The Solution
The 3D CAD data for the two vases was obtained from the client and imported into Solid Works. We had to quickly decide on the manufacturing process and method to enable quick delivery without compromising our high standards. It was decided to machine the vases on a large CNC turning centre with each part being split in half horizontally. This was done within Solid Works by editing the 3D CAD data and adding a way of reconnecting the two halves with no visible join line.
Certain information is essential to programme a CNC lathe such as x and z coordinates. However, this was absent from some parts of the original CAD data. Therefore it was our design engineer’s job to redraw the 3D CAD model of each vase to match the original data thus enabling the CNC engineers to programme the lathes. From here certain parts of the design could be optimised for ease of manufacture with the design and CNC engineers working together with extreme care taken not to change the design.
The Final Manufacturing Stage
Once the design work in Solid Works was finished and the client was happy with any changes made manufacture of the vase could start. To speed up the programming on the CNC lathes due to the short delivery the design engineer took a note of all the x and z coordinates need to machine each part and passed this information onto our CNC engineer. Once manufacture had finished the two halves of each vase were glued together and polished ready for dispatch. The client was extremely pleased with the quality and finish of the vases and the speed of delivery.
