SolidWorks And Sheet Metal Manufacturing

Anyone that has used a land surveyor or architect in the past ten years will have almost certainly had their plans created by CAD (computer aided design) software. This is an extremely helpful tool which allows accurate measurements and lines to be produced and that will double check all of the mathematics involved. A few CAD applications are also available for people in the sheet metal fabrication industry too. The best is called SolidWorks and it’s abilities are not limited to working with sheet metal. Because it features many onboard design tools it is usually the preferred choice by those in the business.

Consider that a CAD program would usually make it possible for a designer involved in sheet metal fabrication to input their design specifications and then be given a two-dimensional model or drawing of it. With SolidWorks a sheet metal product can actually be viewed in three-dimensional views, and the program can be used to conduct structural tests on the design and identify any design flaws well before the production process begins.

In addition to the ability to asses the structure of the design, the software program also gives you the ability to test it in various conditions. You can try out different materials and designs and test for every eventuality until you know for sure that your design is perfect.

The bottom-line is, by using SolidWorks for sheet metal projects you are going to be able to take any sort of design schematic from a customer, load it into the software, test for flaws or manufacturing difficulties, and to adjust the type and also weight of the material used to ensure cost-effective and high-quality results.

Yet another awesome function of the software is the ability to create animations of the manufacturing process for just about any sheet metal fabrication project. This means the software can be used to train staff too.

When combined with a CAM (computer aided manufacturing), an MRP (manufacturing resource planning), or ERP (enterprise resource planning) program, the SolidWorks design program can also help to keep manufacturing productivity at optimum levels.

For instance, the sheet metal or laser cutting business which gets a job from a client will be able to take the pencil sketches they receive, create computer models, test the design and improve it if necessary, then transfer the job specifications into another program. This will then produce a scenario whereby the deadlines for production are used to create a list of materials needed, the hours needed to complete the work, and even the purchase orders required to get the components to the factory according to schedule. These programs would also allow the company to use the softwares animation feature to train workers in the correct methods needed to assemble the product.

Having access to a tool such as SolidWorks can allow a design to go from beginning to end without the risk of problems with the design, manufacturing, or deadlines. This is not all that common in such a difficult industry as sheet metal work, and is a reason why it should be explored as an excellent option for profitability and cost-effectiveness.

Marc Anderes is the Vice President of Operations of Maloya Laser that is dedicated to Laser Cutting and Metal Manufacturing with advanced laser technologies, targeting medical, aerospace, scientific and transportation requirements.