Hopefully, you’ll enjoy it as much as the Fractory team did.

Here’s the letter, unedited.

My name is George Ferguson, I am a 17-year-old fabricator and blacksmith in my spare time. Like most people of my age, I have a pocket money budget to spend on equipment and a need to constantly improve the quality of the things I make. This need requires a certain amount of ingenuity to save sufficient funds by selling things I have made, topped up by money from birthdays and Christmas.

The welding table below is a case in point. I looked briefly at buying a commercially made welding table of similar size and specification at auction. They sold for between £2000 and £2,500 before transportation costs. This was clearly way beyond my budget, which I had saved over the last 12 months.

I tried pleading with my parents for further funds but they had just recovered from hiring a trailer and transporting my recently purchased 2.5-ton milling machine from an auction house in High Wycombe all the way to Devon at 30mph. Consequently, they were not in a sympathetic mood! The only option was to make it myself.

Doing the Design

I had looked at a lot of welding tables and decided to combine features I liked from several tables into my design which I did in CAD using Fusion 360.

The welding table is 2m long and 1m wide. The dimensions were driven by what I thought would be my future requirements and the size of my workshop.

At the moment I mostly make household items such as bar stools and umbrella stands which I sell on the craft website Etsy (you can see his work here) to raise funds to buy more equipment and supplies. If I was just planning on making these, this table may be overkill. This is especially true when you consider that many commercially made welding table tops are made out of 6mm steel.

I elected to use 16mm steel for mine as this would make the table more durable, heavier and once levelled, more likely to remain flat. Each of the steel plates are 100×16 cm. There are eleven in total, 10 on the top and one on the side of the table. The table frame has been designed specifically for rigidity and strength and is made out of 60x40x4mm tube steel.

The steel plates were laser cut by Fractory. It is important to know when aspects of the project are beyond your skills and equipment capability! Fractory were very generous in their dealings with me. Not only did they produce each plate exactly to my specification but they also gave me a generous discount when it became apparent that my funds were limited.

The larger holes in each plate are 16mm in diameter and 50mm apart to take most commercially made hold-downs and other jigs. I used M12 socket head cap screws to hold the plates to the table, I used eight bolts per plate. I counterbored these holes and threaded corresponding holes in the table frame top sections so that the bolts would be below the surface of the table.

In addition, each plate has 12 M8 diameter levelling grub screws so that each plate can be adjusted independently to ensure that the table surface can be made as flat as possible. After a bit of toing and froing my table is now flat to within 0.2mm per metre which is close enough for my needs. See below.

The Cost and Time Taken

The total cost of this project was £900.00 and it has taken me 3 weeks using spare time between work to projects to build.

I estimate that if you were able to buy this table commercially it would cost around £2,500 before VAT and shipping costs so I am delighted with the outcome. Naturally, a commercially made table should be dead flat out of the box whilst mine needed some work to achieve the same result.

Let me stress that the success of this project was largely due to the quality of the plates made by Fractory and their generosity in giving me a significant discount on the price. I would strongly recommend buying from them if you are taking on a similar project and I will certainly be using them again in the future.

The post Learn from Engineers – Making the Dream Welding Table appeared first on Fractory.

We wanted to know what a company that can boast with the European Product Design Award (see the image above) thinks about the balance between design, manufacturability, cost, etc. And we probably got a few very interesting insights from the discussion.

How long has the company been running for?

The company started in 1976, so we are just in the midst of celebrating our 45th anniversary. I joined in 1997 and became the managing director in 2007.

Have you always offered a full service from design to manufacturing or grown into it?

Yes, we have always offered a complete product development service. There is a big demand for managing projects to production and that hasn’t changed much over the years. The customers clearly appreciate having help throughout the whole process rather than just buying a pack of drawings.

Also, it’s important for us to oversee the whole cycle to ensure design intent is consistent throughout.

So does everyone go with the full service or do some pay for the engineering side only?

We do sometimes help with concept work if required but that is unusual. We have also helped with production advice if companies “hit a wall” with an existing design. The vast majority of projects are full service – it’s more cost-effective and less confusing for everyone.

What sectors do you mostly serve?

That is a difficult one to answer as we like to work in diverse sectors. Both us and our clients benefit from this broad experience I think.

Over the years we have worked on large (5-ton robots) to small (miniature mechanism for a smart bracelet). From high volume to one-offs. And from the every day to the unusual….

Whether we are designing a kettle or a theatre light, problems solved in one project often help us in others – sometimes in surprising ways!

How much weight does product design carry in its success in your opinion?

Obviously, our view is industrial design is at the heart of a successful product. It addresses all those critical aspects of cost, efficient manufacture, improvements for the end-user, seamless integration of new technology, etc. For us, design is inherent throughout the whole product development process.

Any difference between consumer products (e.g. speakers) vs industrial solutions (e.g. production machinery)?

For us, the relationship between consumer and industrial has changed over the years. We have noticed a shift with many industrial clients wanting to absorb elements of consumer design.

