maryzhang/image-dataset-guideline huggingface dataset:
Guideline: Enable self-alignment through features like chamfers, pegs, or guide rails.
Topic: Assembly Design
Feature: Self-Alignment
Manufacturing type: Assembly
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Self-locating features eliminate the need for jigs, reducing assembly error and improving repeatability.
Source: Analogy Design
Guideline: Include draft or clearance for fixture stability during machining or assembly.
Topic: Tooling & Fixtures
Feature: Fixturing
Manufacturing type: Machining
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Proper fixturing maintains dimensional consistency and prevents vibration or deflection.
Source: Analogy Design
Guideline: Mark tools and parts with version identifiers for traceability.
Topic: Tooling & Identification
Feature: Documentation
Manufacturing type: Multi-Process
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Laser-engraved or molded IDs help prevent mix-ups across revisions and ensure accurate QC reporting.
Source: Analogy Design
Guideline: Apply geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) to critical features only.
Topic: Dimensional Design
Feature: Tolerancing
Manufacturing type: General Manufacturing
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Overuse of GD&T clutters drawings and raises inspection cost. Focus precision where performance requires it.
Source: Analogy Design
Guideline: Stack-up analysis should verify that tolerance accumulation doesn’t affect assembly.
Topic: Dimensional Design
Feature: Tolerance Stack-up
Manufacturing type: Assembly
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Small errors per part can add up to misfits or gaps. Analyzing tolerance chains ensures assembly fit.
Source: Analogy Design
Guideline: Include test points and connectors in PCB designs for manufacturing validation.
Topic: Electronics DFM
Feature: Electronics Testing
Manufacturing type: PCB / Electronics
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Accessible test points simplify functional testing and improve repair turnaround during production.
Source: Analogy Design
Guideline: Use standard grounding and shielding methods for EMI compliance.
Topic: Electronics DFM
Feature: Electrical / EMC
Manufacturing type: PCB / Electronics
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Poor grounding leads to noise and interference. Adhering to EMC design rules ensures certification readiness.
Source: Analogy Design
Guideline: Simulate real-world stress and fatigue scenarios to validate field reliability.
Topic: Quality & Testing
Feature: Durability
Manufacturing type: Multi-Process
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Testing beyond lab conditions ensures product survival across varied user environments.
Source: Analogy Design
Guideline: Minimize tooling cost by designing for longevity and easy maintenance.
Topic: Tooling Cost
Feature: Tooling / Maintenance
Manufacturing type: Injection Molding
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Robust tool design saves replacement cost over production runs and prevents downtime.
Source: Analogy Design
Guideline: Choose mono-material assemblies to simplify recycling and end-of-life separation.
Topic: Sustainability
Feature: Material Lifecycle
Manufacturing type: Sustainable Design
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Using similar material types eliminates complex disassembly steps and supports circular economy goals.
Source: Analogy Design
Guideline: Enable easy disassembly for repair, upgrade, or recycling.
Topic: End-of-Life Design
Feature: Design for Disassembly
Manufacturing type: Multi-Process
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Snap-fits, threaded joints, and modular layouts improve sustainability and serviceability.
Source: Analogy Design
Guideline: Optimize packaging for compactness, protection, and logistics efficiency.
Topic: Packaging
Feature: Packaging Design
Manufacturing type: Packaging / Shipping
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Compact, protective packaging minimizes waste and shipping cost, improving sustainability metrics.
Source: Analogy Design
Guideline: Keep DFM documentation, version control, and change tracking consistent across teams.
Topic: Documentation
Feature: Documentation
Manufacturing type: General Manufacturing
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Consistent records ensure traceability and prevent errors between prototype and production versions.
Source: Analogy Design
Guideline: Record lessons learned from each DFM review to improve future designs.
Topic: Continuous Improvement
Feature: Knowledge Management
Manufacturing type: General Manufacturing
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Building institutional memory fosters proactive design improvements and prevents repeated mistakes.
Source: Analogy Design
Guideline: Simplify CAD geometry to reduce toolpaths and setup time.
