The Art and Science of Detailing a V-block
Now that we have talked about how to hold a round tube with a V-Block and how to create a V-Block in Pro/E 4.0 (Pro/Engineer), now it is time to talk about detailing. How do you make a drawing of a V-Block so that the machinist can understand it, and create it as quickly and accurately as possible.
A Word About Detail Standards
I keep saying that Machine Design is both Science and Art.
When you work for an existing company, they most likely have standards that you will follow for dimensioning.
If you don’t have standards or are confused about how to dimension a part, it is helpful to spend some time getting to know how your parts will be made. When you take a break from the computer, if you can go out and visit the shop and talk to the people who make the parts that you design, it will be time well spent. A helpful CNC operator, or an angry one, can teach you a lot about designing and detailing.
When your company is reviewing their detail standards, be sure to invite some machine operators onto the standards committee. They will bring a perspective that could save the company time and improve the quality of the parts that are made. A couple things you have to keep in mind is that this part might be made again in the future. If so, you want to detail it so not just your current machinists can read it, but future machinists as well.
So. enough about that!
I have detailed the V-Block in three different ways. Let’s take a look.
So there you have it, three ways to detail a V-Block. I am sure there are other ways that I have not covered here.
Do you do it differently? Please tell me by adding your comments below. This is our chance to learn from each other.
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Keep learning,
The Queen