This can be in terms of materials, manufacturing techniques or interface design. I think iconic consumer products do (subconsciously) influence clients when they embark on a new project – even in the industrial sectors.

What are the best ways to ensure reasonable manufacturing costs?

We always keep this issue in mind, even with initial designs. Part of a designer’s expertise/value is to ensure cost containment is inherent in the design process.

The web-based instant quoting that Fractory offers allows quick answers which is extremely helpful. CNC machining has also gone this route. making getting early cost estimates much easier. The next logical step is a live link with CAD.

What’s the effect of rapid prototyping on reaching the optimal solution vs CAD modelling only?

The best form of rapid prototyping is cardboard. Prototyping early in the process is important to us. Many projects start with some bits of cardboard to help us and the client understand basic layout and ergonomics.

We find having our own Formlabs 3D printers in-house has expanded this approach. We do iterate complex designs more – really useful in time-critical projects. A healthy dose of manufacturing experience ensures we don’t waste time in SolidWorks of course, but physical prototypes are essential.

Are rendered visuals a must-have today for any new product?

We have used Keyshot for the last 5 years. It allows us to provide exciting marketing images for the client even before production has started. Certainly, our consumer projects require good visuals towards the end of a project – especially with digital marketing. Industrial products often require a more diverse range of visuals, e.g. instruction manual cut-away and exploded views.

How has using Fractory affected your outsourcing processes?

Sheet metal parts often had the longest lead times for us. While 3D prints continued to improve in both cost and delivery times, sheet metal was an issue. Working with Fractory means we can get prototypes and a production batch of sheet metal parts promptly, reliably and cost-effectively.

Ensure your business needs never outpace your production capabilities by using Fractory’s scalable manufacturing services.

The post The Importance of Design in Industrial Engineering – Case Study appeared first on Fractory.

What does JLC Group do?

JLC Group are a multi-disciplined UK engineering company that designs, installs and maintains specialist systems. These range from bomb blast doors and intelligent access control systems to fixed electrical ground power.

Blast Enhanced Sliding Doors @2000fps – JLC Group

More recently, we launched a package of Covid-19 solution to enable organisations to protect their employees, customers and students, depending on their field of operations.

Combined, our team has more than 200 years of experience in producing solutions for complex problems. The in-house design and manufacturing capabilities allow us to create custom products to suit our clients’ needs.

What are the main sectors you serve?

We serve a wide range of sectors – airports, land, marine and rail. The mix is diverse, and each sector contains a variety of business and customer types – from major London airports and RAF bases to colleges, office blocks and residential buildings.

Our engineers have suitable training to offer high-quality solutions to all these industries. The product range has been developed over time, with the latest additions coming in the form of electric vehicles, charging points and Covid solutions.

Increasing the offer base helps us to go step-by-step and gradually build up expertise in new product segments.

What’s your philosophy on innovation?

We are always working to create unique and bespoke solutions, to help many businesses overcome problems, or to ensure they run as efficiently and effectively as possible.

The approach is that no solution is perfect. There is always room for improvement in the form of innovation. This can come from small iterations on existing products or taking a whole new angle on solving a known problem.

How quickly did you realise the Covid-19 situation requires a whole separate line of products?

The main sector we operate in is aviation. Of course, this is one of the industries that was affected right away as the pandemic hit.

So we turned to find solutions for alternative sources of work and combined it with something that needed urgent attention. The focus was on introducing the new line of products as quickly as possible while maintaining our high standards.

What are the most sought-after products in this line?

The screens are an area for large demand. We completed projects at several UK airports and as we manufacture in-house, we can build bespoke screens. All the dimensions are fully customisable to satisfy the needs of customers.

The key is to find answers to the main problems while keeping some parts of the solution open to flexibility. This way a single answer can fit many questions.

Any plans for upcoming products?

We are always looking to improve and expand the offering. The plan is to introduce more solutions in terms of electric vehicles to cater to a larger audience and sector demands.

What have you used Fractory for?

We use Fractory for a number of our products and solutions. For example, all of the laser cut and bent metal work for our new Cable Carrying Alligator comes from Fractory. We then TIG weld in-house the assemblies before sending them out for powder coating to get them ready for the final assemblies.

What’s your advice to others for staying competitive in the manufacturing landscape?

Always evolve and look ahead to the changing environment. The supplier’s sole purpose is assisting the customers, so find the best ways to do that. Besides replacing and improving products, it entails keeping existing assets fully operational and working efficiently.

Fractory would like to thank JLC for the interesting interview and wish you all the best!

The post Case Study – JLC Group appeared first on Fractory.

This is why we contacted one of the 75+ manufacturers taking care of your orders. They have been a part of the network for a fair bit now, having first gone through our pre-vetting process.

Meet Yorkshire Profiles Ltd, a partner we are proud to have and whose views align perfectly with ours.

What’s the background of Yorkshire Profiles?

Yorkshire Profiles Ltd was founded in 2001 as a waterjet cutting business. The founder felt there was a gap in the market for high-quality profiling services in the Yorkshire region.