Topic: CAD Efficiency
Feature: Geometry
Manufacturing type: CNC Machining
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Simpler shapes mean fewer tool changes and less programming, directly lowering cost and error rates.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Avoid unnecessary fillets or decorative features in mechanical parts.
Topic: CAD Simplification
Feature: Geometry
Manufacturing type: Machining
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Aesthetic complexity adds machining passes that rarely improve function.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Ensure consistent wall thickness for predictable cooling and stress distribution.
Topic: Part Uniformity
Feature: Wall Thickness
Manufacturing type: Molding / Casting
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Uneven walls cause warping or sink marks, leading to scrap and rework.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Add draft angles to vertical faces for smooth ejection from molds.
Topic: Mold Design
Feature: Draft
Manufacturing type: Injection Molding
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Draft prevents part sticking and surface tearing during ejection.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Use large fillets instead of sharp corners to prevent stress concentration.
Topic: Stress Design
Feature: Corner Design
Manufacturing type: Machining / Casting
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Fillets distribute loads more evenly and extend tool life.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Align features with main machining axes to reduce repositioning.
Topic: Machining Orientation
Feature: Orientation
Manufacturing type: CNC Machining
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Axis alignment minimizes fixture setups and improves tolerance control.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Combine small features into a single operation wherever possible.
Topic: Process Integration
Feature: Operation Planning
Manufacturing type: Multi-Process
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Multi-feature passes reduce handling time and cumulative error.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Avoid deep, narrow pockets that cause tool deflection.
Topic: Machining Design
Feature: Pocket Geometry
Manufacturing type: CNC Machining
Good practice: No
Explanation: Long cutters flex and vibrate, degrading surface finish and accuracy.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Keep tolerances realistic—tight only where functionally required.
Topic: Tolerancing
Feature: Tolerance Control
Manufacturing type: General
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Overly tight tolerances drive up inspection time and tool wear.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Use standard hole sizes compatible with common drill bits.
Topic: Hole Design
Feature: Hole Feature
Manufacturing type: Machining / Assembly
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Standard sizing avoids custom tooling and reduces cost.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Verify accessibility for cutters and inspection probes in all orientations.
Topic: Accessibility
Feature: Reachability
Manufacturing type: Machining
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Poor access increases cycle time or may make features unmachinable.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Reduce undercuts and overhangs that require special tooling.
Topic: Tooling Complexity
Feature: Undercut
Manufacturing type: Molding / Machining
Good practice: No
Explanation: Side actions and custom tools add setup and maintenance time.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Maintain clear parting lines for cast or molded components.
Topic: Mold Design
Feature: Parting Line
Manufacturing type: Casting / Molding
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Defined parting ensures easy mold separation and accurate halves.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Optimize rib placement for stiffness without over-thickening walls.
Topic: Structural Optimization
Feature: Rib Design
Manufacturing type: Injection Molding
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Ribs improve rigidity while controlling shrinkage and weight.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Remove hidden or redundant bodies before exporting CAD files.
Topic: File Preparation
Feature: Data Clean-up
Manufacturing type: General
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Clean models avoid CAM errors and reduce memory load.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Use pattern and symmetry features to simplify modeling and manufacturing.
Topic: CAD Strategy
Feature: Patterning
Manufacturing type: General
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Symmetry ensures consistency, fewer setup points, and simpler inspection.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Avoid extremely thin sections that can warp or break during machining.
Topic: Structural Integrity
Feature: Thin Walls
Manufacturing type: Machining / Sheet Metal
Good practice: No
Explanation: Thin features lack stiffness and vibrate under cutting forces.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Orient features to minimize tool travel distance.
Topic: Efficiency
Feature: Toolpath Planning
Manufacturing type: CNC Machining
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Shorter paths reduce machining time and wear.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Integrate datum features for alignment during inspection and assembly.
Topic: Quality Control
Feature: Datum
Manufacturing type: QA / Assembly
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Reference datums enable consistent measurement and precise mating.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Avoid overlapping tolerances across mating components.
