- Toolbox for 95 % cases: spur gears, helical gears, bevel gears, rack gears; configurable module and number of teeth.
- Toolbox requires SOLIDWORKS Professional or Premium.
- The catch: A Toolbox gear is a library part, not a part that «belongs to you.» To machine or export it properly, you need to convert it.
The fastest is the library Toolbox : In the Tasks pane, under Design Library → Toolbox → Standard (ISO) → Power Transmission → Gears, drag «Spur Gear» into the assembly and enter the module, number of teeth, and width. The model is ready in one minute. Manual modeling is only necessary for a specific tooth profile or a part to be machined.
Method 1: The Toolbox Gear (5 minutes)
- Open or create an assembly (Toolbox inserts into an assembly, not into a part).
- Tasks pane (on the right) → tab Design Library → Toolbox. If Toolbox is grayed out, enable the add-in: Tools → Add-ins → SOLIDWORKS Toolbox Library.
- ISO → Power Transmission → Gears → slide Spur gear in the graph area.
- In the PropertyManager: Module (Ex. 2), Number of teeth (Ex. 24), Pressure angle (20° by default), Face Width, hub type, nominal bore, keyway if required.
- Confirm. Repeat for the conjugate wheel with the same module. Position both at the theoretical center distance: (module × (Z1 + Z2)) / 2.
- Constraint Gear (mechanical constraints) between the two to simulate rotation at the correct ratio.
Method 2: By Hand (When the Number of Teeth Matters)
- Sketch of a primitive circle (diameter = module × number of teeth), the head circle, and the foot circle.
- Draw a tooth: involute profile approximated by arcs (or import a calculated profile), symmetrical about the tooth axis.
- Extrude the tooth, then Circular Repetition of the function (number of occurrences = number of teeth).
- Extrude the body, bore, and keyway.
This method produces a native, editable, and exportable part, but the tooth profile remains an approximation: for precision machining, we start with the geometry provided by the tool manufacturer.
The Pitfall to Watch Out For
A Toolbox gear is linked to the library. If you send the assembly to a partner who doesn't have Toolbox, the part won't resolve correctly; and if you modify the Toolbox part, you'll modify the library for all your projects. The solution: Pack and Go using the Toolbox parts included in the shipment, or «Save As» a copy of the part to make it independent before making changes.
FAQ
Frequently asked Questions
Is Toolbox available in SOLIDWORKS Standard?
No, Toolbox is included in the Professional and Premium editions. In the Standard edition, you model gears manually or import them from a supplier catalog (STEP).
How do you get the right reduction ratio?
The ratio is the quotient of the numbers of teeth (Z2/Z1). Two meshing gears must have the the same module ; then, the number of teeth is selected to achieve the desired gear ratio, and the center distance is determined accordingly.
Further Reading : Find All of our SOLIDWORKS tutorials, and the SOLIDWORKS Training by Ohmytraining which covers the design of complete mechanisms, gears, cams, and connections.