Over the years, his family joined him in building up the business with their different skill sets. The company’s main goals were to provide high-quality parts on a short lead time at competitive prices.

As a family business, it has always aimed to be ethical by nature and to provide a support structure to its employees and their families. Sadly, Martin (the founder) passed away in 2017 and the business was continued by his Son and Daughter-in-law.

How have you grown over the years?

The company replaced its waterjet services with laser cutting in 2010 and has since expanded repeatedly. 2015 saw the introduction of fibre laser cutting, multiple press brakes for metal folding and a fully equipped sheet metal fabrication workshop.

2020 saw investments in the 3^rd generation of fibre laser cutting technology and further investments in folding and fabricating capacity. The company became ISO 9001 certified in 2012 and that has allowed us to grow consistently through the demonstration of continual improvement.

By monitoring and acting on customer feedback, the company has been able to build a solid reputation as a quality supplier, which in turn has boosted the order books over the years. As part of the company’s policies to risk, there is always a balanced exposure to multiple industries to ensure that as markets grow and contract over the years, there is a relatively consistent level of orders flowing through.

What is the most demanding side of the manufacturing industry?

The expectations are continually increasing and will continue to do so forever. Every buyer needs their goods faster, with fewer errors, and at a lower cost. This is often regardless of the political, geological or economic circumstances locally and globally. It’s a good job, we like a challenge!

How is the industry changing as a whole?

Thankfully we have moved away from paper drawings and faxes meaning communication lines between supplier and buyer are stronger. As super-fast broadband has become widespread outside of city centres, more data can be transferred between a larger number of companies conveniently.

This allows for clearer “context” when it comes to manufactured components. We are no longer restricted to just a “flat pattern” and a text description of what needs to happen.

Detailed 3D models can quickly be transferred and even the full assemblies can be provided to ensure that a specification is as clear as can be. The Covid pandemic accelerated the changes that were already occurring in regards to virtual collaboration through various cloud computing packages.

Is automating the customer experience also important?

It is very important to automate the customer experience. As a family business, we will always maintain a “physical” customer experience in terms of a high level of customer service on the phone or face-to-face.

However, with the demand of needing things faster, this process has to become more automated. To put this in context, people used to have to ring a phone number to order something from a catalogue or fill in a form with their requirements and wait for a confirmation or the goods.

Now, we just jump onto our chosen e-commerce site and get what we want (often customised) without interaction with another person and we do not critique the customer experience unless the site is difficult to use or an issue with the goods arises.

We haven’t looked back and wished it was more like how it used to be. Metal manufacturing is moving in the same direction. Automated systems can collaborate requirements and costs quickly and provide the end user with a confirmation instantly without human interaction. 

What was your reaction to finding out about Fractory?

The benefits of Fractory stood out immediately. The goals of Fractory are very much in-line with our own objectives and with a wider pool of resources it made sense to connect and collaborate rather than to isolate and compete.

The automation of the pricing of cut and folded parts was very impressive, especially given the consistency and accuracy with market trends. With no need for us to update our individual material purchase prices or machine running speeds and hourly rates means there is very little admin from our side.

What has changed about your business since you started working with us?

Since we started working with Fractory, we have increased investments in new equipment to improve capacity and have increased the size of our team to ensure that a larger number of orders can be processed with speed and consistency.

As with any new venture, unexpected issues were created which were logged on our Quality Management System and we are well on the way to resolving most, if not all, of the issues generated with new in-house procedures. This will also benefit our existing client base as our standards are lifted as a whole.

The digital documentation from Fractory is high quality and therefore has lower administrative tasks than traditional orders allowing our office to follow up on other tenders or leads.

What is better for you – a direct customer or a client through us?

It will be important for us to maintain a balance of direct customers and clients through Fractory as part of our risk policies. As of yet, we have no major concerns over any disadvantages of the Fractory process.

There has been the occasional order where client expectations have been unable to be met by physical restrictions of metalworking processes, but the same happens with a similar percentage of direct clients. Fractory does exactly what it claims, it fills in the gaps of capacity and material utilisation beautifully.

How has Covid-19 affected the business? Has being a partner of ours helped?

Covid-19 entered our risk register as the highest possible risk. Our proactive approach to risk resulted in us having protection measures and an action plan in place for various possible outcomes.

We had an expansion plan for the business and felt confident enough to proceed in April 2020. The potential for a drop in demand expedited our plans to reach out to Fractory.

Surprisingly, the drop that we were expecting never happened and have since had to increase our capacity to accommodate the new levels of orders.

How does cloud manufacturing as a whole impact the industry from an engineer’s perspective?

I feel there is a greater sense of community spirit with cloud manufacturing. Historically (and probably considered “currently”), each company would be a competitor, fighting for the upper hand in the market.

With cloud manufacturing, each supplying company can be a “node” of a larger network capturing however much or little they wish of the “network demand”.

Collaboration of ideas, manufacturing processes and future possibilities reaches a wider skill set than what has ever been possible before. This all feeds back to the most demanding side of manufacturing, “Every buyer needs their goods faster, with fewer errors, at a lower cost.”

