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180 Bass Pro Mills Drive

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Ontario L4K 0G9

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Maintenance crew uses 3D printed
replacement motor gear for tractor

the igus GmbH maintenance crew uses a tractor for such work as gritting and transport. The gear serving as a starter for the tractor's motor was so worn out after a while that the tractor could no longer start. The manufacturer was unable to provide a replacement, so the tractor remained out of service. After about six months of inactivity, it was to be scrapped. However, shortly before it was, the 3D printing team intervened and was able to trace the worn and broken gear and print it within a matter of hours. The tractor now works reliably again thanks to the gear made of iglide i3, which has significantly better sliding properties and greater wear resistance than the previously installed gear made of conventional plastic.
Application Overview:
  • What was needed: replacement gear for a tractor motor
  • Production method: selective laser sintering
  • Requirements: high wear resistance, good sliding and mechanical properties
  • Material: iglide i3
  • Industry: utility vehicles
  • Success from the collaboration: manufacturing costs are one-tenth of those for conventional production methods, complex part made in one piece, improved abrasion resistance
Browse iglide i3
iglide i3 gear The replacement gear made of iglide i3 is considerably more abrasion-resistant than the plastic gear

Problem

Often, it is not as easy as one thinks to obtain replacement parts from the original manufacturer. This was the case here: the manufacturer of the tractor, which the igus cleaning team used for various jobs, such as gritting the site, was unable to provide a new gear. The broken gear operated as starter for the large drive pulley of the motor. The load acting on the gear every time the engine was started was too high for the component made of regular plastic, so that it soon wore out and broke. Therefore, a special gear was required that fitted exactly, was wear-resistant and had good sliding properties.

Solution

The 3D printing team tackled the problem and was able to design a drawing of the original gear by using the broken one. This was converted into a STEP file and then printed via selective laser sintering with iglide i3. The tool-free 3D printing cost €28 per piece, which was ten times more cost-effective than mechanical production, which would have amounted to more than €300. For additive manufacturing, the special shape of the gear with the spindle geometry in its interior is no problem. Furthermore, the printed gear promises a longer service life compared to the previously used gear due to the higher abrasion resistance of the material. The tractor was saved from scrapping and could be used again in its full functionality.

3D Printing for Custom Parts

One of the great advantages of 3D printing is the virtually unlimited freedom when designing the required parts. There is hardly any shape that cannot be produced in one go. If you want to produce a replacement part that either cannot be delivered any more by the manufacturer or has a special design, 3D printing is the right choice.

Often, only small amounts of replacement parts are required. In this case, it is also a lot more cost-effective to produce the parts with an additive method. The tool-free and resource-saving production results in more cost-effective quantities. In the case of the tractor, only one gear was required. With mechanical manufacturing, this would have cost more then €300 - printed in 3D, the piece cost €28.
The replacement gear with the spindle geometry in its interior was ready to use within just a few hours of printing The replacement gear with interior spindle geometry was ready to use within few hours of printing

Discuss Your Project with a Custom Parts Expert

Whether you're interested in turnkey, fully assembled solutions or looking to build your own customizable project, let us assist you with a solution based on your specific application and requirements. Contact us via the form below or call us at (800) 965-2496 to discuss your project today!
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The terms "igus", "Apiro", "chainflex", "CFRIP", "conprotect", "CTD", "drylin", "dry-tech", "dryspin", "easy chain", "e-chain", "e-chain systems", "e-ketten", "e-kettensysteme", "e-skin", "e-spool", "flizz", "ibow", "igear", "iglidur", "igubal", "kineKIT", "manus", "motion plastics", "pikchain", "plastics for longer life", "readychain", "readycable", "ReBeL", "speedigus", "triflex", "robolink", "xirodur", and "xiros" are legally protected trademarks of the igus® GmbH/ Cologne in the Federal Republic of Germany and where applicable in some foreign countries.

igus® GmbH points out that it does not sell any products of the companies Allen Bradley, B&R, Baumüller, Beckhoff, Lahr, Control Techniques, Danaher Motion, ELAU, FAGOR, FANUC, Festo, Heidenhain, Jetter, Lenze, LinMot, LTi DRiVES, Mitsibushi, NUM,Parker, Bosch Rexroth, SEW, Siemens, Stöber and all other drive manufacturers mention in this website. The products offered by igus® are those of igus® GmbH