Wooden planetary gear mechanism

A working mechanism developed through SolidWorks modeling, laser cutting, shaft machining, and physical assembly.

Design to fabrication

The team modeled the sun, ring, planet gears, and carrier in SolidWorks, then prepared two-dimensional DXF profiles for laser cutting. Reclaimed wooden boards formed the gears; mild-steel stock was turned and parted on a lathe to make the shafts.

Engineering decisions

The build required attention to tooth engagement, shaft alignment, fit, and friction. Drilling, grinding, and finishing supported assembly of a mechanism made from inexpensive reclaimed materials.

This is a team project. The available project record does not separate individual contributions or provide measured gear efficiency, torque capacity, backlash, or a verified reduction ratio.

Working prototype

The animation is a demonstration from the project archive. It shows operation of the assembled mechanism; it is not a calibrated performance test.

Limits & next steps

A stronger experimental study would document tooth counts and gear-ratio calculations, then measure input/output speed, backlash, torque, and efficiency. Dimensional inspection would help relate fabrication tolerances to the measured response.

The preserved CAD archive currently contains an assembly file. Availability of referenced part files should be checked before promising a complete editable CAD package.