And finally, what is your vision for cloud manufacturing in the future?

One of the challenges facing manufacturing businesses is the difficulty of “working from home” or not being able to attend a site due to distance or restrictions. Because of the pandemic, more companies will improve their IT infrastructure so databases and file systems are cloud-based. This will then assist with connecting the supply chain with automated documentation processes and data transfers eliminating “generic” admin tasks (and therefore data entry errors).

As companies begin to build large interlinked datasets of manufacturing processes, we could then entertain the idea of machine learning not only costing the process for the end client, but creating recommendations for which processes to use or design changes that will improve manufacturing times and costs, all without human interaction.

But the one area that I’m really looking forward to, is augmented reality becoming more available and affordable. The ability to guide another person through a manufacturing process or an engineering task remotely and importantly to a real-world scale will accelerate knowledge and skills in the manufacturing sector, which in-turn will improve efficiencies and reduce errors or mismatched expectations.

We will soon live in a world where you go online to your preferred e-commerce site and order something to be manufactured to your requirements, add it to your cart and receive it the following day like any other consumer good, and it will feel normal.

The post Case Study: Meet Our Manufacturing Partner appeared first on Fractory.

There are plenty of great resources available online. So we decided to list all the best websites for mechanical engineers in a single post.

Without further ado, here’s our selection. Enjoy exploring the sites!

Practical Websites for Mechanical Engineers

A list of online tools for mechanical engineers:

• GrabCAD
• Fractory
• Traceparts
• Engineering Toolbox
• Engineers Edge
• Matweb

GrabCAD

This site has become one of the go-to places to find 3D models for complex assemblies as well as standard parts. Besides this, you can also go through a lot of tutorials which you help you learn features to put all the advantages of CAD software to work in your favour.

People upload their rendered images and different models to show their designs. Looking around the GrabCAD library can give you lots of ideas for concept generation. It is also a great way to just see what you can make using CAD programs.

There is also a community section to exchange ideas with other engineers. Peeking into their portfolio may help you decide if their advice is actually worth taking

Fractory

Yes, this is our website. Including ourselves in the practical sites section comes down to our ability to provide instant prices for laser cutting and other manufacturing methods.

So when you are between various designs, materials or thicknesses, just upload the 3D parts to our platform and check the price. There is no need to buy anything, you can just use the free quoting system.

This may make your selection process significantly easier, as the choice of material may result in a large difference in cost.

Traceparts

Another site for downloading CAD files. Here, the focus is more on standard parts, when comparing it to GrabCAD.

So if you need some shaft keys, different types of bearings or fasteners that are not in the stock library of your CAD program, get them here. Not adding them to the assembly altogether leaves room for easy mistakes.

Engineering Toolbox

The website looks horrendous. But mechanical engineers sure know that functionality comes first and foremost. And the functionality box has a check mark in it.

A great resource for finding all kinds of basics and not-so-basics to aid you with your job as an engineer. From thread charts to force calculations and calculators, you can find them all.

The list of possibilities is too long to present here, so go and check it out for yourself.

Engineers Edge

Another site that does not warrant an image as that may scare you off. But similarly to The Engineering Toolbox, it does offer a lot of value.

A huge site for mechanical engineers that helps with engineering basics, materials and their application as well as design.

There are a lot of calculators available to perform analysis for load-bearing profiles, etc. I know, contemporary CAD software comes with FEA analysis features. Still, checking the results is necessary and here is one way of doing it with less effort.

The site also has a handful of videos, each of them explaining different manufacturing methods or working principles of machines. We would definitely recommend visiting this section.

Matweb

As they call themselves, it is an online materials information source. What it means is that they have pretty much all the materials covered, from metals and plastics to lubricants.

You can search for different trade names as well as material grades to look at their properties. The information is available in different units and saves you the hassle of always using Google to find what you are looking for.

Besides the straightforward information in the form of numbers, you also get some example applications and extra descriptions about the material.

Learn Mechanical Engineering

A range of websites are great for mechanical engineering students. But is there an engineer who has not conceded that life-long learning is part of the vocation?

Best websites to learn mechanical engineering:

• LearnMech
• Coursera
• MIT Online Courses
• edX
• Bookboon
• ASME
• Instructables
• iMechanica
• YouTube

LearnMech

The name of this site says it all. Just scroll through the menu to see the topics covered. The range of articles is pretty impressive and so are the contents.

They are straight to the point and give a good overview of the topic. There are also many articles keeping mechanical engineering students in mind. This means the focus is on a straightforward FAQ that includes questions likely to appear on your exam paper.

Another section definitely worth looking through is the one called “projects”. You may find answers to questions regarding your own work-related stuff. Comes especially handy if you’re working on something you have never designed before.

Coursera

Whether you are looking to study something new, build your knowledge upon a previous foundation or have a bad lecturer at the university, this site will come in handy.

Most of the courses are free to enroll. You can find them in different languages as well as skill levels – from beginner to advanced.

Who is behind the courses? The sources are different. There are universities as well as companies. For example, Autodesk has contributed quite widely.

