Apr 22 2012
SolidWorks design software has been specifically designed to aid manufacturers with the design of sheet metal parts that can be easily manufactured. Most commonly used to close the gap between those who design the parts and those who manufacture them, the SolidWorks design program helps to keep costs to a minimum, and speeds up production times. The program enables designers and engineers to model completed parts, creating three-dimensional models which can be used by manufacturers to build the final product One of the interesting things that the The SolidWorks computer program helps designers and fabricators to do is to determine, for the purpose of each project, what exactly they mean by sheet metal. This includes factors like how thick the sheet metal is. You can then design sheet metal components virtually before bends are made, and to determine whether particular cuts and folds are indeed practical to produce. Further, individual parts can be named and labeled so as to avoid confusion about which parts to fabricate. This will also help the production process as all sheet metal panels will be correctly marked as to their purpose and how they fit into the overall product design. SolidWorks design software will also allow for the addition of form radius, multiple or layered extrusions and other features after the product has been fitted together in the computer model. This helps both the designer and fabricator to align perforations, tabs, and other attributes that need to be lined up on a number of complex sheet metal panels. The SolidWorks sheet metal design system allows the design and manufacture of very complex features, allowing both designers and fabricators to verify tolerances and clearances, ensuring that the product which the engineer has designed can actually be fabricated and, eventually, assembled. Using this software designers can view designs with small gaps between the panels so as to allow the software to unfold the design. This allows design features to stand out, so that panels will be seen distinctly. This feature is useful if panels that will be touching in the actual product and need to be viewed as seperate components by the fabricator so that the separate parts can be properly made. One of the best aspects of the SolidWorks design package is that it will allow you to adjust design features when needed, such as unfolding a fold, uncutting a cut, etc. It can also help designers to take into consideration that the design changes might have an effect on the overall design which might not be immediately obvious. The obvious benefit of this is that any inconsistencies will be caught before the manufacturing process begins, most likely saving you a lot of wasted time. Engineers find that they are better able to move a product from conception and modeling through to a workable design if they use SolidWorks and sheet metal. If the designer’s plan is clearly shown and easy to interpret, manufacturers will be able to create components which will perform exactly as the designer intended, leading to efficiency in the product’s manufacture and production. Increased efficiency leads to less material being wasted, less man hours, lower production costs, and thus increased profitability. Marc Anderes is a co-founder of Maloya Laser which specializes in Laser Cutting and Metal Manufacturing with advanced laser systems, targeting aerospace, medical, machinery, scientific and transportation requirements.
| admin | 22 April 2012 |
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