Mechanical enclosure for electronics product...cost of design in solidworks? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: ocset
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 15, 2020, 03:48:57 pm
content: Hi,Supposing we wanted to get a mechanical enclosure designed for a 15cm by 80cm by 60cm product in the UK or EU. It'd have a metal case.How much would it cost to hire a contract mechanical engineer to come and do this in solidworks, and leave us the solidworks files when they've finished?How much per week would their wages be?(We would expect the mech eng to have their own copy of solidworks)

author: phil from seattle
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2020, 05:47:07 am
content: I don't have an answer for that but a number of enclosure companies will do custom variants of their standard designs. I'm sure there is a minimum unit level but it is worth checking out. Hammond and Pacific are 2 that I know offer the service.

author: olkipukki
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2020, 08:42:25 am
content: Quote from: treez on June 15, 2020, 03:48:57 pmThe contractor is not working for 'their wages' - either daily or hour rate (or if somebody is crazy for a fixed cost)Why you need SolidWorks files - do you have a license on site to open/modify deliveries or planning to handover later to somebody else?

author: fcb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2020, 09:25:19 am
content: For a very short contract expect £50-80/hr. Also, most likely they'll use AUTOCAD INVENTOR or CREO (formerly ProE) in the UK.If it's simple why not do it in FUSION, which takes less time to learn than interviewing for subcontractors.

author: ocset
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2020, 10:23:03 am
content: Quote..Yes, so it could be handed over to someone else if need be.Thanks for the Fusion tip, ill take a look. I hear it ships with Eagle Pro PCB package.....and Eagle Pro is extremely intuitive, hopefully the same for Fusion.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2020, 10:42:20 am
content: Or see if you can find a manufacturer who will design (or adapt an existing product) and build for you

author: ocset
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2020, 10:47:51 am
content: Thanks, i doubt if i could find anything close enough...we're also going to need fan mounts etc.Some of the PSUs are multiple parallel units, in separate cases, with fixings to tie them together...its too custom so we need to do it in house.

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2020, 11:17:45 am
content: SolidWorks is a common standard in UK, and as good a choice as any if you're going to insist on a given software package.Before you even engage with a potential contractor, have a careful think about exactly what you need, and write this down. A good engineer will always help you work through a new design and will ask plenty of questions that help clarify your requirements, but you do need to have a good starting point which accurately describes the work you need doing. In this case, that starting point might be:- an enclosure of rough dimensions X, Y, Z- fittings in positions A, B, C... for internal components- cut-outs and other external features- material type- environmental conditions, temperatures, IP rating etc- method of manufacture. How will you get it made? What process does the design have to be suitable for?- quantity of manufacture- target unit costThe R&D cost is the last thing that can be determined, once all the technical requirements have been defined.

author: SMTech
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2020, 11:45:42 am
content: There are lots of companies who will do what you ask from the guy in mums basement, professional one man bands to larger dedicated design firms to a person or team inside a manufacturer. Just like an Electronics engineer, their rates can vary hugely as can their work. Those with good knowledge of the manufacturing process in the material you want to work in are always the best if you want them to design something that can actually be manufactured and doesn't incur extra costs for processes that could be tuned out.Have a friendly professional one ..https://triplelink.uk/(not affiliated)

author: Bassman59
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2020, 06:39:33 pm
content: Quote from: treez on June 16, 2020, 10:23:03 amYou're hilarious!!

author: ocset
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 28, 2020, 10:40:14 am
content: Thanks,Do you know if its possible to buy Fusion360 as a one-off...the website only talks of a repeated yearly fee.https://www.autodesk.co.uk/products/fusion-360/subscribe?1088688=&mktvar002=3360535%7CSEM%7C10109131626101134736803kwd-296858592845&plc=F360&term=1-YEAR&support=ADVANCED&quantity=1&gclsrc=aw.ds&=&ef_id=EAIaIQobChMIu723iODv6gIVWu3tCh1EvwldEAAYASAAEgKT2PD_BwE%3AG%3As&s_kwcid=AL!11172!3!436549798737!e!!g!!buy%20fusion%20360!10109131626!101134736803&mkwid=s%7Cpcrid%7C436549798737%7Cpkw%7Cbuy%20fusion%20360%7Cpmt%7Ce%7Cpdv%7Cc%7Cslid%7C%7Cpgrid%7C101134736803%7Cptaid%7Ckwd-296858592845%7Cpid%7C&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=GGL_DEC_Fusion_360_EMEA_GB_eComm_SEM_BR_NA_MIX_ADSK_3360535_Fusion_360&utm_term=buy%20fusion%20360&utm_content=s%7Cpcrid%7C436549798737%7Cpkw%7Cbuy%20fusion%20360%7Cpmt%7Ce%7Cpdv%7Cc%7Cslid%7C%7Cpgrid%7C101134736803%7Cptaid%7Ckwd-296858592845%7C&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIu723iODv6gIVWu3tCh1EvwldEAAYASAAEgKT2PD_BwE

author: SMTech
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 28, 2020, 11:48:29 am
content: Quote from: treez on July 28, 2020, 10:40:14 amI don't think so, its becoming the new norm. Even the ones let let you continue to use the software after sub expiry will often backdate your subscription and charge you for one if you want to update from wherever your sub expired. In some ways its a good thing - they only need to support the latest version because its a "live service", the cost of entry is lower as you don't need to hand over 5-10K for a perpetual licence. Of course pop into any 3d printing forum/blog and you will see a whole range of free & cheap options that might do what you want, many of them will output in a widely accepted portable format.