They will teach you how to use their tools, so in the future, you will stick to their software. As we all know, CAD programs are quite similar in functionality. So learning the process in one software still gives you a good starting point for using the same methods in another.

You can also earn certificates and take tests but this feature requires some payments.

MIT Online Courses

So, when speaking of a good reputation in the realm of engineering studies, MIT is a front-runner. And now you can access an impressive range of video lectures and other study materials on this site.

Though some of the courses seem from a long time ago, it often matters little in mechanical engineering. Using books from the 60s in your design phase is often more than good enough, as much of the information is more about physics than contemporary materials.

Dig in and find an interesting course with a world-class lecturer to follow.

edX

Another website that offers online courses on a huge variety of topics. Cornell, Harvard, etc. are all present with different topics.

Some examples include:

• A hands-on introduction to engineering simulations by Cornell
• Analysing data with Python by IBM
• The iterative innovation process by MIT

Many of the classes are free to attend and you can do it at your own pace. Getting a certificate costs money, though.

Bookboon

A site that lets you access a large variety of engineering textbooks for free. Just take a look at the library and you will definitely find something interesting for yourself.

You only need to sign up and free access to the reading material is yours. Pretty convenient.

ASME

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, or ASME, has a website with plenty of information on various topics.

Listing all the possibilities here would take way too much room but we definitely recommend you to check it out for yourself.

The resources section includes many practical posts about mechanical engineering but also other closely related subjects. Another great part is the editorial section. There are plenty of articles discussing the future of the manufacturing industry which are really well written.

Instructables

This is the place where all the hobbyists and engineering enthusiasts gather to share their designs. A little similar to GrabCAD in that sense, but instead of CAD models, it focuses on real-life projects.

A great resource if you want to learn something new and try your hand at different projects.

Besides just uploading a picture of two of a cool concept, the posters include step-by-step instructions for you to emulate what they have done.

The projects vary in a really wide range, from gardening to mechanical and electrical engineering. The amount of projects for any given topic is pretty much insane. So, dig in and find something that interests you.

There are also some classes and courses available if you want to really start by learning something from the very beginning before going on to apply the knowledge to an actual project.

iMechanica

A place where you can really delve into the latest developments in the field of engineering. Users can post their research papers on different subjects for everyone to read.

Probably not suitable for beginners but can definitely come in handy if you are looking for some deep insights on specific topics.

Besides research papers, you can find course notes from the top universities in the world.

YouTube

We cannot leave YouTube out of this list. The platform gives everybody a place to share their knowledge. And amongst the many pet and music videos, you can find channels that are excellent for learning engineering.

It’s not just about consuming content though, but also about creating it. Engineers, with their wealth of knowledge and expertise, are in a unique position to contribute to this educational landscape. By harnessing the power of modern video creation tools, they can create more informative and engaging content. This not only helps in sharing knowledge but also in building a community around specific engineering topics. The possibilities are endless, are you up for the challenge?

As it often happens to many engineering sites, over time, these channels tend to deviate from the original idea. The focus switches from engineering to car and mobile phone testing. But these channels often include many gems in the “oldest” section of the uploaded videos.

When it comes to active engineering channels, we would suggest taking a look at these:

• Interesting Engineering
• How It’s Made
• Engineering Explained

News Sites

Some of the outlets in this list are more entertaining, others stick to actual engineering news. Still, all of them are worth taking a look at.

Best engineering news sites:

• The Manufacturer
• MEMUK
• Engineering Clicks
• Interesting Engineering
• All3DP

The Manufacturer

Probably one of the best news sites dedicated to the manufacturing industry in the UK.

Their list of contacts is pretty impressive and everybody wants to get free coverage. So the articles often include comments from industry leaders to add insights and show different angles on the same topic.

The Manufacturer is also known for its advocacy of smart manufacturing. They organise different conferences and expos with just that being the central theme. Therefore, if you are looking to advance your knowledge in the field, this is the place to check out.

While staying on top of the news is usually a good thing, it can also sometimes make for too much similar information. The news website is definitely trying to cater to the readers’ curiosity but we know what that can result in – a homepage full of Coronavirus, significant closures, etc.

This can sometimes overshadow the more interesting and insightful articles. But dig around, they are there.

MEMUK

The Manufacturing and Engineering Magazine is another UK-based engineering news outlet that covers a variety of topics. From transportation to manufacturing and healthcare, all the articles are related to production.

A nice and clean website helps to minimise distractions and find interesting pieces to read. Worth mentioning that they have not (at least yet) turned to phone and car reviews for a larger audience, keeping true to the original intent of providing worthwhile reading to engineers.

Engineering Clicks

This news website has the sole purpose of serving engineers with relevant updates from the industry.

The posting frequency is not that high but there is a lot of material here that is interesting to a mechanical engineer. Topics range from new manufacturing methods, explanations of scientific ideas to updates in our favourite CAD software.

The latter, especially, can come in handy in keeping up to date with all the possibilities CAD offers us. The features are pretty much endless and someone’s help can not be discarded in pinpointing the most useful additions in functionality.

