I want to prototype a device that would use some small motors and gears. These would be the types of gears and motors used in cheap toys. I realize I can take some cheap toys and gears apart, but even if I were to get really lucky and find exactly the right sizes, they don't list the manufacturer and specs for those parts on the box.
Is there a source that people go to when they want to prototype motorized toys and need to select parts?
Joe Dunfee
Small Parts, Inc. and Berg are the usual sources. There are various surplus and hobbyist sources, but those two have full lines of parts. The parts will cost far more than they would in production; you'll have to re-engineer for volume production, which means getting up to speed on how toys are really made.
John Nagle
I would add SDP/SI to the list:
-Wayne
John Nagle wrote:
Thank you Wayne and John for those links. The challenge with places like this is that they have too much to choose from. I had hoped to choose common sizes, so that if there were to be a production run, the choices I make would be cost effective. Perhaps I should just let cost drive my decision on the prototype parts. A cheap gear is probably a commodity... hmm, or perhaps an odd size they are trying to get rid of! As I think more about it, to a toy maker who is going to make 100,000 of something, ALL sizes are commodity sizes.
Part of what took me down this road is that I became aware of how accessible rapid prototyping is nowadays. Some of the materials are strong enough to be functional as they are. Shapeways.com certainly has a nice web interface for their work, but I am sure there are a zillion other rapid prototyping service bureaus. The bottom line is that prototyping a plastic toy or robot is within anyone's reach. No need to do injection molding for a prototype.
Being unemployed (the 2nd time in as many years) is actually the main reason I am doing this. I have to design something!
Oh, by the way, the link for Stock Drives that you gave had an extra w. It should read,
When you make 100K of something, custom molds are cost effective. For a gear box, the spur reduction gears (my terminolgy) where one large gear has a smaller gear on the same shaft are typically molded together.
I feel your pain trying to navigate the sdp-si web site. I find it particularly frustrating that you have to click on each part number to get the price.
I will also point out the Lego gear system. It is lacks a large range of sizes, but it is still pretty flexible.
-Wayne
Welcome to real engineering.
Incidentally, if you want to understand gears properly, take the Boston Gear "Gearology" course:
John Nagle
Joe,
Have you looked a the low cost plastic gearboxes from Pololu, MUTR and many other hobby suppliers?
They often stock items similar to the BO range from these guys:-
best regards, Colin
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