/r/manufacturing

Photograph via snooOG

A subreddit for anyone in the manufacturing industry. Content is very diverse: you'll find videos, articles and self posts just to name a few.

Welcome to /r/manufacturing!

The subreddit for the manufacturing industry.

 


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Rules

The full rules can be found here, and take priority over the summary below.

 

  1. Posts must be in English.
  2. Posts trying to sell products or services are not allowed.
  • Replying to requests is the only exception to this rule.
  • Free trials and similar offers are not allowed.
  • This is not the place for market research or other surveys.
  • Company blog submissions are only allowed on Saturdays.
  • Video submissions are heavily restricted.
  • Unsure of something? Message the mods!

     

    Posts that do not follow these rules will be removed on sight. See any posts breaking these rules? Hit the report button!

     


     

    Other subreddits you might enjoy:

    /r/3Dprinting
    /r/AskEngineers
    /r/Automate
    /r/CNC
    /r/CAD
    /r/Engineering
    /r/EngineeringResumes
    /r/functionalprint
    /r/IndustrialDesign
    /r/IndustrialEngineering
    /r/JustRolledIntoTheShop
    /r/Machining /r/Machinists
    /r/Mechanical_gifs
    /r/Metalworking
    /r/Metrology
    /r/PrintedCircuitBoard
    /r/Product_Design
    /r/SupplyChain
    /r/ThingsCutInHalfPorn
    /r/Toolgifs
    /r/Workboots

     

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    /r/manufacturing

    55,074 Subscribers

    1

    Best way to manufacture a pyramid

    Some aditional info:

    base 75x75mm or ~3"

    height 65mm or ~2.55"

    thickness 2mm

    Aluminum

    The pyramid is for a lamp, some sides of the pyramid will have cuts for ventilation and parts

    What are your thoughts on how to manufacture something like this?

    4 Comments
    2024/03/28
    03:00 UTC

    0

    My Chinese supplier says the circled one is a female xt60 am I going crazy!

    I think I am going crazy because I just looked up what a female xt60 is and the circle one is coming up. I am American and a electrician engineer and I was always taught that was male. Am I crazy or do the Chinese thing it’s the other way around.

    15 Comments
    2024/03/28
    01:24 UTC

    1

    Looking for a Heavy/Fixture/Pallet modular Conveyor manufacturer in the Midwest.

    Basically what the post says. My company is replacing a legacy assembly line and I’m looking to branch out from what we are used too.

    I work in the Automotive Seat industry. Looking for some new innovative concepts. Ideally a company that offered a turn key system. Controls, Conveyor, and Pallets/Fixture.

    I don’t want to give out too much information but feel free to DM me for more info. Thanks.

    1 Comment
    2024/03/27
    21:19 UTC

    6

    Automated Cardboard Box maker

    Just got hired as a junior engineer in a large retail fulfillment center.

    I noticed the employees spend a ton of time folding and taking empty cardboard boxes.

    One thing to note is that the products we ship are mostly shirts and apparel. So doesn't have to assemble gaylords or anything. Max size would be a 2' x 2' x 2'.

    Are there any reputable machines on the market that can automate this process?

    11 Comments
    2024/03/27
    19:37 UTC

    1

    Manufacturing question

    Hello,

    Have a quick question about manufacturing in general. I have a plastic and aluminum product that can likely be made with insert molding. I would like to have a layer of felt added on top of that which I’m assuming would have to be after the molding process. How much extra is that manual process likely to cost?

    2 Comments
    2024/03/27
    17:02 UTC

    0

    Looking for a pill manufacturer with MOQ of 500 bottles in US

    Hi - I'm looking for a GNP facility in the U.S. to manufacture a neutraceutical product with an MOQ of 500 bottles or fewer.

    1 Comment
    2024/03/27
    16:56 UTC

    1

    How Ceramic Tiles Are Manufactured

    1 Comment
    2024/03/27
    16:31 UTC

    2

    Manufacturing Suggestions CANADA

    Hi everyone,

    I’m struggling with trying to switch suppliers from China to Canada.

