Before learning how to read a manufacturing drawing, be sure you know the different parts of a print. Once there is an understanding of the different components of a print and where everything is located, the next step is to be able to read the lines on a print. Reading a print means to understand what the graphic of a part is showing. Therefore, you must understand how lines work on a print. For engineers and manufacturers, lines are their communicators or even their alphabet which convey information. Below is a chart of the various lines that are used on a print and their descriptions. Continue reading
Category Archives: Engineering 101
How to Read a Manufacturing Drawing
When learning how to read a manufacturing drawing, it can seem quite daunting because there is so much information to take in. This blog post will break down a drawing and make it easier to understand. But, first thing is first! What is the purpose of a manufacturing drawing if there are 3D models? Manufacturing drawings show numerous features of a part that a 3D model doesn’t. For instance, drawings show the material type, the finish, dimensions, hardware, company information, and other specific requirements. The sole purpose of a drawing is to show all the details of a part. Imagine if you were looking at a single part in your hand, a drawing would essentially describe and illustrate all the details of how to place the part in your hand.
- Sheet Metal Part Drawing
- Machined Part Drawing
First Articles Explained
When a company submits a Request For Quote, we always ask if they require First Articles. In many instances, purchasing agents and engineers don’t know what it is and how we handle First Articles here at VIP. So this blog post will describe First Articles in more detail. Continue reading
Sheet Metal Drawing DON’Ts
We received a request from a reader that wanted us to touch base on two very common sheet metal drawing mistakes. So we have created this blog post to strictly focus on these issues. When it comes to mechanical engineering and actual sheet metal fabrication, there are a couple grey areas that engineers should know about if they have never fabricated sheet metal. One has to deal with flat patterns and the other is sheet metal bend deductions. Continue reading
Stitch Welding vs. Seam Welding
Many engineers and welders find themselves confused with the difference between stitch welding and seam welding since they are often used interchangeably, but there is a definite difference between the two types of welds. In the welding fabrication world, it is important to distinguish the two because both welds are have different strength properties and are used for different purposes. Below are photos of each type of weld and a description describing the two. Continue reading