Content tagged with "drawing"
Results: 50
Article
April 13, 2010
DIEVESTIGATION: Draw or stretch? That is the question
The first DIEVESTIGATION article, " Designing stamped parts : How material selection affects downstream operations and costs," discussed factors you should consider when specifying a metal during part design for operational efficiency and cost savings. How you decide to form the part also... Read more...
Article
December 15, 2009
Sheet Metal Stamping 101, Part V
Editor's Note: This series presents an overview of metal stamping. Part I of this series focused on the various careers in the metal stamping industry. Part II discussed stamping materials and equipment;
Part III focused on dies and cutting and Part IV offered more detail about cutting... Read more...
Article
December 15, 2009
Sheet Metal Stamping 101
The author of the "Die Science" column in STAMPING Journal®, Art also has written several other series that appear at www.thefabricator.com, including:
Solving Punch Breakage Problems Die Basics 101 Cutting Tooling Costs
Read more...
Article
July 1, 2009
Top-down modeling
Figure 1 How do you model the elliptical cut in the middle plate for the tubes? This month's column is in response to a question from Mike B.: "I have three plates parallel to each other 12 inches apart. Plate 1 is 9 in. by 9 in., while Plate 2 and Plate 3 are 18 in. by 18 in. Connecting... Read more...
Article
June 1, 2009
The most important output of 3-D CAD modeling
Figure 1 Click to view image larger This drawing with a BOM helps both purchasing and manufacturing. I recently attended a very interesting presentation by Chris Naujok, an engineer who is a SolidWorks® guru. One of the first questions he asked his audience of CAD jockeys was this:... Read more...
Article
May 1, 2009
Love of loft in 3-D CAD modeling
Like an extrude, revolve, or sweep, a loft is a tool for modeling a 3-D shape. A loft consists of two basic elements—two or more profiles and a set of rules for lofting between the profiles. Before getting too far into the details of lofts, I am going to offer up a couple of... Read more...
Article
April 1, 2009
Getting swept away in 3-D CAD modeling
Like an extrude or revolve, a sweep is a tool for modeling a 3-D shape. A sweep consists of three basic elements—a profile, a path, and a set of rules for "sweeping" the profile along the path. Before getting too far into the details of sweeps, I am going to offer up a couple of... Read more...
Article
March 1, 2009
Modeling in a 3-D CAD system
Figure 1
An example of a simple extrude based on a sketched circle is shown.
One of the core skills to have when operating a 3-D CAD system is the mastery of extrudes. With enough extrudes, almost any product can be modeled.
However, other tools in the 3-D CAD... Read more...
Article
February 1, 2009
Dimensioning in a 3-D CAD system
Figure 1
Modeled dimensions make sense to a CAD jockey, but they may not make much sense to those in fabricating.
How important are dimensions to 3-D CAD modeling? Depends on your design objective, I guess.
The 3-D CAD software that I frequently use will allow me to model... Read more...
Article
January 1, 2009
Sketching in a 3-D CAD System
Figure 1
This adapter plate is the design goal.
There's nothing sketchy about the general skills involved in sketching. You need to be able to create sketch entities, establish sketch relationships, and add dimensional features.
When I'm drawing a sketch, I have a habit of... Read more...
Article
December 1, 2008
The real world of 3-D CAD assemblies
Figure 1a
This sheet metal bracket model is an example of an assembly of components.
We live in a 3-D world, so it makes sense that metal fabricators would work with 3-D CAD assemblies as a typical part of their work life. Fortunately, working with 3-D CAD assemblies also has many... Read more...
Article
November 1, 2008
3-D CAD drawings in a 2-D world
Fabricating is all about meeting the customer's expectation. That is hard to do if you don't know what they want. One of the best tools for communicating those expectations is with a drawing.
That insight has been around for a while. After all, our ancient foremothers drew on the walls of... Read more...
Article
October 1, 2008
Thinking inside the box
Sometimes it matters how things fit together. It is always nice when holes for screws align properly and when connectors fit in their mounting holes. When modeling a design for an assembly in 3-D CAD, you might find one technique to be useful: top-down design.
As a point of reference,... Read more...
Article
September 1, 2008
3-D CAD strengthens customer bond
For many of the job shops that I've visited, the 3-D CAD system investment was largely a marketing decision; the goal driving that decision was customer service.
I recently asked a job shop owner what prompted the purchase of a 3-D CAD system, and part of the answer reaffirmed the... Read more...
Article
August 12, 2008
Tube prep for the drawing step
What is push pointing? First, let's start with the definition of pointing. Pointing, sometimes called tagging or swaging, is a method of reducing a tube's end to permit it to pass through a draw die before a drawing operation. After the tube end goes through the draw die, gripper jaws... Read more...