    I own both a service company and hardware company for the same industry.

    I sell a variety of parts that are stamped, cnc, injection molded, etc. I really want to move all of my sourcing to Canada, regardless of the cost increase in material/labour.

    However, I’m really struggling finding factories that don’t have huge minimums. I sell over 800 products and it doesn’t make sense for me to stock 500 kg of x, 500 kg of of y.

    Does anyone have any recommendations of good quality, Canadian manufacturers that won’t scoff at a smaller order ?(injection molded parts, machined parts, extruded aluminum). Yes I am aware of mold fees and don’t mind paying them, but I can’t justify a huge stocking order for all of these products. I simply don’t have the space or resources.

    4 Comments
    2024/03/27
    15:30 UTC

    1

    How similar is NM 450-T3 steel to Hardox 450?

    Hardox is used on belt lines so there is a lot of friction. A manufacturer says that the NM 450-T3 is identical but I am unsure.

    The sertificate for that steel: https://imgur.com/a/O3NQTAY

    0 Comments
    2024/03/27
    11:22 UTC

    0

    Metal stamping car fender die cost

    Hey :)

    We have a need for car fenders made to our specs. They HAVE to be made from sheet metal.

    I have experience with injection molding but not with sheet metal. I know they are stamped using a die. I assume prices per fender stamped is very low. But what about the cost of the die (mold)?

    Does anyone have any rough experience? It would be done in China probably. I do have a manufacturer but don't have a CAD file as I want to make sure it's financially viable first and they don't feel comfortable giving price estimates without having a file (rightfully so)

    Has anyone ever done something like that? Shape is just like any other generic economy car fender.

    Appreciate any help! Please include country if you're talking from experience!

    Thanks :)

    EDIT:

    Thanks for all the information! I never realized stamping is so complicated/expensive I thought it would be in the 4-5 figure range for a mold. Looking for a different manufacturing method now or scrapping the project :)

    37 Comments
    2024/03/27
    10:44 UTC

    2

    Trumpf L 3030 4K

    I recently started running a Trumpf L 3030 4K Laser. I’ve been running it for a few months now and I’ve had a lot of experience with other CNC cutting machines. On other machines you are able to manipulate tech tables to cut things differently, like depths of engraving or cutting thicker than what the machine is rated for. The machine is rated for 3/4 inch Mild Steel and 1/2 inch stainless. I was wondering if anyone had any tips on how to run the machine at its best for a beginner? Or if anyone has any cutting parameters/tech tables they came up with to be able to cut thicker materials like 1 inch Mild steel or engrave deeper/lighter that they would like to share?

    0 Comments
    2024/03/26
    20:09 UTC

    3

    Fabric manufacturer referral

    Hi can someone please help me find a fabric manufacturer that will make the shiny fabric used in 80’s board shorts? It’s 52% polyester 48% nylon i included a photo for reference. I’ve tried etsy and google and found no one please help. I’d need small batch manufacturing to start with because I’m a new business, like a few yards at a time.

    2 Comments
    2024/03/27
    01:50 UTC

    3

    Starting a Paper Bag Manufacturing Business: Seeking Advice!

    Hey everyone!

    I'm taking the plunge and starting my own paper bag manufacturing business. I've already contacted Otpack (machinery supplier) to source the equipment, but I'm reaching out to the amazing community here on r/manufacturing for some general advice.

    Anyone out there with experience in paper bag manufacturing, or manufacturing in general, I'd be incredibly grateful for any insights you can offer. Here are some areas I'm particularly interested in:

    • Essential considerations when starting up: Permits, licenses, initial costs, unexpected challenges, etc.
    • Raw materials: Sourcing paper rolls, inks, adhesives, and ensuring quality control.
    • The manufacturing process: Optimizing production for efficiency and minimizing waste.
    • Finding customers: Identifying target markets, building relationships, and navigating sales strategies.
    • Industry trends: Staying ahead of the curve on sustainable practices and changing consumer preferences.

