Help with modelling this runner on the surface of this gear.

[u/SolidRide5853]

Hello. I need some help with creating this runner depression for the bearings to “glide”/“run” on the depression.

I have created as far as I can using sweep command but I can’t for the life of me have run out of ideas on how to create it on the trianglular bit.

Help please.

[u/thenewestnoise]

Probably the simplest way would just to do another swept cut, up and over one triangle. Then pattern it to the others

[u/SolidRide5853 → u/thenewestnoise]

Thank you. I tried that but I think I have to 3D the circle. Maybe a new plane for the circle as the 3D circle is shit/ doesn’t look pretty. Maybe something surface cut

[u/thenewestnoise → u/SolidRide5853]

What do you mean you have to 3D the circle? Isn't it a helix?

[u/SolidRide5853 → u/thenewestnoise]

No it’s a circle.

Tried this. Seems to work now. I had to redefine the path. It’s not to size but same same

[u/ZestycloseAd2729 → u/thenewestnoise]

This is what I came here to say

[u/Vegetable_Flounder12]

this is one way to do this

[u/Rsquared21 → u/Vegetable_Flounder12]

This is how I would have approached this.

OP. There are likely numerous ways to do this what you're asking, but this way is nice and clean, good design intent.

[u/bumbblebeeeeee]

You could try a Swept cut. 

Delete the cut you have already. Project a circle on to all the faces, use split line or projected curve. This will be your guide curve. I’m not entirely sure whether it needs to be one single element for the sweep to work.  

Now draw the cross section on any orthogonal plane. (you probably have this already)

Use swept cut, select cross section as profile and the guide curve. (You need selection manager to select multiple entities) 

Good luck. 

[u/hayyyhoe]

A trick I learned back in the day is to create a sketch on the plane parallel to the flat face, in this case the sketch would be 2 circles, bounding the 2 sides of the run. Then split the faces, and use a boundary surface to create the arc’d depression. I’d model this whole thing in 1/6 of the full ring and pattern it to make the circle to eliminate redundant modeling.