Manufacturing Process

What do you need to know about mechanical techniques if you want to make a product design?

1. Manufacturing Techniques: You should be familiar with the different manufacturing techniques available to choose from and know which techniques best suit your product’s design.
2. Material selection: You must be able to choose the most suitable material for the product you want to make. You have to consider factors such as strength, durability, price and availability.
3. Tolerances: You need to know the tolerances for your product’s components and how to reduce or control them.
4. Assembly techniques: You need to know how the parts of your product fit together and what techniques are needed to put them together.
5. Cost: You have to take into account the costs of the production processes and material use, and ensure that the product falls within the customer’s budget.
6. Safety: You must ensure that the product is safe to use and cannot cause injury or damage.
7. Sustainability: You need to consider the lifespan of the product and how it can be repaired, recycled or disposed of at the end of its use.

What is the gain for manufacturing companies?

• Promote companies (unique) competencies.
• Deepen relationships with OEMs and engineering bureaus.
• Develop relationships with educational institutions.
• More applying of unique manufacturing knowledge.
• Pro-active involvement in the design process.
• Make Customer Relationship Management (CRM) more manageable and substantial.

For an complete overview of manufacturing process see: List of manufacturing process (Wikipedia)

What are the typical features of mechanical manufacturing techniques?

1. Physical deformation of material: The processes of mechanical manufacturing, such as milling, drilling, turning and grinding, use physical forces to form a piece of material.
2. High Precision: Mechanical manufacturing techniques are able to machine materials with high precision as they use high precision machines and tools capable of making very small parts.
3. Production of parts with complex geometry: Mechanical fabrication techniques are often used to manufacture parts with complex geometries that are difficult to produce using other methods.
4. Large volumes: mechanical manufacturing techniques are suitable for producing large numbers of parts because the processes can be automated.
5. Material loss: In some mechanical manufacturing techniques, such as turning and milling, there is significant material loss as the workpiece is reduced in size to achieve the desired shape.
6. Time and Cost: Mechanical fabrication techniques can be time consuming and costly due to the equipment, tools and operators required.