Interesting Engineering

One of the most popular engineering websites out there. Their Facebook page has over 10.5M followers. So what’s the buzz about?

Interesting Engineering shares a lot of content which makes for a great mix of serious engineering news, speculative pieces about the future of technology and just captivating and funny videos.

Although the topics vary quite widely and sometimes step outside the technology territory, all the pieces here are suitable for the engineering mind in one way or another.

All3DP

So here’s a news site that has its focus on 3D printing. Mechanical engineers should all be aware by now that 3D printing is not only for rapid prototyping but a way to produce machinery parts.

Getting up to speed with the technology and possibilities is made easier by websites like this.

From endless possibilities of 3D printing to actual guides, you can find anything there. Just take your time to look around and avoid getting overwhelmed by the massive amount of information.

As you can probably notice, there is also a “get it 3D printed” button on the upper right corner. This directs you to a similar system to Fractory’s online metal fabrication platform, only for 3D printing. So get learning and you may well bring your ideas to life with their help.

Forums

Here we present you the different hubs or online meeting places for engineers.

Best online forums for mechanical engineers:

• Quora
• Reddit
• Eng-Tips

Quora

Everybody can create a user for free and start asking questions. The platform is really popular and includes various topics, including mechanical engineering.

One of the beautiful features of it is the possibility to ask a question and request an answer from people with a relevant background. Quora users include many high-profile engineers from all sides of the industry. From CEOs to workshop engineers, the list is endless.

This also brings about a variety of answers that can aid you without the needless filter of too strictly formulated answers. A simple and straightforward answer is oftentimes better than deep analysis, even though the latter probably lies beneath it.

Reddit

They call themselves the front page of the Internet. And that’s even not that unsubstantiated. The forum has a huge followership, divided into a plethora of subreddits. One of them being Mechanical Engineer.

People share their projects and thoughts on different matters regarding engineering. Asking questions is welcome. And whenever you manage to pose your question in an interesting way, it will get an answer.

The difference between Quora and Reddit is that the latter is totally anonymous, with everyone able to choose a user name to their own liking. This may open up the doors to share a little more insights that they might not be able to do under their own name. But also a few more memes and jokes.

Eng-Tips

If you are Googling a question related to any engineering topic, there is a good chance that this old-school forum pops up.

The reason lies in the vast amount of topics covered in the forum. And as you can see from the image above, it is still active.

Engineers from various fields come together to discuss the many problems one could face in the discipline. Whether it is fluid dynamics, HVAC systems or material science you have a question about, this place is worth a try.

And just going through the different sections could be a great way to spend your evening, if you want to learn more. These are all real-life problems people are looking for solutions to. Even if you won’t meet the same problem (although the chances are good for this happening), having extensive knowledge about different workarounds and solutions can often come in handy in a totally different situation.

Wrapping It Up

The online sources for engineers are seemingly endless. Many of the online tools not specifically designed for engineers, can still come in handy. For example, photo background changer allows to put together quick mockups in the design phase without spending hours on rendering. 

In addition, engineers who venture into entrepreneurship might need to create a logo for their business. Online tools make this task simple and efficient, allowing one to design a professional logo without needing extensive graphic design skills.

Many more sites offer free courses, tutorials and news, we’re only scraping the surface here with our article. A lot of these sites do not have a narrow focus on engineering though, but rather cover all technology-related topics. This can become a little overwhelming, so we decided to keep to the point. If we missed a really good source, please bring our attention to it so we can add it to the list!

The post Best Websites for Mechanical Engineers appeared first on Fractory.

What’s your background, Roger?

My background is in electronics. I have a Bachelor’s in Applied Physics, but I have always been interested in cars and aircraft.

My father was in the UK Royal Air Force and flew the legendary Vulcan bomber. The sound of the Olympus turbojet engines in these aircraft was no doubt the source of my turbine obsession.

I spent a number of years working for another legend, Cosworth Racing. During those years, still working in electronics, I absorbed a lot of knowledge from world-class mechanical engineers.

Your website has a variety of projects on show. What have you actually made yourself?

All my projects have been related to the restoration to running condition of small gas turbine power plants, either used originally to drive electrical generators or for starting larger turbine engines.

Mostly this involves building suitable test frames, but also making replacement parts for electrical, hydraulic, oil and fuel systems.

Why gas turbines?

I think what does it for me is the beautiful simplicity of rotating blades compared to the insane motion of pistons.

What brought you to this world of DIY?

Intense curiosity mostly! I have to know how things work. Sometimes I take new stuff apart before I have even used it to see how it works, and perhaps also see how it doesn’t work and could be better.

Also, I find that I can’t buy something, and can’t get someone to make it for me. I have to learn new stuff, and design what I think will do the job.

This route doesn’t always work. You’ve overlooked something and have to start again – this is where Fractory would be such a good choice, to make parts far more quickly than I could, and inexpensively too.

What is your latest project?

The latest project, in fact pretty well the only project for the last few years, is the Gas Turbine Vehicle.

