Learning CAD and computer numerical control designing
Saturday, November 1st, 2008Right now we are going to discuss the initial element of computer numerical control. That element is CNC Designing . Before you begin a CNC project, you need to have a plan of action. The design is like a blueprint, you know what you are going to build before you ever build it.
Here are some important elements of design that need to be answered:
What size will it be?
What material will it be made of?
Who is the customer?
What will it be used for?
Your design can be anything. It could be an industrial part or a work of art. This is only really limited by your imagination. Many people use CNC every day to manufacture parts. Many hobbyists use CNC every day to create art and various home projects.
Before I design I like to sketch a few ideas out on paper. I like to toy with different ideas to spark my creativity. This is the equivalent of brainstorming. When I really get my juices flowing, that is when my best designs rise to the top. I generally carry around a notebook with me to note designs that I think of during the day.
After I have a few likely suspects, I try to look through each of the ideas to see if I can merge them somehow. Some designs have different parts or components to them.Some components are better than other components. Can I take some of these parts and add them to another design to make it better? Just like writing, editing your designs is a critical step in the process.