Article
August 1, 2008
One easy piece to model
I've met more than a handful of people who have access to a 3-D CAD system, but are restricted in what they can do with the software. In many cases, the 3-D CAD system is used merely as a data exchange tool; the main mission is to generate a CNC program for manufacturing. As often is the... Read more...
Article
July 1, 2008
Getting a handle on 3-D CAD modeling
Figure 1a
A simple five-line sketch can create a full sheet metal part.
CAD software of the 3-D variety can be a lot of fun to use. Perhaps it's because the software does a lot of work quickly.
Figure 1a shows an example of the power of 3-D CAD software. To create a sheet metal... Read more...
Article
June 1, 2008
Unfolding truth about flats
Three-dimensional CAD software provides great power to generate flat layouts of sheet metal parts with just a click of a button. But as Uncle Ben told a young Peter Parker in Stan Lee's "Spider-Man" saga, "With great power there must also come great responsibility."
So what responsibilities... Read more...
Article
September 11, 2007
Reducing conversion cost in a copper tube mill
Recent business-sector changes—copper cost increases, globalization, technology advances, and rapidly changing consumer tastes—have had big effects on copper producers and extruders and have led to profound changes in the industry. Change isn't necessarily bad; it brings both... Read more...
Article
August 8, 2006
Warm forming of stainless steels - Part II
Editor's Note: This article is Part II in a two-part series on warm forming stainless steel. Part II discusses simulation and experimental studies conducted by the ERC/NSM on formability of stainless steel at elevated temperatures. Part I, which appeared in July, discussed the rationale for and... Read more...
Article
August 8, 2006
Warm forming of stainless steels
Editor's Note: This article is Part II in a two-part series on warm forming stainless steel. Part II discusses simulation and experimental studies conducted by the ERC/NSM on formability of stainless steel at elevated temperatures. Part I, which appeared in July, discussed the rationale for and... Read more...
Article
July 11, 2006
Warm forming of stainless steels - Part I
Editor's Note: This article is Part I of a two-part series on warm forming stainless steel. Part I discusses the need for warm forming of stainless steel and the results of previous work on the material. Part II, which will appear in August, will discuss simulation and experimental studies... Read more...
Article
June 8, 2004
Sink-making secrets
Figure 1 Double drawn stainless steel sink Sink photo courtesy of Polarware. Have you ever looked at a deep-drawn double-bowl sink and wondered how it's made? After all, one deep-drawn shell is right next to the other. Where does the metal come from to achieve the height? Figure... Read more...
Article
February 12, 2004
Laser cell system gives job shop the home field advantage
Photo courtesy of Lund Industries Inc., Wheeling, Ill. No stranger to the economic fluctuations in the industry, the 50-employee company has weathered the heavy volume demands in the economic boom of the late '90s as well as the current intense global tournament that has forced U.S.... Read more...
Article
February 12, 2004
Selecting a stamping die pressure system, Part II
Selecting a stamping die's pressure system can be a critical decision. Many questions must be answered to determine what type of pressure system best suits your application. This article is Part II of a two-part series that focuses on the different systems available, as well as the advantages... Read more...
Article
December 11, 2003
Selecting a stamping die pressure system, Part I
Selecting the stamping die's pressure system can be a critical decision. Many questions must be answered to determine what type of pressure system best suits your application. Controlling Factors 1. Pressure requirements Simple conventional metal cutting dies, such as those used in blanking... Read more...
Article
December 11, 2003
Folding technology makes sweeping changes
In particular, sheet metal was used extensively for roofing and building cladding. These applications were well-suited to the swing bending machine's geometry, and the modern metal folding industry was born. A number of German manufacturers began adding powered backgauges with... Read more...
Article
November 6, 2003
Article
October 9, 2003
Eliminating final trim shearing of hydroformed tube
An alternative to trimming a tube to establish tube length is to form the tube in the preform operation to a geometry that is close to the final product and to seal it during hydroforming with caps that match its formed shape. Generally, a round tube is bent on a rotary draw bender... Read more...
Article
August 28, 2003
Die geometry for embossing and stretching
Embossing usually refers to the stretching of metal into a shallow depression. Unlike drawing, embossing entails little or no inward metal flow. Some automobile hoods and parts are made using a stretching operation, while others use a combination of drawing and stretching (see Figure 1 ).... Read more...
Article
July 24, 2003
Improving blank edge conditions
Blanking—like piercing, parting, notching, and trimming—basically is a shearing process. Sheet metal that is sheared undergoes a predictable process and yields a predictable cross-sectional profile. Typically during shearing, as the punch initially engages the sheet metal, it... Read more...
