Two methods are available for generating the tooth form, splines or arcs.
If the gear geometry will be used in conjunction with a CAM system, arcs may be the wise choice. Most CAM systems will convert splines to a series of straight lines, while the arcs will remain as arcs.
A pair of splines is defined by a series of points along the tooth form. The more complex the tooth form, the more points are used to create the tooth spline. The spline is extruded to create the tooth feature. Splines are the faster of the two options in SolidWorks.
A series of arcs are used to create the tooth form. The more complex the tooth form is, the more arcs are used to create the tooth profile.
For help in setting GearTrax to create the tooth profile in arcs or splines, see Spur Gear Options.
Also see Manufacturing Methods for Spur/Helical Gears.