Remember the Maytag guy? Remember how bored he was, sitting around twiddling his thumbs because a Maytag dishwasher was uber reliable? Yeah, well, that’s not the case for CAD administrators. CAD maintenance reminds me more of Dr. Who tumbling about the Tardis with one hand on the throttle (is that what that thing is?) and […]
3D Printing & Complex Geometry: Why the New Toy Doesn’t Play by Itself
It’s happened to all of us who have interacted with a 3D printer. It is very exciting, you know you want one, but who feeds the 3D printer? It does not work without human input. Read more about why at GrabCAD >>
Learning on the Fly: Design to 3D Print
Every time I dive into an additive manufactured (AM) design project, the outcome of that design (the part) is always a bit of a surprise. I expect most of you have experienced something similar. Read more about AM surprises at GrabCAD >>
Design for No Assembly: Rapid Prototyping Evolves to Digital Manufacturing
It is abundantly clear that additive manufacturing (AM), whether in plastic, metal, or human tissue, is a manufacturing game changer. But as with any manufacturing method, design for that method must be considered. In that case of digital manufacturing, we get to let down our hair and let go of having to consider those pesky […]
The “What” and “How” of GD&T for 3D Printing
Last week, we looked at two examples of 3D printed objects with very different tolerances and allowances – a small tree frog and a train console. Since we already covered why you should use GD&T when 3D printing, I thought we might dive a little deeper into the “what” and “how.” Let’s return to our […]
Why Use GD&T for 3D Printing?
As rapid prototyping techniques evolve from sculpture and form representation into parts that are utilized in the field, the need to convey the CAD designer’s design, manufacturing, and inspection intent for a product that is manufactured using additive manufacturing (AM) techniques must also be captured in conjunction with the geometry. I know what you’re thinking, […]
STOP! Collaborate and Listen – MBE Workshop on CAD
It is time to stop worrying about what you can not do with your CAD models and focus on what you can do with them. Many times, you are the CAD Super User trying to make your job and everyone’s more efficient. However, don’t go it alone. Integrating, Interoperating and Collaborating with CAD comes in […]