Production Drawings

[obirimelvin]

I'd like assistance with production drawings or working drawing for the item shown in the picture;

 

WHich is the best software to use for this kind of work i.e AutoCAD mechanical,Autocad or Mechanical Desktop

[stevsmith]

I would tend to use a program with sheetmetal capabilities like inventor or solidworks.

I have no experiance with A/M or M/D.

 

You could do it in Autocad, but which would you prefer, 2d or 3d detailing.

I fell that Autocad is limited when it comes to sheetmetal works. Even though others may disagree with me.

[obirimelvin]

thanks stevsmith. Never used inventor but I'll sure look into it now

[Tankman]

Looks easy enough for "vanilla" AutoCAD.

 

Parts drawings and an assembly drawing should do the trick.

Worked in the fabrication department of a very big sheetmetal department.

All prototype work, loved it.

 

Looks somewhat like a locking gun cabinet.

 

A CNC punch press would be nice!

[stevsmith]

Just a quick pointer.

 

Im not saying that you can't do it in autocad, but it would be alot simpler and quicker with a parametric program.

 

In my opinion anyway.

[obirimelvin]

Hey Tankman,

Can I borrow from your experience, my ultimate goal is fabrication but can't seem to get past this point. Can I get from you a shell *.dwg of the box 36*45*115 - L*W*H

 

@stevsmith

Your pointer is acknowledged

[KennyJ]

obirimelvin,

If you made some hand drawn sketches with dimensions penciled in and sent them to me I wouldn't mind helping you get a CAD drawing for this. you were asking for a shell of a cube but you failed to mention a wall thickness so I made you a shell with .25 thick walls its attached to this post. This seems to be a simple assembly to draw but all my experience with CAD is in the Plastics field. not sure if there would be some mechanical issues I'd be unaware of because I never worked with sheet metal. anyways if you want/need my help I'm offering.

Shell quarter inch thick walls.dwg

[rkent]

If you are doing only one of these then AutoCAD will work just fine. If you are going to need variations of that design, etc. then if you can learn Inventor you will be miles ahead.

[Tankman]

Hey Tankman,

Can I borrow from your experience, my ultimate goal is fabrication but can't seem to get past this point. Can I get from you a shell *.dwg of the box 36*45*115 - L*W*H

 

@stevsmith

Your pointer is acknowledged

 

Are you talkin' inches? The image looks much smaller.

The material appears to be 12 gauge CRS (cold rolled steel).

 

A simple enough "cabinet" for any sheetmetal worker.

CNC punch press for holes 'n corner miters.

Timesaver for deburring.

Press brake for forming.

Spot welding for shelves.

Tig or mig welding for corners.

Finish, sanding, before painting.

 

At any rate, confirm dimensions and I'll play with it.

Bend allowances, blank sizing, depends on the material gauge; i.e.: 12 gauge.

12 gauge is approx 3/32" thick. Is often the gauge used for commercial

electrical boxes. 16 gauge is approx 1/16" thick.

[Tankman]

obirimelvin,

If you made some hand drawn sketches with dimensions penciled in and sent them to me I wouldn't mind helping you get a CAD drawing for this. you were asking for a shell of a cube but you failed to mention a wall thickness so I made you a shell with .25 thick walls its attached to this post. This seems to be a simple assembly to draw but all my experience with CAD is in the Plastics field. not sure if there would be some mechanical issues I'd be unaware of because I never worked with sheet metal. anyways if you want/need my help I'm offering.

 

Kenny:

 

Can you save your *.dwg file in an earlier version of AutoCAD and repost?

 

A number of forum members don't use the latest 'n greatest from AutoDesk. Best to save drawings in version, 2000, we can all open CAD vs. 2000 drawings, I think.

Cabinet-1.dwg

[obirimelvin]

thanks KennyJ and all,

I've attached the sketch, and some *.dwg of my attempts.

The *.dwg are for 2005 and 2000 autocad

Box All.dwg

Box All 2000.dwg

[obirimelvin]

seems like I should look into Inventor, I will have variations of the same eventually/

PLUS I'd like to do some plastic stuff for modelling sheet metal is new for me

[JD Mather]

Which is the best software to use for this kind of work i.e AutoCAD mechanical,Autocad or Mechanical Desktop

 

Mechanical Desktop has not been sold by Autodesk since Feb 2002. It was discontinued after 2009.

 

I would use Inventor. Inventor will automatically create flat patterns from you as-folded model. Can also do weld beads.

[Tankman]

All looks "well." Too easy a project for a qualified sheet metal fabricator.

 

Would be easy enough to fabricate usin' 12 gauge CRS.

Ben allowances would be 1/4" for each 90° bend,

(3mm x 2).

 

I find it a bit difficult understanding what you're looking for?

Box-Art.dwg

[Tankman]

Mechanical Desktop has not been sold by Autodesk since Feb 2002. It was discontinued after 2009.

 

I would use Inventor. Inventor will automatically create flat patterns from you as-folded model. Can also do weld beads.

 

Neve used Inventor however, my experience 40+ years in metal fabrication, I can do it all in AutoCad from start to finish; all parts, bottom, top, door, etc.

 

This is too easy a "cabinet" to layout; all 90° bends.

Notch the blanks, bend away, spotweld, TIG seams, clean up the welds, paint. Done.

 

Easy enough to fabricate. I guess I just don't get it(?).

This is an easy project for a sheet metal fabricator.

[Tankman]

Seems like I should look into Inventor, I will have variations of the same eventually/

PLUS I'd like to do some plastic stuff for modeling sheet metal is new for me.

 

Plastics would be another story. Molds, forming, whatever.

However, if fab'ing from sheet stock, machining would be required.

 

By the way, where are you posting from?

[obirimelvin]

Tankman,

The challenge I have is making a drawing that will aid the fabrication process;

I also want to include more details in the isometric and develop a exploded view of parts.I'm not very experienced with autocad in terms of practice most of my interactions with it was classroom exercise and lots of theory so doing this will help me bridge that gap.

[CADguy209]

You can do this all in regular autocad. Not really that hard either. It can all be done 2d or 3d if you want to get fancy.

 

If you are going to make production drawings some of the things you are going to need are:

 

 

An assembly drawing showing how all the parts fit together.

 

Detail drawings of the individual parts showing the formed, and flat pattern detail of the parts.

 

Indicate the guage of the material on the detail drawings.

 

Knowledge of figuring bend allowances for your given parts/ga material.

[JD Mather]

I can do it all in AutoCad from start to finish; all parts, bottom, top, door, etc.

 

Well, I'm quite sure I could do it all in AutoCAD and from art-to-part out on the shop floor as well. I would consider that to be torture though. So much easier in Inventor I would take the $1,300 USD out of my own pocket for Inventor before subjecting myself to the torture.

 

BTW additional information on the plastics - I will be doing a presentation on the new Plastics functionality at 6PM tonight in the Penns' Inn at Penn College.

 

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=FB61F87E7D0D2DB4