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 28, 2020, 01:47:47 pm
content: Quote from: treez on July 28, 2020, 10:40:14 amIt is not. Both Fusion360 and Eagle are subscription-only. Welcome to Autodesk.

author: GerardG
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 28, 2020, 01:48:51 pm
content: Take a look at this page for Fusion 360.Personal and startup license.https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/fusion-360/learn-explore/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/How-to-activate-start-up-or-educational-licensing-for-Fusion-360.html

author: phil from seattle
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 28, 2020, 03:21:05 pm
content: GerardG beat me to it. F360 is free for those who, essentially, aren't using it to make money. I use F360 a fair amount, gawdawfull UI and cloud stupidity. Wish there was a decent free 3D CAD solution that didn't have it's head in the cloud.I also use Eagle (UI is alien to windows but has it's own consistency and is powerful if you don't fight it) but stay with the release before AutoDesk.I am 90% moved to Kicad because of the size limits of Eagle and OSS. But the Eagle UI is NOTHING like F360. They did a major F360 UI reshuffle in 2018 and tutorials written up to that point are very confusing against the newer version.FWIW, I've never met a CAD system that had a good UI.

author: ocset
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 28, 2020, 07:12:44 pm
content: Thanks,It looks like The free version is called the "personal licence", and is free but only for one year...its not clear what happens after thathttps://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/personalWe only need it for a very basic enclosure for a ceiling light, for a quick prototype, we cant afford a mech eng to do it. We wont be selling it.

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 28, 2020, 09:00:55 pm
content: Quote from: treez on July 28, 2020, 07:12:44 pmYou can renew the free license if you still qualify for it. However, do check the terms and conditions - the free license is purely for non-commercial use only. And if your company is making more than $100k/year (not just on a product you design with Fusion360 but in general), you don't qualify for the startup license either.

author: SMdude
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 28, 2020, 09:30:52 pm
content: Quote from: treez on July 28, 2020, 07:12:44 pmSee if one of your employees or friends kids could create the model for you for some pocket money. Those youngsters pick this sort of thing up really quickly.

author: phil from seattle
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 28, 2020, 11:52:17 pm
content: Quote from: janoc on July 28, 2020, 09:00:55 pm100K is the old limit. They changed it to 1K/year. Unfortunately, they haven't updated every web page out there so this keeps coming up.

author: MR
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2020, 03:01:26 pm
content: We have used FreeCAD for our enclosure some time ago. We have then exported the file to something the tooling manufacturer was able to read and they continued with Solidworks.They have done some small adjustments and added some surface treatment (at no additional cost, considering that the tooling was expensive enough already).We have also asked an ID design company but they would have charged around 6k (without any prototype).For small accurate prototypes I'd probably try SLA printing nowadays (if too big just segment the parts). For rough stuff I still use FDM printers they're a true game changer in the industry if you're into CAD.Disclaimer about FreeCAD, it takes some time to learn about the do's and the don't but it's surely possible to get things done with it. I've even designed a pick and place machine with it including simulation (the simulation is coded in python).

author: olkipukki
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2020, 06:46:06 pm
content: Quote from: treez on June 16, 2020, 10:47:51 amQuote from: treez on July 28, 2020, 07:12:44 pm

author: olkipukki
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2020, 06:51:30 pm
content: Quote from: MR on July 29, 2020, 03:01:26 pmLooking forward for a new topic and some details!

author: Kasper
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 30, 2020, 04:10:28 am
content: Quote from: SMdude on July 28, 2020, 09:30:52 pm+1 to that. FreeCAD is easy to learn and outputs lots of formats. It has some frustrating bugs but once you learn what not to do, it runs pretty smoothly.It works great if your PCB designer learns it so they can make PCB and enclosure fit nicely without having to spend time communicating.

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 30, 2020, 06:31:12 am
content: Unfortunately with FreeCAD, "what not do to" includes going back through the history of your part and making simple changes, like dimensions. If you're lucky, they work, but if you're not, the model gets irretrievably broken because of the "topological naming issue".It's a real shame because FreeCAD looks like a pretty decent option otherwise - no commercial usage restrictions, no 'cloud' nonsense and no subscription required.

author: Kasper
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 30, 2020, 02:29:12 pm
content: Quote from: AndyC_772 on July 30, 2020, 06:31:12 amI do that often without problems. Usually only breaks fillets and chamfers and sketches mapped to surfaces. I do fillets and chamfers last and redo them in 5 minutes as needed. And I avoid mapping sketches to surfaces, unless I really want to and it seems worth having to ocassionally remind it what surface to link to.Simple changes are easy. Large changes arent too hard either: make a copy of the sketch, edit it and then change link(s) to point to new one instead. I like this method because I can revert to the old version easily.You can also use parameters for dimensions and change a bunch of dimensions at once. I only tried that once briefly beforing giving up because it was too slow.

author: eb4fbz
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2020, 08:28:45 pm
content: Check ZW3D. It works on a one time pay license. It's similar to SolidWorks.