I can’t really call it a car. It has no comforts and in its current form unlikely to be public road-worthy. I guess it should be called a “Gas Turbine Demonstration Vehicle”.

How far is it?

If you ignore the fact that the vehicle has no bodywork, apart from an undertray, I would have to say it is 85% complete.

I’m sure the first shakedown test will tell whether it is more or less than 85%.

Why did you want to make a car?

I’m pleased to answer that question – my Aunt, who was very technically minded, when she saw my collection of restored turbines said pointedly “Yes, but what are you going to do with them?”

It would have been rude to say “If you need to ask, you couldn’t possibly understand!” So I had to concede she had a point.

I really wanted to make a helicopter, but realising this was way too dangerous, settled on a car… Well, actually I thought I could “just” modify a kart chassis. Having had the opportunity to drive a kart, I realised the chassis would need to be bigger and more sophisticated and have suspension.

Most gas turbine car projects I have seen either take a pure “jet engine”, or modify a gas turbine to make it into a “jet engine”. That is, the power take-off section is removed and replaced by some sort of propelling nozzle.

Now, jet propulsion is efficient if you want to travel at 1000 km/h, but is hopelessly inefficient at say 100 km/h. So I wanted to build a vehicle to demonstrate this.

I found a small gas turbine that could be used – with some modification and adaptation – to drive the wheels of my demonstrator directly.

Do you design and make everything yourself?

I designed and built the entire chassis, suspension, hubs and a lot of the transmission as well as all the electronics for the Gas Turbine Vehicle project. I don’t claim to be a mechanical expert, I had some help with the chassis and suspension design.

Until I discovered Fractory, I made everything I couldn’t buy off the shelf, or needed to be bespoke. For example, I had to make brake disks myself on the lathe and milling machine – now I know Fractory could have made these in days, probably cheaper than I could buy the material.

Where do you get the necessary information from?

Of course, most of my information comes from the internet, but there are still books and friends!

How does a service like Fractory’s help DIYers?

The online laser cutting quoting system is awesome! I tried three UK companies offering laser cutting services, only one replied (actually AFTER the Fractory parts had been delivered) and wanted to know what the annual volume would be, etc.

The post Engineer Making a Car – Case Study appeared first on Fractory.

Innore is one of our longest-serving clients. Having helped them to manufacture a bulk of their parts, we decided to contact them to further enquire about their business. Their representative talked to us about available product lines, ongoing developments and future aspirations.

What Can We Find from Your Product List?

Innore’s product selection includes balcony and stair railings, glass canopies, partition walls, spiral stairs, etc with the latest addition being our solar balcony railings product line.

How Did You End Up with Solar Balcony Railings?

The idea stems from the fact that apartment buildings have a lot of balcony railings. All this unused area could be targeted for more efficient use through the implementation of solar panels.

South-facing balconies can produce electricity. By doing that, we can reduce utility costs, raise energy efficiency and the building’s energy class. Also, it helps to spread eco-friendly and sustainable design.

What Is Its Advantage Compared to Other Solar Panel Solutions?

Solar panels are also used on rooftops and building facades. These solutions are not competing. Rather, they could complement each other. You can use solar panel railings alongside the aforementioned solutions for further efficiency.

Each product has its perks and downsides. Choosing the right fit depends on the project. Railings make up a very small percentage of a project’s overall costs – about 1…2%. As there is a need for balcony railings anyway, adding solar panels doesn’t affect the total price of a construction project that much.

Modern apartment buildings often come with rooftop terraces. Therefore, there is not much room for solar panels on the roof. Balcony railings have a 90° angle. Thus, their efficiency is about 25% lower compared to the ideal conditions. Still, a big advantage is that snow does not accumulate on the glass, nor does it stain that easily due to the angle.

There’s a lot of sunshine in March but the Sun is low (at least in Nordic countries). This can have quite a significant effect on electricity production. Balcony railings with solar panels make the most of these conditions.

What Is the Payback Period of Such a Solution?

This varies between projects. The cost of solar panels and other related appliances has recently decreased because of growing production volumes. The continuation of this trend will further diminish the payback period.

Today, that period is realistically around 10 years. The lifespan of a solar panel railing is somewhere around 25 years. This means that replacing regular railings with solar panel ones is actually an investment.

How Far Have You Come with R&D?

At the moment we are in the development phase. We have carried out a pilot project and are working on new projects that implement this design. It also helps to improve our product. We want to finish the development by the end of this year. By that time, we will have added new projects to our scope.

What Markets Are You Aiming For?

Mainly Nordic countries – Norway, Sweden, Finland and Estonia. As a young and developing enterprise, we want to fully establish ourselves in those markets first and move onwards from there.

Do You Want to Focus More on Smart Solutions in the Future?

Product development is always in the works for us. The main emphasis is still on providing fully functioning and reliable solutions. There is no point in developing just for the sake of it.

Solar panel railings are still such a new thing that people don’t know to look for it yet. It is rather a nice surprise when they find out about it. Thus, we have to concentrate on raising awareness at this point.

