NPT to metric adaptor.

BA is British Association thread, 47.5 degree included angle. Again, obsolete.

It is why I said if it does not cost much, it would be good to add them. For vee-thread profiles, 60 degree is by far the most common used today, followed by 55 degree, and 80 degree and 47.5 degree in a very distant tie for third place.

This site is very good: https://www.gewinde-normen.de/en/index.html

[KurtF]

Ok. It sounds like adding Whitford profile also adds a whole new thread standard, and is worth doing. I've put this on my code todo list. Ditto for changing taper spec from angle to deflection. I will dig into the standard documents for this, and hopefully I can use existing code with new profile added.

Thanks for the engineering insight, I appreciate it. I will go to sleep tonight thinking of how to make an intuitive and convenient dialog for all this. The one I have so far just went back to the drawing board.

TMDialog.jpg (37.58 KiB) Viewed 2486 times

[KurtF]

New format:

TMNewDialog.jpg (50.94 KiB) Viewed 2453 times

Edit: replaced with tweaked version

[bleber]

I like to see a more visual method to see what parameters doo, it simplifi to understand the tool for all people like veterans and novices.

[KurtF]

Oh, I'm with you 100%. I'm newbie as well to FC, and when I'm trying to use a complicated tool, I love it when it has a complete, concise, and well-illustrated help page in the FC wiki. This dialog will have a doc page using many of the graphics already attached in this thread.

[KurtF]

If any of you folks have found ThreadMaker useful, I'd like to offer a first crack at my FreeCAD Macro version of this document. This macro actually enforces (and makes convenient) ISO 261 Metric Thread standard, while preserving the "Custom Mode" capability of this ThreadMaker showcase tool. No more looking up standard diameters in tables.
Note: I'm working on the Internal insert add-on now.

bleber, this TMUserGuide.pdf, was written with you in mind. I look forward to your feedback.

[KurtF]

If there's anyone still interested in this thread (arf, arf): ThreadMaker 1.0 Macro Set is completed. It fully supersedes this sketch and spreadsheet driven tool, but fully automates all the "table-lookups" needed to generate an ISO standard thread.

Thanks to all who checked this out, and gave feedback.

[thegavs]

BA is British Association thread, 47.5 degree included angle. Again, obsolete.

For brand new projects I would agree that BA threads are obsolete, but the project I am working on is restoring an old mixing desk and every screw is BA so it is still relevant and would be great to see included as the new parts designed in FreeCad need to fit with older existing parts.

Gavin

[xris]

This project still active? I'm new to freecad but have tinkered with 3dp threads in Solidworks. Got mad at the click-button Solidworks threads not mating properly when 3d printed. Learned how to manually generate threads in Solidworks to tune mating between 3dp threads and between 3d printed & metal threads. Looks like you solved this more elegantly in Freecad than Solidworks natively does! However, a bit perplexed re the installation given multi versions and format. If this is still active should this be added to the docs here: https://wiki.freecad.org/Thread_for_Scr ... orkbenches ? Also, is there a git for this project, +/- a way to bring into main freecad (e.g. as searchable add-on?)? Thanks for the cool code & any clarity re getting started!

[KurtF]

Sorry to say I've been away from FreeCad for a couple years. And I was fairly new myself when I wrote ThreadMaker (TM). From what I remember, most folks are using Fasteners Workbench (FW) for threaded fasteners, and this has the ability to use 3d printing clearance on it's custom thread body, but not on any of it's full fastener bodies (threads with heads, etc.).

In TM, there are no fastener heads or fully formed bolts. TM focus is on threads and thread inserts (male/female) and gives user ability to select standard sizes, NPT taper, and completely customized threads; and options for radial clearance for 3dp, and rounded or square thread profile. I was mostly making these thread bodies to directly attach to larger, non-fastener objects (ie- threaded shaft or threaded hole in a plate).

I would suggest you check out the TM Macro ( viewtopic.php?t=69355 ), which is the latest TM and is easier to use and install than FW. Read the PDF user guide for more detail. Then install the FW, and review it's docs. I think you'll find a very robust tool set with both of these installed for 3d thread printing.