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3-D CAD: Bill of materials construction in project documentation--PartII
Columnist Gerald Davis has populated the bills of material with data and now focuses on the model that will accompany the BOM to the manufacturing floor.
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3-D CAD: Bill-of-materials construction inproject documentation--Part I
Columnist Gerald Davis takes a look at the appropriate way to construct a bill of materials as he continues his cutting table project.
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3-D CAD: Customization in project documentation
Columnist Gerald Davis reveals the most convenient way to set up a bills of material and related title blocks.
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3-D CAD: Project documentation
Columnist Gerald Davis explores the world of exploded views as he prepares the 3-D model to be much more than just a graphical representation of the part to be fabricated.
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3-D CAD: Project definition
Columnist Gerald Davis focuses his 3-D CAD skill on designing a welding table. He invites readers to participate in the creation of this support structure.
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Introducing solid-state laser technology
Although the solid-state laser is considered new in metal cutting processes, the first laser demonstration in a laboratory in 1960 was a solid-state laser. CO2 lasers turned out to be more practical for cutting metals, but solid-state lasers are...
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How to enhance design for manufacturability efforts
Metal stampers that produce to print aren't positioning themselves for a prosperous future. They are providing a simple function—one that most shops can provide easily. Today stampers need to offer up expertise along with metal forming...
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3-D CAD: Library features
Columnist Gerald Davis shows CAD users how to create a feature for the library so that it may be used in other models.
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3-D CAD: Document management and revision control
Columnist Gerald Davis offers fabricators guidance in dealing with an engineering change order to a 3-D CAD model.
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Adventures in titanium—WPS
Your customer wants two pieces of metal welded together. Why should you bother with a welding procedure specification? Because conformity leads to quality and enhances safety.
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3-D CAD: Producing a 2-D flat layout from 3-D data
After demonstrating how a 3-D concept model can be turned into a production model, which is useful for as long as the project has the green light, columnist Gerald Davis takes a look at how you can take a concept model and turn it into a simple...
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3-D CAD: Well-behaved bend reliefs
Columnist Gerald Davis is looking to refine a 3-D model so that it is easier to laser-cut. To do so, he relies on a popular addition to his modeling software package.
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How part and die design go hand-in-hand
When engineers complete a part, then start on tooling design,
inefficiencies mount. Ideally, part and tooling design should go hand
in hand, and today a method exists that allows engineers to resolve
part and die forming problems before designers...
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3-D CAD: The cure for the bad isometric view
Columnist Gerald Davis walks the fabricator through a 3-D modeling process to learn how to work with a file that has broken elements.
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3-D CAD: Unfolding problems
Columnist Gerald Davis provides some tips on getting that 2-D drawing--derived from the 3-D model--to manufacturing in the best shape possible.
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The industry needs “technical leaders”
FMA survey reveals hiring managers are looking for technical leaders, those with technical knowhow with the ability to look beyond their individual work cell.
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Adventures in titanium—3 questions about repairing titanium eyeglasses by welding
Nguyen needs his titanium eyeglasses repaired and wants some expert advice about how this can best be achieved. The answers to his questions about the process provide valuable insight into some aspects of welding titanium.
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Adventures in titanium—Why is my stovepipe hat assembly warping, turning blue, and cracking?
Fabricating a titanium stovepipe hat assembly had one shop perplexed. What was causing the material to turn blue, warp, and crack? Why was it so difficult to make this part fit into the next assembly?
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3-D CAD: Modeling a nest of parts
Columnist Gerald Davis bypasses CAM software and uses his 3-D software to create a nest of parts.
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The power of sheet metal design
Effective sheet metal design should not set out to eliminate welding, but instead uncover the most cost-effective ways to manufacture a part. The best designs exploit strengths of the welding process and minimize its weaknesses.
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3-D CAD design: Modeling a shop cart
Columnist Gerald Davis tackles a fabricating project that every shop takes on every so often: the shop cart.
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3-D CAD design: The next dimension of services you will offer?
Columnist Gerald Davis provides readers with an idea on how transforming a 2-D sketch into a 3-D model can prove helpful in bettering a customer's original design.
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Putting 3-D CAD on the grill, Part XII
Wrapping up his design work on the Shashlik Grill, columnist Gerald Davis now turns his attention to preparing final versions of
project documentation.
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Putting 3-D CAD on the grill, Part XI
Working on a 3-D design for the Shashlik Grill, columnist Gerald Davis has turned his attention to the sliding charcoal plan, but this particular component challenges the top-down modeling approach that has been used up until this point in the...
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3-D CAD on the grill, Part X
Working on a 3-D design for the Shashlik
Grill, columnist Gerald Davis continues
working on the top-level assembly. This time
he's modeling two skewer supports.
