3. Design tips

• Do not use sheets that are thicker than necessary (owing to production time, costs and weight).
• Try to build a product as much as possible from uniform profile types and sheet thicknesses (owing to the setup and changeover time of the machine).
• Try to limit the number of welds in a product (due to contraction and the generation of internal stresses).
• Make use of stiffeners in set products where necessary.
• Wherever possible, weld in so-called low-stress areas (places where the loads are small). Bear in mind that a sheet can withstand tension better than compression (buckling).
• Make the same parts usable for several functions (in order to limit stock and save time setting up machines).
• Use standard components. These are less expensive and more easily available.
• When coming up with a design, consider how the various components are positioned relative to one another.
• Use shaping techniques instead of welding (to save time and money on positioning, aligning, post-processing).
• Use shaping techniques instead of machining techniques.
• Use as many simple construction elements as possible, such as strip profile, set sheet, tubes, etc.
• Take the next step in the production process into consideration.
• Keep the assembly of parts simple. Bear in mind the attainable tolerances of the production process.
• When inscribing the dimension required for production, ensure dat this is directly applicable. (Fig. 3.1)
• Clearly indicate the finishing standard on the drawing (e.g. weld and finish sleek and smooth). Otherwise, only the basic machining operations will be carried out.
• Standardise frequently occurring design details or products like boxes, connections and seals. For composite products, make use of less expensive mono drawings.
• Sharp corners are often unwanted. So round them off with an external radius of 0.5 mm.