In the long term, we are definitely looking to add something of this nature to our available products. Renewable energy is gaining popularity and we are sure we can add some more compatible solutions in our field.

Why Do You Use Fractory?

Fractory helps us to serve our clients faster and in a more professional manner. There are many metal fabrication service providers on the market. What differentiates Fractory, is the quickness and scalability of your online laser cutting service.

Also, we never have to wait in line to get served. This is an important factor. The whole process is dynamic and effective. In business terms, every saved minute is worth its weight in gold.

With Fractory, we have minimised the need for email exchange. It is mostly for exchanging ideas with your sales engineers about how to effectively manufacture something.

Why Prefer It to Looking for Manufacturers Directly?

For us, Fractory is a manufacturer who represents many different ones simultaneously. Our expectations for quality and lead times are always the same, irrespective to the company. Fractory does the necessary quality checks for us and takes full responsibility for their partners.

All that makes communicating with them a lot easier than talking straight to all those different manufacturers. This way we omit waiting for various offers, while still getting an offer from many options. Also, we don’t have to deal with transportation anymore, as Fractory takes care of this as well.

If you want to access quick manufacturing possibilities, just sign up and get your sheet metal fabrication from us!

The post Solar Balcony Railings by Innore appeared first on Fractory.

Make Sure What the Requirements Are

Write them down and keep them in front of you at all times during the designing process. Cross out the demands that have been met and add new ones, if necessary. Keep it up to date.

Generate at Least 3 Solutions

First, go through the concept generation process to draw up a lot of different ideas. Then settle on at least 3 solutions that could actually work.

If you are having a hard time at coming up with good solutions, take a look at this list of best websites for mechanical engineers. Many of them include great ideas that may aid you on the journey to a good design.

Build Your CAD Files Logically

This an important engineering tip. Use as few features as possible to build your parts. A shaft can be done using one command and a sketch (revolve) or multiple protrusions, followed by chamfers and radii. If your CAD program has a shaft feature (Inventor does), then use it. Your colleague will appreciate your considerate nature, if she has to redesign your part at a later time.

Design for Price

You may design the most beautiful machine ever but nobody will buy it, if the price is double of your competitor’s, unless the machine is a car. Check the prices of different solutions to compare and make choices accordingly.

Design for Beauty

If the customer is paying €40,000 for your machine or construction, he won’t want to get something that looks straight from the landfill. Looking good might be the edge in a competitive market. Turn to a laser or plasma cutting service to give smooth edges and trim down some unnecessary weight, in style.

Make It Modular

You might need to make another similar product. Look ahead to avoid cursing at a later time. Modular design will give you the option of only updating a part of the assembly, leaving most of it untouched. It also gives you the possibility to have more standard parts in stock, diminishing your delivery times.

Identify the Parts That Shall Get Worn Most Often

Make them easily accessible and replaceable.

Make Sure Everything Can Be Assembled

The bolts may look nice sitting there fastened in your virtual assembly but can someone reach it with a spanner? Or can a rivet gun be used in that tight space? A very common mistake that can be easily avoided.

Avoid Over-Dimensioning

Nobody wants to pay for unnecessary weight. Use Finite Element Analysis software to analyse the strength of the structure. Check those calculations manually. Optimise your design accordingly and choose the right type of metal for your application.

A highly advanced way to tackle this point is by using CAD software with possibilities for creating models through generative design. This feature allows to minimise the use of material but also sets its own limits to the manufacturing technologies suitable for producing the part.

Keep the Thinking in the Drawing Room

The positioning of the parts in a weld-assembly can be one-way only, if notches and holes are used. Only general dimensions are needed then, keeping the drawings easy to read. Nobody should have to ask for help when looking at the drawings.

Stop Wasting Time on Detailed Drawings

When using laser cutting or plasma cutting, no dimensions are needed for part drawings. Do not waste time on something that is unnecessary (your dimensions will have to be deleted anyway). You can also get instant laser cutting quotes now based on 3D CAD models.

Check for Interferences

This function can usually be found under the Inspect tab. Try it out and modify the inputs according to needs. The easiest way to recognise blunders that would otherwise need cutting or redesigning.

Use the Appropriate Constraints

Leave the assembly with the degrees of freedom it actually has. Then start moving and playing around with it. You may be surprised by what you managed to leave unnoticed before.

Go Back to the First Step

Take a hard look at your design. Are all the requirements met? Small tweaks may have affected the whole more than you thought at the time. Now let your imagination flow once more. Can it take -30 degrees or a metre-thick layer of snow during winter? Can it survive a collision with a disoriented forklift? What if the average flow of material is 1000 kg/hour but the conveyor is loaded with 1000 kg in the first 20 minutes, followed by silence in the next 40 minutes?

Those questions should be asked in the beginning but must be asked before the customer. Choosing materials with suitable mechanical properties is essential.

Remember the Manufacturing Process

You can make pretty much anything in your CAD to suit the needs. In reality, it may be difficult or even impossible to manufacture the parts. Always design your details keeping the manufacturing process in mind.

Make you life easier with sheet metal fabrication services online!

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