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Putting 3-D CAD on the grill, Part IX
Working on a 3-D design for the Shashlik
Grill, columnist Gerald Davis continues
working on the top-level assembly. This time
he's modeling two end skirts and two side skirts.
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The evolution of cable carriers
Cable carriers have come a long way since the introduction of the first carrier in the 1950s. No longer made solely of steel, modern-day carriers span greater distances and protect cables, hoses, and machinery in many industries, including metal...
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Putting 3-D CAD on the grill, Part VIII
Working on a 3-D design for a Shashlik Grill,
columnist Gerald Davis continues his work of
locating features in the context of the top
level assembly.
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Putting 3-D CAD on the grill, Part VII
Working on a design for a Shashlik Grill,
columnist Gerald Davis turns his attention to
fasteners as it's time to shore up the
support structure.
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3-D CAD on the grill, Part VI
Working on a design for a Shashlik Grill,
columnist Gerald Davis reminds CAD designers
that it is a good practice to test parametric
links as the design progresses.
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Which cable carrier is right for your application?
Carrier systems designed to protect your machinery’s cables and hoses can help prevent damage and improve your processes. Which of the many available systems is right for your operation?
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Putting 3-D CAD on the grill, Part V
Proper organization of files and folders makes a designer's life a lot easier.
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Putting 3-D CAD on the grill - Part IV
When it comes to providing exact details for the bill of materials for a 3-D design job, columnist Gerald Davis provides some pointers to help speed up the project.
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Launching new cars sooner
Automakers and other manufacturers increasingly are using optical metrology to help reduce the time and money spent in new-product development while improving quality. What is this technology, and how does it work?
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Putting 3-D CAD on the grill—Part III
Working on a design for a Shashlik Grill,columnist Gerald Davis provides guidance so that the designer ends up with a design that allows him to explore various changes to the size of the overall product while having the component parts stretch or...
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Putting 3-D CAD on the grill
Gerald Davis begins this year with a series of product development case studies, taking an idea and creating the virtual model of it.For this first installment, Davis designs a barbecue grill.
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Sheet Metal Stamping 101, Part V
How are bending, flanging, coining, embossing, stretching, curling, hemming, ironing, necking, and drawing related? They all are common metal forming operations. Find out more about these processes in this final installment of stamping expert Art...
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3-D CAD design communication skills
If a face-to-face meeting can't be held, thenit is incumbent upon the 3-D CAD crew toproduce other kinds of documents tocommunicate the same information tocustomers. Gerald Davis provides examples ofhow to do this.
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Drafting useful drawings
No matter what drafting standards you adhereto, a CAD jockey should always strive todeliver information in the best and mostcomplete format to the manufacturing floor.
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Sheet Metal Stamping 101, Part IV
Continuing his series about sheet metal stamping, tool-and-die expert Art Hedrick explains common cutting operations used in stamping: trimming, piercing, blanking, notching, shearing, lancing, and pinch trimming. Find out how they work and which...
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Scrubbing our industry
Today's industrial scrubber technology can help make existing energy companies more environmentally friendly. Fabricators with the right equipment, capacity, knowledge, and opportunity might find a new market in making components for these...
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Bedeviled with the details
Columnist Gerald Davis shows readers how to deliver just enough detail for visualization in a 3-D drawing, not for manufacturing.
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Flat responsibility in sheet metal modeling
The most important role of a CAD operator is to verify that the design can be flattened. Columnist Gerald Davis provides some guidance on that subject.
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Drawing the bead on weldments
Columnist Gerald Davis has a new project thismonth: Model a cage that will hold about 528 lbs. (240 kg) of batteries. Because afictional project manager has not settled onthe specific battery spacing or on thestructural members to use, Davis...
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An introduction to friction stir welding
A relatively new joining process, friction stir welding (FSW) produces no fumes; uses no filler material; and can join aluminum alloys, copper, magnesium, zinc, steels, and titanium. FSW sometimes produces a weld that is stronger than the base...
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Sheet Metal Stamping 101, Part III
Continuing his series about sheet metal stamping, tool-and-die expert Art Hedrick focuses on die basics, including die materials and rudimentary maintenance. He also explains the cutting process and what happens to metal when you cut it with a...
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Top-down modeling
A reader has a question about modeling an assembly comprised of three plates and tubing. Columnist Gerald Davis provides guidance.
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Validating processes, procedures, and products
The relatively new concept of validation likely will be used more and more by customers and certifying agencies to ascertain that all conceivable means were used to guarantee that a manufactured product indeed meets all requirements, including...
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The most important output of 3-D CAD modeling
The most important output from a CAD system is the bill of material. Columnist Gerald Davis gives us an idea of just how much detail should go into creating a BOM.
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Love of loft in 3-D CAD modeling
Leaning to use the loft tool in 3-D CAD modeling takes some work, but it can come in handy in certain circumstances.
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