Generating Threads

When generating a metric thread on Shapr to get the pitch are there plans to be able to generate the pitch by direct entry instead of the angles you enter until the pitch “looks about right”. It would very useful if there was an icon to select “Thread” with a drop down box to select the pitch required and the start and end point (length of thread).

Hi, thanks for the feedback. Having a “thread” tool is not on our very near plans, however, we keep improving the app as fast as possible.

I will also pass on your feedback to our product team and hopefully, this might be available sometime in the app.
Thank you for your understanding!

@Tanker
It is possible to set the Pitch accurately by controlling the distance traveled by the spiral every revolution:

Note that the Thread Forming Shape has not been drawn fully for clarity purposes.

Thanks for the reply Gelphyn I will try your suggestion. Thank you

Best Regards
Tanker

Hi Gelphyn,
So off my screenshot, I have 1.5 pitch at 360 degrees. If I increase the angle from 360 to 720 ie 2 threads It doesn’t work.

so how do I lock the pitch at 1.5 and achieve a thread length of say 25 mm? If I divide the pitch into the length required it comes out at an angle of 6001.2 degrees or so. When I tried this Shapr failed and showed an error message “swept body has self intersection in at least one of it’s geometries”. So I am now confused.

Kind Regards
Tanker

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If you want 25mm of Thread that is the Height of the Thread

Your calculation 6001.12º looks good enter this as the Angle

Hit the Green Tick Box:

I get this:

When I produce Threads I prefer to use the Thread Profile as a Cutting Tool, as in use on a Lathe.
I create a Body, either a Cylinder [Bolt] or a Hole in a Hexagon [Nut].
The effect produced requires Tools > Subtraction, the Thread being taken away from the Bolt or Nut.

EDIT: Make sure the maximum width of the Thread Former is less tham 1.5mm in this case.
From the ScreenShot yours looks OK.

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@Victor_Shapr3D
A thread-tool already has been asked for multiple times - all participants in the old forum-thread offered to work with your team to implement it… Unfortunately nothing has happened!

@Tanker
The main problem is the handling of the revolve-tool - I don’t remember it completely, but for some reason it comes to an error if you’re working with the exact numbers…
Try something like 25.0001 instead of 25 or 359.9999 instead of 360 (or any number you need) - just be a little bit off from the exact value. It has something to do with the revolved thread shape overlapping with itself in one point after a full revolution with correct pitch…

Unfortunately the devs don’t find it necessary to work on it:(

Cheers Chris

@Tanker
Have a look at this old thread for some clarification…

Cheers Chris

@Lichtagent

The ‘overlapping’ aspect is the reason for my statement:

:star_struck: ahhh - now I understand it clearly…

Yes Gelphyn, this seems to be exactly my workaround - normally you’d use an equilateral triangle with the side-length being equal to the pitch-width as the cutting shape (or thread-forming shape as you called it), because this leads to ISO-standard threads with 60° angles.
Unfortunately, as we already know, this will lead to the overlapping-error.

But if we’re cutting just an “oh-so-tiny-bit” (technically one point should be sufficient) from the corners of the triangle-base than this shape wouldn’t contact itself after one revolution and progressing the pitch-width… The other characteristics of the thread will remain unaltered by this modification.

Hopefully this thread (no pun intended :wink: ) will help others in developing working-threads and not just thread-like-looking ones…

Cheers Chris

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I need M6 inside threads and I don´t know how to make it. I need to have it precice for 3D-printing.

Hello! Currently, there is no thread tool in Shapr3D, you have to create the thread by sketching the profile then using the Revolve tool like in the video below:

Please note that depending on the chosen 3d printing technology, you may need to apply tolerances that may be bigger than the standard value, sometimes different in the X, Y and Z directions

@Theoforus another option is to import the bolt/screw/threaded rod into your project from McMaster.com and other sites that supply CAD models of their hardware.

You can then place it where you need it in your design, and subtract it from the body to produce threads.

You also may need to chase the threads with a tap once printed, if possible.

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Regarding the errors people are getting when using exact dimensions and rotation angles, my fix was to modify the profile being revolved. If you revolve a pure triangle with exact dimensions, you end up with a single body with shared edges with no face at the point where the triangles join, making this an invalid geometry. If you modify the triangle profile by adding a rectangular extension along the back edge, this allows a surface to be created at the joining area resulting in a valid single body geometry. Here’s a sketch illustrating this:

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I have tested the app in basic subscription a couple times without issue. Today it requested Bluetooth access. Now a pop up screen is asking to connect to my keyboard and mouse. These items are in another room and I have no interest in using them. Shapr3D will not let me close the window asking me to select my mouse. I restarted the app a few times yet it keeps demanding the selection of the keyboard and mouse. I can no longer continue drawing with no way to prohibit this pop up.

Threads on shafts, internal threads, slots, holes (simple, counterbores, countersunk) and other such features should be part of the app as menu and value driven features. This will save the user a a lot of time and effort.
Its unfortunate that its not in your very near plans…this needs a rethinking.