Topic: Tolerance Design
Feature: Assembly Fit
Manufacturing type: Assembly
Good practice: No
Explanation: Tolerance overlap can cause interference fits or loose joints.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Simplify fillet count—uniform radii reduce CAM tool changes.
Topic: Machining Optimization
Feature: Fillet
Manufacturing type: CNC Machining
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Uniformity allows reusing same cutter, improving process flow.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Assign consistent units, naming, and version control in CAD assemblies.
Topic: Documentation
Feature: Data Management
Manufacturing type: CAD
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Standardized metadata prevents export and translation issues.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Use standard thread sizes to align with available fasteners.
Topic: Assembly Hardware
Feature: Thread
Manufacturing type: Machining / Assembly
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Custom threads increase machining complexity and maintenance.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Flatten complex surfaces before converting to sheet metal.
Topic: Sheet Metal Design
Feature: Unfolding
Manufacturing type: Sheet Metal
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Flattening avoids stretching and distortion during bending.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Design chamfers instead of fillets on sharp edges where assembly alignment is required.
Topic: Edge Design
Feature: Chamfer
Manufacturing type: Assembly
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Chamfers guide parts into place, improving ergonomic fit.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Keep fasteners accessible without disassembling unrelated parts.
Topic: Assembly Access
Feature: Accessibility
Manufacturing type: Assembly
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Reduces service time and tool collisions in maintenance.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Check for interferences between components before release.
Topic: Assembly Validation
Feature: Interference
Manufacturing type: CAD / Assembly
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Detecting collisions early prevents rework in manufacturing.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Minimize part transitions between machines or vendors.
Topic: Process Planning
Feature: Manufacturing Flow
Manufacturing type: Multi-Process
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Fewer transfers reduce handling errors and lead time.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Ensure consistent draft and wall angles across families of parts.
Topic: Design Consistency
Feature: Geometry
Manufacturing type: Molding
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Standard angles simplify tool reuse and ensure uniform shrinkage.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Review CAD models with manufacturing partners before final release.
Topic: Collaboration
Feature: Review Process
Manufacturing type: General
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Early joint reviews catch design flaws before they reach the shop floor, saving cost and lead time.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Avoid undercuts in mold design to prevent complex tooling and higher cost.
Topic: Mold Design
Feature: Undercut
Manufacturing type: Injection Molding
Good practice: No
Explanation: Undercuts require slides or cores, increasing mold complexity and cycle time.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Apply 1°–3° draft angles on vertical faces for easy ejection.
Topic: Draft Design
Feature: Draft Angle
Manufacturing type: Molding
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Proper draft avoids drag marks and sticking during demolding.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Avoid excessive draft angles that distort part geometry.
Topic: Draft Optimization
Feature: Draft Angle
Manufacturing type: Molding
Good practice: No
Explanation: Too much draft changes fit and can affect structural or aesthetic alignment.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Add tapered faces instead of sharp verticals to aid mold release.
Topic: CAD Modeling
Feature: Taper
Manufacturing type: Molding
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Tapered designs maintain strength while enabling clean release.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Simplify complex shapes into basic geometries to reduce machining time.
Topic: CAD Simplification
Feature: Geometry
Manufacturing type: General
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Simple geometry shortens setup time and improves manufacturability.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Combine multiple functions into single parts to reduce part count.
Topic: Part Consolidation
Feature: Assembly
Manufacturing type: General
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Integrated parts reduce assembly time and improve production flow.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Reduce component count to save tooling cost and setup time.
Topic: Design Efficiency
Feature: Part Count
Manufacturing type: General
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Fewer components lower error rates and accelerate production cycles.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Use interlocking features to avoid separate fasteners in assembly.
Topic: Assembly Design
Feature: Interlock
Manufacturing type: Assembly
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Interlocks improve precision and simplify assembly without screws.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Design modular parts that can be easily replaced or upgraded.
Topic: Modularity
Feature: Module
Manufacturing type: Assembly
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Modular design improves serviceability and reduces downtime.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Verify assembly direction consistency to reduce reorientation steps.
