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Need machining work done, small lot, must take SOLIDWORKS files

squale

Cast Iron
Joined
Aug 10, 2004
Location
NY, USA
I'm wondering where the best place is online to submit Solidworks part files to get quotes from various machine shops around the country to make parts for me. I do small lot stuff, usually only 1-5 pieces of any part I make.
 
And I might add to mebfab's post...

Direct transfer of solid model files to manufacturing is
really good and needed on complex curvy surfaces like
plastic bottle molds.

But if needing a simple machined lathe part for instance,
a print will get you many more response's.

As well as get you to properly tolerance your requirements
for the parts.
 
Looking only for shops using SolidWorks is silly. SW will export numerous file types that will work with a huge variety of other software just fine. Also, If I'm using '08 SW (which I am), and you're on '09 or '10, then it's a mute point because you're going to have to send another file type anyway.

Now that I've offended you, please send your files to me for a quote. :D
matt_rfr(at)sbcglobal.net
 
every machinist I have worked with likes drawings to be dimensioned a certain way by their preference... so having the solid model takes all those problems away.. ontop of the fact that it's impossible to miss a dimension sending a solid model... there are many solidworks facilities out there.. so I'm sure I will have no problems..

thanks for your help.
 
every machinist I have worked with likes drawings to be dimensioned a certain way by their preference... so having the solid model takes all those problems away.. ontop of the fact that it's impossible to miss a dimension sending a solid model... there are many solidworks facilities out there.. so I'm sure I will have no problems..

thanks for your help.

The problem with solidworks models only is that the dimensions are not toleranced, my customers usually supply a model and a drawing with applicable tolerances.
 
Squale,


It may be easier for you to do it this way, but please realize that this severely limits your choice of machine shops. There are a lot of very good places out there that may not be able to afford that program.

Right now, I receive prints in CAD, jpg's and dwg's and even the occasional faxed print, but have NEVER had a customer suggest Solidworks.




Frank


www.randolphmach.com
 
Instead of giving the whole country a crack at it why not go out for quotes within a one hour drive of your location, unless you live so deep in the woods you have to come out to hunt.This will help keep shipping costs in check as well as the phone bill.
 
every machinist I have worked with likes drawings to be dimensioned a certain way by their preference... so having the solid model takes all those problems away.

Uh, no, not really. If I get something that doesn't have a tolerance I go back and ask what it is. I need to know if it's OK to be under and/or over, and by how much. There are "blanket" specs that give normal tolerances based on magnitude, but generally there's something that needs to be held tight. If it were really up to me, I'd go +/-.1" all over and be done with it ;). Wouldn't get many repeats though.

I also get specs in all sorts of formats, from pen-n-paper to AutoCAD, but never SolidWorks.

Regards.

Finegrain
 
every machinist I have worked with likes drawings to be dimensioned a certain way by their preference... so having the solid model takes all those problems away.. ontop of the fact that it's impossible to miss a dimension sending a solid model... there are many solidworks facilities out there.. so I'm sure I will have no problems..

thanks for your help.

So sorry, I do not dimension soley to what the shop want's.

Dimensioning will be done such that the finished part fit's it's mating parts.

A shaft, for instance, with severall diameters.

The lengths of each dia. may not be dimensioned off the last one
(incrementally) nor may they all be dimensioned absolutely off of one
end either.

Some may be dimensioned off of a shoulder, the bearing fit's for example
on an electric motor shaft. The other dimension's come off of these,
the stack up errors end up in the center where the punchings get
presssed to.

Now I could throw in a general tight tolerance for everything, but
the bearing fit's are in tenth's, and I really don't need (or want to
pay for) the overall length to be held to a tenth as well.

When I get a call from a vendor asking me "what do we have
to hold, what can we let slide ?" I know they don't
know how to read a drawing, only look at a cad file.
 
I'm wondering where the best place is online to submit Solidworks part files to get quotes from various machine shops around the country to make parts for me.
And I'm wondering where you're located.

Forum policy requires a location in your profile. Please add it.

- Leigh
 
We can read any file you can send, BUT will NOT quote anything without a dimensioned print. This applies to Boeing, Lycoming and everyone else including you. There has been too many huge mistakes caused by solid models over the years.:eek: Hope you can understand why from our side of the fence.
 








 
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