Article
June 26, 2003
The Bold in Arches
Texans will remind you that things are bigger in Texas, and the Dallas Convention Center is just another example, as this computer drawing shows. Two 860-ton roof truss assemblies, fabricated from large-diameter pipe, make it possible for Dallas to boast that it currently has... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2003
Stretching metal's forming limits with HSP lubricants
The trend in metal stamping is to use more and more aluminum and other lightweight materials, such as advanced high strength steel (AHSS). The need for technology to help improve metal flow of these materials in deep-drawing applications also is increasing. In many cases, a stamper's original... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2003
Dieless NC forming
Figure 1 The principles of dieless forming are demonstrated on a three-axis CNC machine. Source Amino Corp. Editor's Note: This column was prepared by the staff of the Engineering Research Center for Net Shape Manufacturing (ERC/ NSM), The Ohio State University, Professor Taylan... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2003
Designing high-strength steel stamped parts for formability
The problems associated with forming high-strength steel often are created during the design stage, when products are designed in such a way that they cannot be manufactured using conventional stamping methods. Or the product requires numerous or special offline operations, such as annealing or... Read more...
Article
May 29, 2003
Batter up! Turning an aluminum tube into a baseball bat
Although wooden bats still are the only type used in professional baseball, aluminum bats are used extensively in nonprofessional baseball and softball leagues. In fact, nearly 95 percent of all baseball bats used in the U.S. are made of aluminum. Hillerich & Bradsby Co. (H&B),... Read more...
Article
May 29, 2003
Roll form tooling tryout and troubleshooting
The secret to developing successful roll tooling—whether for tube production or roll forming—and achieving maximum roll integrity is a simple but often overlooked notion: a comprehensive approach. Such an approach comprises five steps: Designing the roll tooling... Read more...
Article
May 15, 2003
Solving the mysteries of the fin pass—Part 2
First, some ground rules (assumptions) for the arrangement before we discuss some possible reasons for poor-quality seam welding and their solutions:
1. You are working with a new set of rolls and spacers. We assume that the rolls are manufactured correctly. This eliminates from the equation... Read more...
Article
November 17, 2002
Secrets of Using GTAW for Tools and Dies
Tool and die welding can be a very lucrative service for a fab shop to offer. However, tool and die welders are a rare breed because of lack of knowledge about the process and the extra expense for a shop. Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) frequently is used for tool and die welding applications... Read more...
Article
October 25, 2001
Achieving straight-side capabilities in a gap-frame press
Gap, or C-frame, mechanical stamping presses have undergone relatively few fundamental design changes since they were first introduced in the mid-1800s. The basic principle behind their operation, simply stated, is this: Inertial energy stored in a rotating flywheel is converted to a... Read more...
Article
October 25, 2001
Article
October 11, 2001
The importance of the n value in sheet forming
Figure 1: Magnitudes of elongation at the onset of necking vary with the n value. Editor's Note: This column was prepared by the staff of the Engineering Research Center for Net Shape Manufacturing (ERC/ NSM) , The Ohio State University, Professor Taylan Altan, director. Strain... Read more...
Article
September 17, 2001
Examining tube mill roll tooling, setup, and maintenance
Poor tooling setup and mill alignment can be costly, especially when they result in decreased production quality and scrap. Both areas must be maintained continuously. A secret to achieving maximum roll integrity is simple, but often forgotten: Roll tooling design is based on known parameters... Read more...
Article
July 12, 2001
Not your father's abrasive jet
Figure 1 Object Fifteen or 20 years ago abrasive jet was the technology of last resort for severing difficult materials that could be cut no other way. These units were crude, noisy, and dirty. A nozzle was hung on an X-Y burning table and the resulting tolerances and surface finish were... Read more...
Article
July 12, 2001
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June 18, 2001
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June 15, 2001
Article
May 30, 2001
Key design principles for successful deep drawing
Successful deep drawing depends on many factors. Ignoring even one of them during die design and build can prove disastrous. However, regardless of the many factors involved, the most important element to a successful deep drawing operation is initiating metal flow. The following are key... Read more...
Article
May 15, 2001
Hydroforming of tubes, extrusions, and sheet
Hydroforming tubes, extrusions, and sheet metal is a state-of-the-art enterprise and is just now becoming more popular in the industrial production of frames for light trucks and vans. Figure 1: Hydroforming tubes with outer pressure, though not the norm in the industry, has several... Read more...
Article
January 15, 2001
How to draw round cups deeper
Figure 1 : In deep drawing, sheet metal is forced into a die by a punch to form a part. The draw ratio decreases throughout the process. In general, deep drawing (see Figure 1 ) is a process in which a blank is forced into or through a die by a punch to form a hollow component that... Read more...
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