I'm making a CAD model of my Atlas 618 and need some help

[mvagusta]

Update. Robert asked me to see if I could create a folder in the Downloads area and told me where it should reside, and that if I couldn't do it he would be kind enough to do it for me. It turns out that I don't have permission to create a new folder, so when he makes the new folder I will upload the CAD file.

 

[marknoakes]

How can I get permission to download your CAD and files on the Atlas M6-427 pulley? The 427 on my Atlas 618 is somewhat warped and under closer inspection, it is actually cracked. Since they are not commonly for sale used, I thought we would get a new one CNC'd out of aluminum.

Thanks,

Mark N

 

[mvagusta]

Hi Mark,

Anyone can browse the site and take a look at the Overview, Updates, and History of a file in the Downloads section. I believe registered users also have access to the Search tool. Here is a link to the Downloads folder containing the Atlas Lathe Drawings. In that folder are cleaned up digital images of Atlas factory drawings and user-generated drawings.

Permission to actually get files from the Downloads section requires a supporting membership, which helps keep this non-profit site going. The entry level is Silver and is $10/year. It looks like a PayPal account is also necessary. See this link: Donations.

I am still working with Robert, who is our Downloads Moderator, to get a folder in Downloads created for Atlas 618 3D models. Stay tuned ...

 

[marknoakes]

How can I get permission to download your CAD and files on the Atlas M6-427 pulley? The 427 on my Atlas 618 is somewhat warped and under closer inspection, it is actually cracked. Since they are not commonly for sale used, I thought we would get a new one CNC'd out of aluminum.

Thanks,

Mark N

Hi Mark,

Anyone can browse the site and take a look at the Overview, Updates, and History of a file in the Downloads section. I believe registered users also have access to the Search tool. Here is a link to the Downloads folder containing the Atlas Lathe Drawings. In that folder are cleaned up digital images of Atlas factory drawings and user-generated drawings.

Permission to actually get files from the Downloads section requires a supporting membership, which helps keep this non-profit site going. The entry level is Silver and is $10/year. It looks like a PayPal account is also necessary. See this link: Donations.

I am still working with Robert, who is our Downloads Moderator, to get a folder in Downloads created for Atlas 618 3D models. Stay tuned ...

OK, got it, and $10 is not a problem.

I have a functional but non-optimal Atlas 618 that my two sons and I are refurbishing. My M6-427 pulley definitely has issues; it works fine at low rpm but throws the belt at high speeds. We need a new one; I'd rather start with existing documentation/CAD than do it from scratch. Thanks!

 

[mvagusta]

I am not sure what happened with Robert, but I don't think he has been getting my PM's since back in May. So, yesterday I contacted one of our admins, vtcnc, and asked for some help and he created a new location for CAD models. Here is a link:

CAD Models​

So, if you have any CAD models that you think might be useful to others, there is now a place to put them.

And the Atlas 618 CAD model has been successfully uploaded to this new location. The model is contained in a compressed Zip archive file that includes a drawing and a Readme file that gives some hopefully useful information. The Zip file is so that the download file size is smaller. The files in this 29 MB archive will be close to 100 MB after the archive has been downloaded and the files extracted to disk.

That means it will be necessary to unzip (extract and decompress) the files in the archive. Most Windows systems will treat a Zip file like a folder and in File Explorer you can drag the files from the Zip file "folder" to a Windows folder and they will be decompressed and copied to the Windows folder. If you need a utility for handling Zip archives, especially for creating them, 7-Zip is fast and free and has better compression than Windows. At least in my case.

Good luck. And if you think this is a good thing you might send a hearty thank you to vtcnc.

 

[marknoakes]

I am not sure what happened with Robert, but I don't think he has been getting my PM's since back in May. So, yesterday I contacted one of our admins, vtcnc, and asked for some help and he created a new location for CAD models. Here is a link:

CAD Models​

So, if you have any CAD models that you think might be useful to others, there is now a place to put them.

And the Atlas 618 CAD model has been successfully uploaded to this new location. The model is contained in a compressed Zip archive file that includes a drawing and a Readme file that gives some hopefully useful information. The Zip file is so that the download file size is smaller. The files in this 29 MB archive will be close to 100 MB after the archive has been downloaded and the files extracted to disk.

That means it will be necessary to unzip (extract and decompress) the files in the archive. Most Windows systems will treat a Zip file like a folder and in File Explorer you can drag the files from the Zip file "folder" to a Windows folder and they will be decompressed and copied to the Windows folder. If you need a utility for handling Zip archives, especially for creating them, 7-Zip is fast and free and has better compression than Windows. At least in my case.

Good luck. And if you think this is a good thing you might send a hearty thank you to vtnc.

Thank you and will do on the admin thank you. The STEP files are appreciated. They will actually open in SolidWorks Maker...or at least the pulley model I got from you did. My intent is to 3D print it first in plastic and then look at mods to simplify for CNC machining. Both of my sons have bailed on me for the summer so I am on my own in this. The original was obviously die cast zamak; my target is machined aluminum. If this exercise works out and if others are open to a simplified machinable design, I'll be glad to upload it. But the purists might object.

Thanks again for your CAD model...excellent starting point,

Mark

 

[erix]

Thanks for making this model public! I've been watching this thread since day one and donated yesterday so I could download the model and prints. Fantastic amount of work!

I run solidworks 2024 and have not been able to get the model to come in as an assembly with out crashing (!) but I can import it as a solid part and selectively view the bodies in the feature tree. Interestingly, I can import it into solidworks composer and manipulate it as easily as I can a solidworks assembly model but I can't export out of composer in any usable fashion.

One thing I noticed was the lamp post and other associated parts aren't in the model. I don't know if this is on purpose or not. I still use the lamp post tool holder on my lathe.

Again, thanks for all the cad time you put into this, looks great!

 

[mvagusta]

Glad you all like it. Thanks.

I don't know what to say about SW 2024 crashing. After creating it I was able to load the STEP file myself with only a couple of minor errors like gaps. There is some irony in having errors show up when opening a file in the very CAD program that created it. The fact that I can load it and it can be loaded in Composer 2024 makes me think it is related to SW 2024.

I noticed that the tool post assembly was missing after I was all set to upload everything. I had been messing around with a QCTP model and the lamp post assembly was suppressed. I didn't feel like starting over so I uploaded the step file without the toolpost assembly. I figured if anyone really wanted it they would let me know. That didn't take long.

I have uploaded the tool post assembly to the CAD Models folder.

 

[erix]

Success! I imported the STEP file and saved off the parts individually. They don't have editable features but maybe they could if I imported them with Feature Recognition on but I'm lazy and don't intend to modify any of the parts anyway.

For those playing along at home:
1. Open the .STEP file in Solidworks. Here are my General settings for Import:


And here are my STEP-specific:


2. Save the the imported model as an SLDPRT file.
3. Go to Insert--> Features --> Save Bodies
4. You'll be asked if you want to name the features so you can figure out what they are later. Be careful if doing this: you can't use special characters and if you uncheck a box next to the new name you just gave the part, the name goes away. Bug? Feature? Frustrating! Instead, hit "Auto-assign Titles" and figure it out later.
5. If you want to create an assembly using the new parts - and who wouldn't - give it a name and it will be built for you. pulling in all the parts. However - they are all fixed in space - no mates.

 

[AndrewDouglasBird]

Thank you for creating/uploading these!

I did notice one error though, the 20T and 24T tumbler gears in your model are the same as the change gears. This is incorrect, there are different part numbers/gears for these two gears; M6-59 and M6-60. They are basically the same gears but do not have keyways in the bore. Not sure if this was intentional or not.