    Any tips, tricks, or hard-earned lessons you can share would be invaluable. I'm open to learning everything I can before diving in.

    Thanks in advance for your support!

    P.S. If anyone has experience working with Otpack's machinery, I'd love to hear your thoughts on their reliability and customer service.

    7 Comments
    2024/03/26
    23:27 UTC

    1

    CNC Tube bending questions?

    Is it possible to CNC mandrel bend a tube like this after lasercutting?

    It is supposed to be a wallmounted cantilever bracket. Which slots and holes should I expect to deform (probably all of them)?

    How far from the bend axis should I place holes and slots?

    Will I need to go longer on either end to get a perfect 90?

    What should I communicate in my drawings? what should I communicate to my rep?

    Would it make more sense to notch out a chunk during the tube laser process, fold, and weld into a 90?

    here are the images

    https://imgur.com/ry9STfQ

    1 Comment
    2024/03/26
    20:07 UTC

    1

    Suggestions for thermoforming materials

    I run an engineering makerspace in a university and I just bought a thermoforming machine (Mayku Multiplier.) They sell some different materials that are designed for their machine, but they're pretty expensive ($230 for a pack of 10 ABS sheets) and don't have a lot of variety in thickness.

    I'm looking for suggestions for suppliers that sell thermoforming-safe sheets. McMaster-Carr has a lot of great options, but they're also pretty expensive. Students are going to make silly mistakes, so I would rather not waste $20 on a sheet of ABS right away. It would be nice to have some cheaper options to do initial testing before we use the good stuff. Interstate Plastics has reasonable prices, but most of their sheets are 12x12." I think the Mayku can only support Letter-sized sheets for 3rd party materials...which is sort of dumb and I didn't realize when I purchased.

    Thanks!

    5 Comments
    2024/03/26
    16:00 UTC

    2

    Manual Assembly Line - Understanding Process Errors & Reduction

    Hey, so I work for a large company that has recently gotten more involved with building low volume "Capital Equipment", where they historically have produced small part size, high volume Single Use Devices.
    I'm looking for insight or feedback around tracking error rates across very different manufacturing lines and identifying realistic goals for error rates / FPY.

    For tracking error rates our team primarily uses First Pass Yield. This works great in the SUD world, but I think it gets muddied when we are looking at large systems that get reworked to conform and can take 20+ hours to build. I'd like to look at tracking Error Rate per Build Hour.

    My reasoning: Take a process builder that makes 1 mistake every 10 hrs. If they are building a product that takes 30mins to build, after 10hrs they have 20 units built, with 1 nonconforming. Therefore a FPY of about 95%. Then put that same builder on a unit that takes 5hrs to build. After 10hrs they have 2 units, with 1 nonconforming. So now that same builder has a FPY of 50%. Significantly worse, while making the same rate of errors.

    The problem I'm facing now is, what's a goal? Leadership just sees a bad yield, even if it's translated into errors per hour no one knows what rate means you're doing well.

    Has anyone seen any studies that have been done to identify how likely someone is to make a mistake over x number of hours? I know this will vary heavily on how robust or assisted the process is.

    6 Comments
    2024/03/26
    15:09 UTC

    1

    Is acetate durable for eyewear especially sunglasses? What would be other options?

    Could anyone also explain a little bit about how to deal with the factory? How flexible are they? Could I request some material samples and what file do they expect?

    Thanks in advance, have a nice day

    1 Comment
    2024/03/26
    13:54 UTC

    1

    RCA Training and Software

    I'm looking for a comapny that provides RCA training for a mid-size food manufacturing company and am also looking for a good RCA management software. Does anyone have any recommendations of companies that do this particularly well?

    0 Comments
    2024/03/25
    18:09 UTC

    8

    How to saw 1"-dia Acrylic Rod units, with less chipping than my manufacturer can achieve? Need 200 x 3-inch length units, from 6 ft rods.

    14 Comments
    2024/03/25
    15:10 UTC

    1

    What is the best way to request a new sales rep with a vendor?

