Hey guys this is my first post, my name is Danny and I could use alot of help lol. I want to get started on designing custom pieces out of aluminum. I do not know CAD, nor have any experience with this. That said, I am looking into many quotes for a part I need made. The best I can do is present a full scale drawing of the part and show all the angles. I'm not great with math or radius' etc so the company would have to be able to take the measurements I come up with from my drawing and put it on a cad program. I am TRYING to find NY based companies to help with this but I'll consider out of state. I have been quoted $120 an hour for a prototype that I want made. I think thats a bit absurd. That was using a lazer based machine and would need extra milling/smoothing which in turn would cost more money. All said and done the quote was around $1000+ for a single part that is roughly 9 x 4 ", 2 -4 mm thick and very very basic in design. It was also said it could take a day to do this or more. This sounds rediculous to me.

Another question I have is if I want to go into a small production of the part I design, do I have to pay for the CAD/tooling AGAIN??? Is the info/file stored for future use? Do I own the tooling??? Thanks in advance. I'm on a budget but I'd love to get started with this ASAP.

-Danny

Well, if you have no CAD-CAM knowledge at all, you'll have to pay somebody to do the work for you. $120 per hour WITH machining is not absurd at all.

Once you pay for the model and G-code (program for the machine), you own them and you don't have to pay for them any more, but you still have to pay the CNC machining time...and it could be close to $1 per minute...

I could help you with some free CAD if the project is not too time-consuming.

Tex

Thank you for the generosity. It sounded very high to me, but I do not question the skill envolved. Infact I'd love to learn it myself because I admire those who create from raw material. I am going to draw my designs and try to get them scanned (I have a digi cam only) so perhaps that might help more. This might take a few days so I will PM you. Again, thanks for the help and if anyone else has any input please chime in.
:cheers:

You're welcome, no sweat...

PM me any time...I'll try to help you with CAD...just don't count on me for machining since I have no access to a CNC machine.

Unless other arrangements are made you will not have to pay for the CAD work again, you paid for it, it belongs to you. The file is good until destroyed.

Check your PM's NewByAlert

Ken

Newby
My shop rate here in Stratford Ontario is $48/hr CDN. I have no idea what your part looks like so can't gauge the time.
I would be more than happy to look at this and supply a quote.
I design with SolidWorks and CAM with VisualMill.