[ssj71]

Are you looking to have your ideas transformed into real, tangible parts and assemblies? Do you need the proper files & drawings generated to have your designs laser cut, watter-jetted, or fabricated at a machine shop?

I utilize Autodesk's Inventor 3D parametric software (current 2018 version) that produces full 3D solid CAD models & assemblies, 2D detail drawings, and the necessary industry-wide output files to bring your ideas to life.

I'm a Penn State BSME graduate with 30 years of engineering experience, including 13 years of 3D modeling experience. With thousands of drawings and models under my belt, I'm looking to start a small home business to help you get your parts into production.

Please email me at threedharvey@gmail.com, or reply here on PY for more information.

Longtime Fellow Pontiac Nut, Harvey

[dataway]

Vintage drum brake .... Autodesk Inventor



Ruger single action ... 3DS Max



Just playing around .... 3DS Max

[dataway]

One more .. this time Solid Works. A prototype motorcycle master cylinder .... I love doing this stuff

[ssj71]

Dataway, those models and renderings are gorgeous! I've never really dabbled in the rendering side of 3D, but I should after looking at your work.

The liquids in the glasses along with the smoke look near perfect! Even the way the tablecloth "pulls down" and changes the checkered pattern....very nice.

I, too, love 3D modeling. Also love what Inventor is capable of.

Here's what I do for a living if you're curious: www.sigmaservices.com

Harvey

[dataway]

It really is absolutely fascinating stuff. Still remember how I got hooked, back in the early 70's some TV special that had a primitive wire frame imagine of some part, that they could rotate, zoom etc.

I'm good with the visual end ... the actual "blue print" side ...not so much. I've had to explain to customers that while I can make it "look" great, you need an engineer or draftsman to produce a file that can be ported properly to CNC.

I've had people tell me they can take my models and make proper drawings from them ... but since you know the software, you know how incredibly complex it can be to produce what a person actually needs to manufacture a product.

Pretty pictures are nice .... but they are far short of what is necessary to produce a product where every .001" counts.

It really is a beautiful virtual "space" ... I never get tired of seeing ideas rendered into realistic products. Unlike yourself ... when it comes to producing a product that someone can actually put into production .... I am not nearly as confident as I am with producing the imagery. Mine has too look right, yours has to BE right.

People really don't understand how possible it is these days. Idea - proper CNC compatible files - product ..... it can be done! What is your idea ... there are people that can make it happen probably for a lot less than people think.

[dataway]

Wow, looked at your site ... Do you use "After Effects" ? Very nice web design too.

I have a pretty high end machine I use for my work ...but video effects ... can take some serious rendering time.

Since you have been at this a while ... how incredible is it how far they have come in the last decade .... I remember when a plug-in to do "hair" was thousands. Now .. particles, flames, liquid etc ... easy ... well, as long as you know what parameters to use.

For me ... lighting, lighting, lighting .... I'll spend 20% of the time modeling ... 80% of the time trying to get the lighting right.

I'm a big fan of Italian manufacturing these days ... specifically Ducati motorcycles ... they say they can go from on screen design to working prototype in six month ... very close to screen to factory floor manufacturing.

I envy you your skills at going from idea to actual working drawings .... to me, that's the hardest part.

[dataway]

By the way people ..... you probably don't realize how "doable" your idea or product might be these days with modern CNC manufacturing if you have someone that will produce the files for you. It's seriously reasonable ... I've had half a dozen products done over the last ten years. Volume of course reduces cost tremendously.

A quick consult with someone like SSJ71 and you might be very surprised just how easy it can be.

[dataway]

BTW, SSJ71 .... I got in over my head with the motorcycle master cylinder project ... trying to tailor a new design around readily available internals as I don't have the engineering background to go from scratch. I ended up telling the client he would be better off sourcing already available hardware and modifying that ... hey, you can't win them all

[ssj71]

Dataway, Sigma is just the company I work for and I design the equipment that runs the special effects. A bit more than meets the eye, and it has proven to be a challenge I wasn't expecting.

The company I work for does a ton of stuff for the big theme parks like Disney and Busch Gardens, along with concerts, the NFL, etc. My boss is the designer and patent owner of the Low Smoke Generator (LSG) which lays an amazing layer of fog at your feet and stays there like a blanket for a long time. Most Broadway shows and a lot of popular movies use his machines.

We also have a flame machine that can shoot an incredible 175 feet in the air. It's called the Magma and it's an intimidating monster. The heat you feel from it is remarkable.

[dataway]

Was there a documentary done on the company, sounds familiar .... like I've seen it on TV or something.

[ssj71]

It's possible. They've been around since 1976, and I know they've been spotlighted in a number of magazine.

As far as my engineering history goes, there have been some very complex designs come across my desks, and yes, some of it has been precision-type work. I've even dabbled in Inventor's stress analysis module and it can be really tricky.

The high-volume vintage machinery I used to design parts for at my old Hav-A-Tampa cigar factory was my favorite and most challenging work of my career. Designing parts and assemblies for complicated, old, turn-of-the-century machinery while observing minimal production down time (2.2 million cigars per day requires minimal down time) kept me on my toes just about every day for 4-1/2 years. Great job!

When it comes to precision, tolerancing, and analyzing stresses, there are enough good reference books and on-line resources out there that can get you through the thick of it. That's not to say I haven't made a few mistakes before...there have been a fair number of those, usually from unexpected scenarios and conditions, but generally, I've managed to get some really cool stuff designed over the years.

I've also relied heavily on my trusty Machinery's Handbook, among others.

What really gives me difficulty is surfacing and complex shapes with curvature. The body of a car would be a good example. Sheet metal on just about any car is hard to get right in a 3D program, and the guys who do that sort of stuff for the big automakers are very, very skilled at what they do.

The cream of the crop of the engineering world go to GM, Ford and Dodge, as well as Boeing as another example. That's just a high level of engineering and visualizing that I can't get to.

Thanks for the words of encouragement above suggesting that folks give their ideas a try. I believe people would be surprised at what can be modeled and manufactured.

Harvey