    Hi, long story short I am happy with the work the company has done, but the sales rep I’m dealing with is either absent-minded or simply doesn’t care. I have a direct line to the owner, but I don’t want to rock the boat or get him discliplined, but he is making it difficult for me to give their company more business. What is the best way to go about this. Basically I would like to request a more experienced sales rep.

    13 Comments
    2024/03/25
    13:31 UTC

    2

    Looking to manufacture a nsfw toy, where do I start?

    I’ve just thought of a brilliant design for a nsfw toy. How do I even go about this? Who would I try and get in contact with first to discuss my ideas?

    Very new to this, so any and all advice is welcome. Thanks for your time ☺️

    7 Comments
    2024/03/25
    13:30 UTC

    1

    Laser Welding Vs Tig Welding what are the pros and cons of both according to your experience?

    The main aspect I would consider here is the operational cost. Can anyone elaborate on this fact too? I am in Aluminum business, with that also, how the impact of these two technologies happens.

    0 Comments
    2024/03/25
    05:39 UTC

    2

    Production / Shop Floor Management software suggestions

    What production / shop floor management software do you recommend? Currently we just have use a combination of whiteboards and power bi dashboards. Any suggestions?

    16 Comments
    2024/03/25
    00:49 UTC

    39

    What sectors of U.S. Manufacturing are growing quickly?

    44 Comments
    2024/03/25
    00:35 UTC

    0

    Shades/Glassess manufacturer

    Good morning my friends! I am looking fora shades manufacturer for my brand that I am starting. Can anybody point me towards where I can find one that can handle slightly complex designs in terms of coating and simple ones too. Great quality too of course.

    https://preview.redd.it/9qyibh49ocqc1.png?width=924&format=png&auto=webp&s=2f9d6d4f393148a8f8b678e0d373c2b5076a87e4

    https://preview.redd.it/ffc68nalocqc1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=8350a3d950483ee493ee75bf837ec78b2526a011

    3 Comments
    2024/03/24
    21:30 UTC

    3

    Stainless Steel Manufacturers Sourcing

    Hi I am responsible for sourcing Stainless Steel Manufacturers for our needs. We produce food grade machines with 304 & 316 SS materials and currently been buying it locally through suppliers however due to the inflation and economic instability in my country (Sri Lanka) prices are going up and affecting our margins. We are planning on contacting manufacturers directly to try find someone who will be able to export and supply us with 304 & 316 SS materials, can talk about MOQ after looking at the materials available and our needs. If anyone knows any manufacturers they use currently or would suggest please do let me know and if you are a manufacturer yourself please let me know so that we can get in touch. Thank you.

    Also if y'all know any other communities I can ask this on please let me know.

    10 Comments
    2024/03/24
    08:15 UTC

    1

    What is this material and where can I find someone to help me put it on my product?

    Greetings my friends I am trying to find the rubber material on this shoe, so I can use it on a product I'm trying to sell. Specifically the hexagon part and who could do that exact thing. More than knowing the name does anyone know how I could accomplish implementing it in a product for small business production? Thank you!

    https://preview.redd.it/roespqxmv3qc1.png?width=640&format=png&auto=webp&s=b67dab8f444927088184733cffee4825564f18f7

    5 Comments
    2024/03/23
    15:54 UTC

    2

    Calibrating Adhesive application position and quantity.

    Hello all! I had a recent interview and was asked few questions regarding adhesive applications. I have a bit of experience in that field but was wondering what were the answers to some of their questions which where:

    1- Assuming you change the barrel of the adhesive you are applying , how would you calibrate the quantity and more importantly the position of the needle where you are applying the adhesive?

    2-Assuming you dispense paste, but there is a bit of paste left from nozzle as you finish dispensing, what paramters would you change in the machine to avoid that? (it is dragging the paste along with the nozzle)(adhesive stringing)(I assume the answer would be the temperature or the pressure)

    What do you think?

    4 Comments
    2024/03/23
    02:46 UTC

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