Engineering Drawings vs. Manufacturing Drawings

Engineering drawings, manufacturing drawings. Tomato, tomato. Right? – Wrong. Although these two terms can sometimes be used interchangeably, there is in fact, a distinction between the two.

The truth is, there is a big distinction between engineering and manufacturing altogether! Most of the time, there are departments that are for each within a company since they require a different set of skills. Although there is a difference between the two, they go hand in hand and work together for the end result. However, in smaller companies, the distinction can become lost since one or a few people handle the engineering and manufacturing together. This article will demonstrate the difference between the two types of drawings and why they are both important to have. Continue reading

U.S. vs. European Manufacturing Drawings

Being in the manufacturing industry since the 50s, we have fabricated metal products for companies throughout the world. Although most of our business comes from the US, we often see customers with European drawings. Although the drawings depict parts that allow for ease of manufacturing, the orientation and projection of the part views are a different standard that what we use in the US. This article will discuss how they are different and why. Continue reading

Investing in Tooling and Fixtures in Manufacturing

Tooling FixturesBefore we jump into how important tooling and fixtures are in manufacturing, let’s take a step back for a second. It is important to mention that there are three different types of manufacturing: Prototype, Production, and Mass Product. The largest distinction between the three types of manufacturing, besides the quantities produced, is how the product is fabricated. Prototypes are more hands on fabrication due to the low quantities. Whereas, when a product reaches the production and mass production stages, fabrication is mostly automated. A single product may go through all three of the different manufacturing types, come out with the same result, but the method of how it was manufactured is completely different. For more information on the individual production types and how they differ, click hereContinue reading

ITAR vs. EAR Compliance

When dealing with the manufacturing, sales, and distribution of technology in the US, the subject of exporting usually always comes up. Most technology that is made in the US is considered sensitive information for a foreign nation. For this reason, two United States export laws have been created in order to protect this information to prevent disclosure to a foreign nation. One is the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the other is Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Here is the difference between the two: Continue reading

Top 5 Benefits of Using Off-The-Shelf Items

The process of designing metal parts is time consuming in itself. As we all know, time is money, and one of the great ways to save time and money is to design parts using off-the-shelf items. We occasionally come across a customer who designs fully custom parts including the hardware, brackets, tubing, and other custom components. We often times make suggestions to use off-the-shelf items if they serve the same or similar purpose in order to cut costs and save time. It should be known that it is acceptable and encouraged to used off-the-shelf items. Some engineers may believe that by having fully custom parts help to set their design apart from others, but this isn’t economical or efficient in the long run. Here is a list of the top 5 benefits of using off-the-shelf items in the design of your metal parts: Continue reading