[McCarthy]

Hello Folks,

how much would I have to invest into both software as well as into machines, in order to design and produce in small numbers aluminum parts for example for a clamp shown in the attached image. Anodizing would be done out of house. Also, what would be a cost effective setup?

Before I'm going into any details I'd like to figure out what I have to come up with.

Thanks,

Don

[McCarthy]

Where did my attachment go?!

Here a link to the photo: https://s8.postimg.cc/91t1ok8j9/Image1.png

[ger21]

You can use Fusion 360 for CAD/CAM, which is free if you make less than $100,000/year.

When you say small quantities, can you clarify?

Define cost effective? The more you spend, the faster you'll be able to make them. But if you want to make them fairly quickly, with consistent quality, I'm guessing you'd need to spend $10K-$15K, maybe more?

[McCarthy]

You can use Fusion 360 for CAD/CAM, which is free if you make less than $100,000/year.

When you say small quantities, can you clarify?

Define cost effective? The more you spend, the faster you'll be able to make them. But if you want to make them fairly quickly, with consistent quality, I'm guessing you'd need to spend $10K-$15K, maybe more?

Thank you for your reply. I just checked the website of AutoDesk. Are you talking about the 3 year educational version? Won't I have to prove my registration with school or college paperwork?

In the beginning it will be about 3 products a day. A clamp like that consists out of about 4 parts, so we are talking 12 parts altogether. The other parts I will have to source.

Later on I should be able to make maybe 15 products a day (60 parts) with the same, initial setup.

The products will have to be of good fit and finish, no rough machining, no burrs.

[awerby]

It's hard to say from your picture, but it looks like that clamp has at least 7 parts: a base and floating block in aluminum, a hook and shaft in steel, an insert and bushing in brass, and that handle. Are you planning to make it all from scratch? What do you need these things for? It's hard to believe that it would be cheaper to make them than to buy them ready-made, if you only need a small quantity (3 per day, or even 15 of them). Leaving aside the cost of machinery and tooling, what's a day of your time worth? How much does a clamp like that cost, wholesale?

[ger21]

The products will have to be of good fit and finish, no rough machining, no burrs.

The parts in the picture are not straight off of the machine. They have undergone a secondary finishing process.

[ger21]

You download and install the free trial. When your 30 days are up, you can sign up for a hobbyist/startup license, which is free. There's a list of the license types here:

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/suppo...mber-2016.html

[Jim Dawson]

Thank you for your reply. I just checked the website of AutoDesk. Are you talking about the 3 year educational version? Won't I have to prove my registration with school or college paperwork?

They also have a ''start up'' registration that is also free. But no, you don't have to have any educational paperwork, AutoDesk just wants it out in the world.

In the beginning it will be about 3 products a day. A clamp like that consists out of about 4 parts, so we are talking 12 parts altogether. The other parts I will have to source.

Later on I should be able to make maybe 15 products a day (60 parts) with the same, initial setup.

The products will have to be of good fit and finish, no rough machining, no burrs.

I would be looking for a Tormach 1100 or better yet a Haas TM-1P or TM-2P. Those parts would palletize really well so once the fixturing was built you could make a bunch of them in a hurry.

Burr control is a matter of using sharp tools and order of operation. Then tumble or vibratory deburr before sending out to anodize.

[McCarthy]

Thank you guys for all the replies, it is very helpful.

It's hard to say from your picture, but it looks like that clamp has at least 7 parts: a base and floating block in aluminum, a hook and shaft in steel, an insert and bushing in brass, and that handle. Are you planning to make it all from scratch? What do you need these things for? It's hard to believe that it would be cheaper to make them than to buy them ready-made, if you only need a small quantity (3 per day, or even 15 of them). Leaving aside the cost of machinery and tooling, what's a day of your time worth? How much does a clamp like that cost, wholesale?

The clamp is only a typical example of parts that I have in mind. I'm not planning to replicate products one can buy easily and cheaply, but to develop new items and offer them for sale in small quantities. If things take off, I can up my game with larger machines. At this time I just want to design and finish my first products myself, and cut out the issues that go along when everything is outsourced. Did that for many years and it is cumbersome and slow.

The parts in the picture are not straight off of the machine. They have undergone a secondary finishing process.

These are all details that I will have to learn. I'm inclined to teach myself. Going back to school etc won't be possible. If you have a good source for leaning I'd love to hear about it.

You download and install the free trial. When your 30 days are up, you can sign up for a hobbyist/startup license, which is free. There's a list of the license types here:

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/suppo...mber-2016.html

Thank you, downloading right now.

They also have a ''start up'' registration that is also free. But no, you don't have to have any educational paperwork, AutoDesk just wants it out in the world.

I would be looking for a Tormach 1100 or better yet a Haas TM-1P or TM-2P. Those parts would palletize really well so once the fixturing was built you could make a bunch of them in a hurry.

Burr control is a matter of using sharp tools and order of operation. Then tumble or vibratory deburr before sending out to anodize.

That is very useful information for me, thank you.

I just looked into those 2 options. Tormach seems all around to be exactly what I was looking and hoping for, both regarding the cost and the objective. A Haas is much more expensive and won't fit into my current garage. A Haas would be the secondary phase for me, when my ideas have any chance of a real profit.