How do you document parts?

[MaximRecoil]

Is there a way to document parts in a computer file format so that you could send the file (rather than sending the parts themselves) to a machinist and they could reproduce the part(s) to the exact specifications of the original(s)? I'm thinking maybe AutoCAD or something?

Is there an "industry standard" way of doing this?

[surface tension]

You should speak to whoever is going to be doing the machining for you, but from my experience with wood and metal, manufacturers will work from ACAD files.

[shardian]

You would need a fully detailed and dimensioned shop drawing showing all of the parts, preferably a 3d render and a set of orthogonal 2d views so they know all of the dimensions.

[Daviea]

Hi there,

Depending on the type of parts you're speaking of, there are many so-called industry standards.  Being a manufacturer, I have an opinion on the subject so I'll throw in my $0.02.

Generally, when dealing with sheet metal products, Auto CAD (ACAD) has always been the easy choice.  So, if you're working on, let's say, a control panel....ACAD would probably be a good choice.

However, if you're dealing with a three dimensional part such as a joystick shaft or even a ball top, you'll probably want to use a 3D modeling software.  This is where is gets a little bit tricky.  There doesn't seem to be a single standard that all manufacturers use today.  However, I have noticed a trend in the industry.  More and more companies are starting to use a software called SolidWorks.  I began by supporting this format many years ago and now I make wide use of it on a daily basis.

The best thing you can do (as previously mentioned by ST) is call the potential machinist/manufacturer and ask them what formats they will accept.  If they accept Solidworks, I would suggest trying this one out before the rest.  Sure, it's expensive if purchased new, but you can find an awesome deal on used software packages on ebay or the newsgroups from time to time.  I believe that you can get a free trial version of Solidworks, too.

BTW, I'm pushing solidworks because I do see the trend of more and more companies accepting this format and, quite frankly, I believe it's one of the easier modeling softwares to use.  It's powerful and very intuitive.  You can also generate shop drawings with it which is a nice touch.  Keep in mind that this advice is coming from someone who has many years of experience using various modeling software, so I'm somewhat biased. :-)

Good luck with everything.

David Adams
RAM Controls

Is there a way to document parts in a computer file format so that you could send the file (rather than sending the parts themselves) to a machinist and they could reproduce the part(s) to the exact specifications of the original(s)? I'm thinking maybe AutoCAD or something?

Is there an "industry standard" way of doing this?

[Fozzy The Bear]

As a former manufacturer.......  Here's an example what everybody can read to manufacture from, without the complexity or necessity of using any software at all.

Just do a three view dimensioned drawing..... You don't need a computer to do it and you don't need a computer to read it either.

Bear in mind that until the 1990's very few people used a computer for engineering at all. I still find it absolutely unnecessary unless you're talking about production runs in the hundreds or thousands.

See attached drawing. If they can't read it they're not much of an engineer anyway.

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

[shardian]

As a former manufacturer.......  Here's an example what everybody can read to manufacture from, without the complexity or necessity of using any software at all.

Just do a three view dimensioned drawing..... You don't need a computer to do it and you don't need a computer to read it either.

Bear in mind that until the 1990's very few people used a computer for engineering at all. I still find it absolutely unnecessary unless you're talking about production runs in the hundreds or thousands.

See attached drawing. If they can't read it they're not much of an engineer anyway.

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

Fozzy's PDF is exactly what you need.

[MaximRecoil]

Thanks for the replies. I guess the problem now will be getting precise measurements. Most of the measurements will be easy enough, but I have no idea how to measure the radius of a curve, for example.