OOoooo. Is this really a question that needs to be asked? Everyone uses 3D right? and if they don’t, the should be slapped upwards and forced to partake of the goodness that is 3D geometry.
Do the manufacturers you work with use 3D data to create parts, build assemblies or get information not provided on drawings? Or do they just stick with good ol’ paper to keep production rolling? I’m thinking there’s usually a mix, but there’s benefits with 3D data a lot of shops may be missing. Whatcha think?
Loading ...Should They Use 3D?
So maybe a manufacturer only uses 2D CAD, PDF drawings or 2D templates to create parts? (How lame right. Get with it!) Should they try to use 3D data though?
It’s easy to quickly say yes, but what’s interesting in this regard is how engineering can provide data to manufacturers. Engineering that uses 3D data has the options to output everything from 2D drawings to 3D geometry. If they can provide the 2D data to manufacturing for how they work, do shops really need to try new ways to use 3D? I think they need to look at in the scope of their existing processes and how they can work with different data engineering can provide. What do you think?
SolidSmack is a very small behemoth of an online community about 3D CAD, technology, design, robots, and ninjas… Ok, maybe not ninjas so much, but those guys are COOL so there just might be something about some dang ninjas.
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It's a case by case scenario really, some sheet metal and machining suppliers will only accept DWGs, as it's what their system (quotes and CNC itself) requires and they stick to it. But when it comes to plastic molding, i've yet to see a North American supplier not requiring a 3d. They model their mold around the 3d part you send. Oversea is a totally different story though…Chinese mostly quote and even work only with 2d files (from my past experiences).
Our manufacturers primarily use 2D, as…maybe 75% of our steel work is cut from flat sheet or structural sections; for the sheet we often provide DXF to send straight to the cutter. Lathed parts (~20%) would probably benefit a little more from 3D data but most of them are fairly simple. About 5% of our parts are more complex, like a knuckle-type joint, where the 3D data would make things easier (if the manufacturer could use it). Then again we're only starting to dip our toes in 3D – we've had a couple of seats of Solidworks for two years, but a lot of our jobs utilize legacy designs (some of which were designed in Solidworks by a subcontractor, but have since been updated in AutoCAD so if we could find the models they still wouldn't match).
The one thing we use 3D for more consistently (at least since I've been here) is trim parts – all of our molded foam, and about 3/4 of our fiberglass. The remainder of the fiberglass is typically adapted from or inspired by existing molds and is always a huge pain to get to fit up…
We highly prefer 3D but can work from both to support legacy (2D) data. The best is complete documentation including drawings, models, and assemblies. I could go on forever about the cost savings of 3D data in manufacturing, but I would probably just be “preaching to the choir”.
You bring up a great point. If we're not just working with production internally, we gotta be ready to provide any type of data. When I've worked with multiple manufacturers in the past, different data was required by each one. similar process, they just had their own way of doing things and we had to accommodate.
I'm definitely seeing some major cost savings with how our shop is using 3D. They use a 3D viewer (eDrawings) right now to analyze assemblies on the floor and pre-CNC. Next phase is to set up the CNC operator with the ability to use parasolid files.
But it's amazing how much time, effort, cost can be save just by being able to view something in 3D. amazing.
Yeah, I'm still longing for the day when I can work for a company with nothing but 3D suppliers.
Even with 3D though, you still have some issues. I remember our die casting supplier needing to further tweak our models to be CNC/mold ready. I tried my best to get them to teach me how do that so they wouldn't have to, but it would practically require me to become a master toolmaker in record time.
I guess if you have full control over the manufacturing process, and the expertise, you could really see the efficiencies of a 3D only data workflow.
Ok, totally off-topic, but that robot totally makes me think of some type of punk-rock Wall-E.
totally. totally punk RAWK
– it's been nice to have onsite manufacturing. we can actually show how 3D data can help. eDrawings have been a BIG hit. Has saved a lot of time in calls.
We actually have a seat of SolidWorks in production for unfolding sheet metal parts, visualization, and Quality Control. CAM software is where the true 3D value shows. The capability to drop a model into Esprit (or MasterCAM/DelCAM/whatever) cuts programming times to a fraction.
One day we will invest in a 3D scanning technology to close the 3D digital manufacturing cycle.
We're mostly an assembly shop and drill/tap parts for assembly. We use 3D to design (obviously), but only 2D drawings to assemble or for machine shop to drill/tap. I'm personally not sure how assembly would use 3D data, other than to get a better picture of the assembly they're assembling (we do include iso views on the drawings). It'd be sweet to give them all a screen and get rid of their paper drawings, but how many of them would just be playing with the screens and wasting time?
Our machine shop uses HAAS CNC machines for glorified drilling and tapping, only a few times a year do they get used for cutting proto parts from 3D data, ouch, huh? Although we do have a Dimension RP machine also.
Nice topic!
I have just found a Sheet Metal manufacturer who wants only 3D model, but normally I have sent Flatten – dxf for import staight into cutters/ folders, pdf (2D) & eDrawing for reference. (eg: view to see correct side to fit “self clinching nuts” etc)
For cabinet manufacture (ply) its always dxf, I have looked at SolidNEST but it is very machine specific, so we need to manually nest.
The only time I can send 3D only is for pattenmaking/ plugs for fibreglass mould. As these are done many on 5axis CNC they prefer as they can direct import into there machines (many iges or x_t)
I have just found a Sheet Metal manufacturer who wants only 3D model, but normally I have sent Flatten – dxf for import staight into cutters/ folders, pdf (2D) & eDrawing for reference. (eg: view to see correct side to fit “self clinching nuts” etc)
For cabinet manufacture (ply) its always dxf, I have looked at SolidNEST but it is very machine specific, so we need to manually nest.
The only time I can send 3D only is for pattenmaking/ plugs for fibreglass mould. As these are done many on 5axis CNC they prefer as they can direct import into there machines (many iges or x_t)
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