Topic: Assembly Orientation
Feature: Direction
Manufacturing type: Assembly
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Single-direction assembly reduces labor and handling time.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Choose machining tolerances around ±0.005" unless tighter is required.
Topic: Machining Standards
Feature: Tolerance
Manufacturing type: CNC Machining
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Industry-standard tolerances balance cost with precision.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Limit ultra-tight tolerances unless functionally critical.
Topic: Cost Optimization
Feature: Tolerance
Manufacturing type: General
Good practice: No
Explanation: Overly tight specs increase rejection rate and inspection cost.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: For injection molding, keep tolerances around ±0.002".
Topic: Molding Precision
Feature: Tolerance
Manufacturing type: Injection Molding
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Tight but realistic tolerances maintain part fit without rework.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Use casting for complex forms that are costly to machine.
Topic: Process Selection
Feature: Process
Manufacturing type: Casting
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Casting simplifies manufacturing of complex geometries in fewer steps.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Ensure proper dimensioning in cast parts to prevent shrinkage issues.
Topic: Casting Design
Feature: Dimensioning
Manufacturing type: Casting
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Poor dimension control leads to porosity or misalignment in castings.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Apply forging for high-strength parts needing compressive shaping.
Topic: Material Forming
Feature: Forging
Manufacturing type: Forging
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Forging increases grain strength but needs precise temp control.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Avoid machining parts with unnecessary deep pockets or thin walls.
Topic: Machining Design
Feature: Geometry
Manufacturing type: CNC Machining
Good practice: No
Explanation: Such features risk tool deflection and vibration during milling.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Align CAD design choices with the intended process (molding, casting, forging).
Topic: DFM Integration
Feature: Process Fit
Manufacturing type: General Manufacturing
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Process-aware design ensures cost-effective manufacturability and quality consistency.
Source: Shalin Designs
Guideline: Learn your company’s modeling procedure before suggesting changes.
Topic: Modeling Standards
Feature: Process
Manufacturing type: CAD / Assembly
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Consistency in workflow ensures others can open and modify your models without confusion.
Source: Reddit Interview (r/AskEngineers)
Guideline: Never model on the wrong plane — always start from company-standard origins.
Topic: Modeling Orientation
Feature: Plane / Origin
Manufacturing type: CAD
Good practice: No
Explanation: Misaligned planes cause assembly misfits and lost references later in production.
Source: Reddit Interview
Guideline: Fix your model errors before passing it along.
Topic: Responsibility
Feature: Model Tree
Manufacturing type: CAD
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Leaving errors for the next engineer breaks accountability and slows revisions.
Source: Reddit Interview
Guideline: Don’t fake dimensions or holes — always model what’s real.
Topic: Design Accuracy
Feature: Geometry
Manufacturing type: Machining / Assembly
Good practice: No
Explanation: Mismatched models and drawings create manufacturing errors and loss of trust.
Source: Reddit Interview
Guideline: Use SolidWorks Hole Wizard for tapped holes instead of manual drilling.
Topic: Tool Usage
Feature: Hole
Manufacturing type: Machining
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Automated hole features ensure correct diameters and thread details in both CAD and drawing.
Source: Reddit Interview
Guideline: Rename features meaningfully — don’t leave everything as “Boss-Extrude42.”
Topic: Model Organization
Feature: Feature Tree
Manufacturing type: CAD
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Naming improves collaboration and helps future edits or reviews.
Source: Reddit Interview
Guideline: Ask for help if you’re stuck — don’t waste hours on simple modeling issues.
Topic: Collaboration
Feature: Communication
Manufacturing type: CAD
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Teams move faster when designers seek guidance early instead of guessing.
Source: Reddit Interview
Guideline: Review your model twice before submitting.
Topic: Review Practice
Feature: Model Verification
Manufacturing type: CAD
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Double-checking prevents preventable mistakes and ensures model–drawing consistency.
Source: Reddit Interview
Guideline: Reference existing parts before modeling something new.
