CAD and laser/water cutting.
I've had a crack at designing some bits for a manifold for a vintage racing car but need to find out if my drawings and files are compatible with the machinery/technology used to cut stuff out. Is there anyone who can have a look at a .dwg file for me and see if it works?
Alternatively, does anyone here have the facility to cut stuff themselves? I recall that someone was cutting metalwork for something like the CX4.
Lastly, can anyone recommend a CAD program for 2D drawing of flanges and suchlike? I've used one this week called DRAFT IT v3 and it works but is a simple program that lacks some of the features that I need to make it easier.
Cheers
Rob
CAD and laser/water cutting.
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cardiffrob
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- Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2008 3:56 pm
CAD and laser/water cutting.
Rob Thomas
034851
034851
Rob,
this is something I have done quite a lot of now. I can probably help.
Every time I have produced a DXF file of the parts which most cutting places can use. For aircraft bits abrasive water jet is the way to go, for other things laser would probably be cheaper.
The problem with laser for aircraft fittings is that you get edge hardening from the process.
I work for a company that develops CAD software so I use ours, but that is expensive. As far as free cad packages go try Turbocad learning Edition, Felixcad Lite and Solid Edge 2d Drafting.
I am working on an add-on to Sketchup for just this purpose but that will be a while yet.
For now, if you want me to convert your sketches email me. I can probably point you at some companys too. Paul Hendry-Smith who will be around here somewhere has a cnc mill and may be able to take on some work.
Here is a link to Ian Wasey's web site showing some water-jet cut sheets of 14g and 16g as well as some other parts in larger gauges. Ian did all the work re-drawing the fittings in cad and I just extracted the outlines and used some nesting software to pack them into the sheets efficiently. The holes are all slightly undersize for finishing/reaming.
http://www.waseyaeroplanes.com/index.ht ... arged1.htm
Ian Wasey is the best guy I know to talk to about aircraft fittings.
regards
Colin
this is something I have done quite a lot of now. I can probably help.
Every time I have produced a DXF file of the parts which most cutting places can use. For aircraft bits abrasive water jet is the way to go, for other things laser would probably be cheaper.
The problem with laser for aircraft fittings is that you get edge hardening from the process.
I work for a company that develops CAD software so I use ours, but that is expensive. As far as free cad packages go try Turbocad learning Edition, Felixcad Lite and Solid Edge 2d Drafting.
I am working on an add-on to Sketchup for just this purpose but that will be a while yet.
For now, if you want me to convert your sketches email me. I can probably point you at some companys too. Paul Hendry-Smith who will be around here somewhere has a cnc mill and may be able to take on some work.
Here is a link to Ian Wasey's web site showing some water-jet cut sheets of 14g and 16g as well as some other parts in larger gauges. Ian did all the work re-drawing the fittings in cad and I just extracted the outlines and used some nesting software to pack them into the sheets efficiently. The holes are all slightly undersize for finishing/reaming.
http://www.waseyaeroplanes.com/index.ht ... arged1.htm
Ian Wasey is the best guy I know to talk to about aircraft fittings.
regards
Colin
018841
Colin Cheese
Colin Cheese