It has been a while since I have posted on how we use SolidWorks at Auer to help us with our designs. More specifically, what are some of the methodologies and techniques we use to model our progressive die designs. Matt Lorono’s posts over at the SolidWorks Legion blog on capturing function and design intent got me thinking that it is time to write a series of posts on a few of the techniques we use when designing our tools.
This series of posts will in no means be a complete guide to progressive die design. The subject is much to broad and the techniques can vary depending on the types of parts you are designing tools for. But it will cover some of the basic methods we have developed using SolidWorks for the types of designs we create. There will be some SolidWorks tips, along with some fundamentals on die design and a bit on things to think about to keep your toolmakers and die maintenance folks happy.
One of the main points of Matt’s blog post was designing in SolidWorks for function. Each design you do has a key part with a key function. From a tool designer’s perspective, the most important part in our tool design is the strip layout. The strip layout acts as the road map for the design of the tool and all its stations.
In the strip layout the designer starts with a strip of coiled material that goes through the tool, with each stroke of the press and progression of that coil stock through the tool, until out the other end of the tool a finished stamped part will be produced. Modeling these steps involves a very different thought process then the process that was used by the engineer to design the part for its function in what ever assembly it will belong.
Detail Part Drawing
The drawing above is a portion of the detail drawing that I received from our customer for the tool design that I just finished a couple weeks ago. The drawing was pretty complete and very well documented. We did not receive any math data for this part, just a pdf of their original document. We will be designing and building the progressive die, along with stamping the part for our customer.
Finished Part Modeled In SolidWorks
Here is the part when complete off the progressive die. The part is not that complex in terms of cutting and forming. The challenge in the part is its size (pretty small) and some of the tolerances we need to hold.
Next post I start breaking down the design process used to go from coil stock to finished part and start to develop the strip layout for this part.
Cheers…..
To design in any 3D software is not a easy task for me. I am too used to a 2D design software. Still have no courage to go 3D.
In reply to comment made by Die Design- Please don’t take this the hard way, but if you don’t have the courage to convert to 3D, then just give it up and do something else. I was a little nervous too. I just took the Solidworks Certification Program through my local reseller. I started April 19 and today was my last class. I took 9 classes that consisted of Solidworks Essentials, Drawings, Advanced Part Modeling, Assembly Modeling, Surface Modeling, Mold Design, Sheet Metal, Weldments and Surface Modeling. I purchased a standard 3DU Pass and it was the best thing I ever did. Now I’ve learned that AutoCad is a waste of time and I can draw a Die in 3D with Solidworks with Detail Prints complete before you even get half way. If you stick to 2D, you will be left in the dust. Last I checked, the U.S. was 27th in the world in Math, Science and Engineering. Take it from someone who has converted and hasn’t even opened my AutoCad Mechanical since July.Plus, everyone is converting to Solidworks as it has become the norm. Go for it, you won’t be sorry and you will be doing yourself and your country a favor.