Topic: Reuse / Reference
Feature: Reuse
Manufacturing type: General Manufacturing
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Builds design continuity and reduces duplicated work.
Source: Reddit Interview
Guideline: Always assign materials and weights to parts in SolidWorks.
Topic: Metadata
Feature: Part Properties
Manufacturing type: General
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Material data drives mass, cost, and BOM accuracy during production.
Source: Reddit Interview
Guideline: Everything in the BOM should exist in the model — even paint chips.
Topic: BOM Integrity
Feature: BOM / Metadata
Manufacturing type: Assembly
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Ensures traceability and avoids mismatched documentation.
Source: Reddit Interview
Guideline: Build your model logically — assume the next person must edit it.
Topic: Future-proofing
Feature: Model Tree
Manufacturing type: CAD
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Clear structure and hierarchy save others time during design changes.
Source: Reddit Interview
Guideline: If your company lacks standards, collaborate to define minimal conventions.
Topic: Standardization
Feature: CAD Procedure
Manufacturing type: CAD
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Collective standards ensure consistency and easy model sharing.
Source: Reddit Interview
Guideline: Keep your model flexible and easy to modify.
Topic: Model Robustness
Feature: Parametric Design
Manufacturing type: CAD
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Parametric resilience supports quick iteration and reuse.
Source: Reddit Interview
Guideline: Model from generic to specific — get global shapes first, details last.
Topic: Modeling Order
Feature: Modeling Sequence
Manufacturing type: CAD
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Hierarchical modeling minimizes cascading rebuild errors.
Source: Reddit Interview
Guideline: Keep sketches simple — five small sketches beat one complex one.
Topic: Sketching
Feature: Sketch
Manufacturing type: CAD
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Simple sketches isolate errors and improve rebuild performance.
Source: Reddit Interview
Guideline: Always fully define your sketches.
Topic: Parametric Definition
Feature: Constraints
Manufacturing type: CAD
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Underdefined sketches shift unpredictably, breaking references.
Source: Reddit Interview
Guideline: Avoid external references unless you fully understand dependencies.
Topic: Top-Down Modeling
Feature: References
Manufacturing type: Assembly
Good practice: No
Explanation: External links often cause fragile assemblies and rebuild failures.
Source: Reddit Interview
Guideline: Group similar features in folders for better readability.
Topic: Model Management
Feature: Organization
Manufacturing type: CAD
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Grouping features improves tree navigation and editing efficiency.
Source: Reddit Interview
Guideline: Don’t model unnecessary details like threads on bolts.
Topic: Modeling Efficiency
Feature: Detail Level
Manufacturing type: Assembly
Good practice: No
Explanation: Over-detailed assemblies slow down rendering and file performance.
Source: Reddit Interview
Guideline: Always name features and dimensions logically (e.g. “Flange_Rib”).
Topic: Feature Naming
Feature: Feature Tree
Manufacturing type: CAD
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Readable names communicate design intent across the team.
Source: Reddit Interview
Guideline: Dimension from stable, unchanging features.
Topic: Design Intent
Feature: Dimensioning
Manufacturing type: CAD
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Stable references prevent misalignment when edits occur.
Source: Reddit Interview
Guideline: Dimension for editing — choose parameters likely to change.
Topic: Parametric Intent
Feature: Dimensioning
Manufacturing type: CAD
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Supports robust updates when product dimensions evolve.
Source: Reddit Interview
Guideline: Avoid building models purely from face manipulations — use sketches.
Topic: Modeling Method
Feature: Geometry Creation
Manufacturing type: CAD
Good practice: No
Explanation: Sketch-driven modeling preserves dimensions and relationships for future edits.
Source: Reddit Interview
Guideline: Model in the same sequence as real fabrication steps.
Topic: Manufacturability Logic
Feature: Process Mapping
Manufacturing type: Machining / Fabrication
Good practice: Yes
Explanation: Mirroring real manufacturing reduces translation errors and ensures realism.
Source: Reddit Interview