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Thread Maker v4.1

Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2022 12:18 am
by KurtF
This is a simple yet robust ISO and NPT thread body generator. Just enter the desired thread pitch, diameter (links to ISO and NPT tables provided), length and (if needed) radial clearance; then ThreadMaker will generate PD Bodies of mating external/internal threads. Optionally, you can override the thread profile height and width to customize your threads. All this is done in the blue cells of a spreadsheet which contains complete usage instructions.

When ThreadMaker is open, re-generating new thread dimensions and dragging copies into your project is done in 5 mouse clicks plus 3 to 6 data entries (or less, if you have the Part->Make Simple Copy icon on your toolbar). Entering thread dimensions is a mouse-less activity, since the spreadsheet cursor automatically jumps down to the next input cell when you hit enter.

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Main 3D View

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Input Section Of Spreadsheet (blue boxes)

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Samples

V4.1 Update 5/1: Passes full testing (and was saved) in FC19. In FC20 (Windows):
  • 0.20.27422- Fails on the current weekly build Windows .exe installer version.
  • 0.20.28671- Passes on weekly build 7Zip installer downloaded on 4/10.
  • 0.20.28765- Passes on recent weekly build 7Zip installer.
  • 0.20.28774- Passes on weekly build posted today.
The failure in that one Windows version affects tapered threads only. Something is causing a tapered helix to run in the negative direction along Z, instead of the positive direction. Then when I attempt to override 'reversed' property, it tapers the wrong way, then when I fix that problem, the features don't always connect.... TM4+ in Windows FreeCAD 0.20.27422 is potato. But for straight threads it works fine.

Thanks, Greentree, for the potato report. :-)

DEPRICATED:
ThreadMaker4.1.FCStd
(1000.7 KiB) Downloaded 433 times

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ThreadMaker 1.0 Macro Set is completed.
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It fully supersedes this sketch and spreadsheet driven tool, and fully automates all the "table-lookups" needed to generate an ISO standard thread. It also features the full custom functionality of ThreadMaker4.1, plus includes global thread disable/enable to avoid delays during design work.

Re: New Threads!

Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2022 12:46 am
by KurtF
link moved to top post

Re: New Threads! (Generator)

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2022 6:28 pm
by Kunda1
Then I discovered the Worksheet workbench
Do you mean Spreadsheet Workbench?

Re: Thread Maker v2.0

Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2022 2:19 am
by KurtF
Kunda! I stand corrected.

Re: New Threads!

Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2022 11:37 am
by Kunda1
KurtF wrote: Sun Mar 13, 2022 12:46 am Here's the new source: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s9my83 ... sp=sharing
There is a way to create a google drive downloadable link
See https://sites.google.com/site/gdocs2direct/

Re: Thread Maker v2.0

Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2022 3:33 pm
by KurtF
That's good to know. Thanks, Kunda. I applied the tweak to the link above. I wonder if it will occur to Google that they could put that link option on the original Drive management page.

Re: Thread Maker v2.0

Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2022 3:45 pm
by KurtF
Holy Hell! I definitely LOVE FC now! With less than 5 clicks, I was able to add micro-fillets (PartDesign, r=0.1mm) to the threads!

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Selection shown on left, after Enter on the PD(Fillet) command shown on right.

Re: Thread Maker v2.1

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2022 1:58 am
by KurtF
I updated the source (replaced d/l link and entire top post). New version is easier on the eyes, a little easier to use, and has more complete first-time user instructions added to the input spreadsheet. Also added convenience calculations to give the I.D. and O.D.s of internal and external threads (generated from your inputs and from ISO constraints).

Hope somebody else can use it. It was fun making it work. :-)

Re: Thread Maker v2.1

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2022 12:16 pm
by Kunda1
I'm trying to think where this feature can go so users will see it. Things get buried in the forum really fast. So we need to think if we turn this in to a macro or stick it in a preexisting workbench or make it own workbench...etc..

Re: Thread Maker v2.1

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2022 5:07 pm
by KurtF
Kunda1 wrote: Thu Mar 31, 2022 12:16 pm So we need to think if we turn this in to a macro or stick it in a preexisting workbench or make it own workbench...etc..
Hmmm. Now I'm thinking about learning Python and FC API so I could maybe do some of that. Maybe I could someday macrofy this, or better yet, see if I can add this thread functionality to the Fasteners WB. That WB creates bodies with hex heads and bolt shafts on spec, but it doesn't allow for selecting different pitch sizes for a given metric size (ie- I think Fasteners WB creates all M10 threads with 1.0 pitch; yet ISO allows for 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.25, 1.5 on M10). And ThreadMaker will generate the internal threads to properly mate the external ones in finished resin printed parts, which typically need 0.15 - 0.2 mm clearance between int/ext thread profiles.

Until then... here's a nice bit of extra advertising. All these threads were made with ThreadMaker, and are now sliced up and ready for 3D printing. I'll let ya know how they 'turn' out.

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