Tools & Metals, Inc. Case Study/Success Story

C17691 Special Cutting Tool

"We chose SolidWorks CAD software for its friendly user interface, ease of use, and ability to help us conduct research and development in special cutting tools design, as well as in the design of jigs and fixtures."

Nicu Lepadatu, Mechanical Process Engineer

The Challenge

Tools & Metals, Inc. designs and implements lean manufacturing and process improvement programs. The company's value proposition is to eliminate waste and create a zero-defect environment, which will increase productivity, throughput, and revenue; all while using the same or fewer resources. Tools & Metals, Inc. needed a design solution that would help them meet their value proposition of providing perfection in cutting tools design and manufacturing.

The Solution

We chose SolidWorks CAD software for its friendly user interface, ease of use, and ability to help us conduct research and development in special cutting tools design, as well as in the design of jigs and fixtures.

Download Tools & Metals Inc - DezignWorks 122 KB (PDF)

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Apex CNC teams up with DezignWorks to build the Dynamic Choppers 'Epic'.

Scott Tudury, Apex CNC uses DezignWorks software to quicken the process of reverse engineering parts for this awesome bike which finished in with a top few select others in the AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building,

The full story of the build of 'Epic' was the Featured Custom motorcycle on the cover and in an in-depth feature in 'Barnett's Magazine' issue #63 in August 2008. Epic was also covered in a television program which was exclusively produced for viewing on the Smithsonian Channel in 2008.

The ideas for this awesome bike built for the 2007 World Championships and Artistry in Iron at Las Vegas Bike fest came from many minds including the legendary Scott Tudury (owner of Apex CNC and former owner of Flathead Power). Scott did much of the one-off machining needed for the build using DezignWorks software.
Read more by downloading the Epic Adventure 3.51 MB (PDF)

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Orange County Choppers speeds reverse-engineering with DezignWorks software.

Orange County Choppers has garnered worldwide praise and recognition for their custom motorcycles. Established as a business in 1999, the shop grew out of Orange County Ironworks, a steel fabrication enterprise founded nearly 30 years ago by custom-chopper builder and rider Paul Teutul Sr. OCC jumped on the custom-bike scene at Daytona Biketoberfest 1999 with "True Blue," a classic chopper built in the basement of Paul Sr.'s house.

Since then, the company has continued to design and manufacture high-end customized choppers, specializing in theme bikes. American Chopper is a reality television program that chronicles the company's latest creations. The program can be viewed on the Discovery Channel, Mondays, at 10 PM EST. Orange County Choppers is currently in the process of creating their own product line.

Recently, SolidWorks Express spoke with Jason Pohl, an artist/designer at OCC about the company's use of DezignWorks and SolidWorks® software.

What process did your company use to complete reverse-engineering tasks prior to using DezignWorks?
"Previous to using DezignWorks, we relied on a drafting board, calipers and a ruler."

What challenge led you to consider/choose DezignWorks?
"We needed to to accelerate our CNC parts line."

What type of digitizing devices are you using with DezignWorks?
"We're using Faro rocks — we have two of them."

Using DezignWorks insures that all geometric elements are parametric, fully editable, and conform to the feature-based intelligence of SolidWorks software. What is the benefit of this capability?
" It allows us to rapidly capture vital data that we could not capture with our existing process. We' can then parametrically change the cosmetic values of the part. With DezignWorks and SolidWorks fully integrated with one another, we're able to use assembly capabilities of SolidWorks to generate data for the shop floor."

Why is it important to be able to conduct real-time reverse engineering on multiple parts and assemblies?
"The fabricators will come to us with paper templates or existing parts. We now have the ability to digitize these parts and cut them out much faster and more accurately than with our previous method."

Why is it a benefit that DezignWorks is fully integrated into the SolidWorks property manager?
"By being integrated into the SolidWorks property manager gives us constant feedback about the digitizing process. Probe movement as well as location and depths for cuts and extrudes. By using the locked plane or locked surface, wizard planes and surfaces are visible."

How much faster is your design process with DezignWorks?
"200 mph or super fast."

Does using DezignWorks allow your company to accept jobs that it could not accept prior to using DezignWorks? Please explain.

"With DezignWorks, we now have unlimited capabilities. We can reproduce any part accurately and do it fast."

Download OCC - DezignWorks 519 KB (PDF)

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