Design Tip #1 – Key Features & Tolerances – Watch the Corners!
Reducing time to market in new product development is a top priority for all our customers. Working together to make best practice decisions on key feature tolerances in the prototype phase will enhance manufacturability and dramatically reduce machining time and cost.
Common issues that drive cost in machining include sharp corners and/or small inside corner radii.
Why is this problematic? A tight, small corner radius (e.g. 0.005) will require EDM machining rather than conventional CNC milling. Providing a larger inside radius (0.032+), when applicable, allows a continuous mill path which significantly reduces cycle time.
Square corners also add additional process steps and machining operations, driving cost and lead time.
For inside corners, plan to use radii 10% or larger than depth of cut, (i.e., .060” radii should not machine deeper than .600” etc.) Providing this tolerance “relief” in a design will allow a machining partner to use multiple available milling work cells and speed machining operations through the shop.
Watch our Blog for more “Best Practice Design” suggestions.
MultiSource can provide prototype components in multiple materials:
- Aluminum, steel, stainless steel, titanium
- Plastics including Delrin, Polyethylene, Polypropylene, PVC, Acetal, PEEK, Polycarbonate & Ultem
MultiSource partners with our customers beyond prototype development, to support production launch and life of project production requirements. We have the scale to succeed in the most demanding production environments while maintaining the customer focus to provide individual support. Ask us to show you how machined prototypes will reduce your development time and costs.