3D CAD Catalog – Misumi CAD Configurator built by PARTsolutions a key to ABCO Success

How configurable parts via an online CAD catalog have replaced the need for custom designs

In a case study released by ABCO and Misumi, the pair of manufacturing heavy-weights discuss the keys to their recent success. ABCO, a manufacturer of both custom and standard designed machinery has used Misumi and their configurable CAD catalog to add accuracy and agility to their design and manufacturing process. Misumi products make up one of the world's largest CAD catalogs, boasting trillions of specialty machined products for a variety of applications.

Excerpt from Misumi Case Study:

ABCO is constantly searching for new ways to source its custom components used and lessen the amount of custom components used in machine builds. In 2004 ABCO specifically was looking for a more cost efficient source for machined linear shafts. The process involved purchasing blank linear shafts from a distributor and then machining the shafts using the in-house machine shop. This process was becoming quite costly for ABCO which prompted a visit with MISUMI Senior Account Donald Schmeltzer.

"When I explained that MISUMI Linear Shafts can be configured in one millimeter length increments and offer a vast amount of shaft end configurations as well as a standard manufacturing time of 3 days, ABCO quickly understood the benefit of switching to MISUMI for linear shafts," explained Schmeltzer.

In addition, Schmeltzer further noted that no drawings are required because ABCO engineers can use the MISUMI online CAD Configurator to design shafts to their specifications and download the native CAD files directly from the site. This made ABCO quickly realize that it would cost less money and time to use MISUMI linear shafts then to purchase blank linear shafts from a distributor and then machine the shafts using the in-house machine shop.

"We found that by reducing the amount of custom components per machine we are able to not only save time and money but are also able to produce machines that are more modular and offer better performance," ABCO Senior Mechanical Engineer, Dan Pescariu

As Pescariu explained, when dealing with custom components it's common to get a one of a kind component that can't be copied exact again, where with configurable components it's easy to configure a component to the exact specifications needed and repeatedly order that component whenever you need it simply by specifying the part number. As a result, machine component repeatability and modularity only increases.

See Misumi's Video "Hans has a Problem".

"Unlike custom components, MISUMI configurable components offer native CAD files that can be downloaded from their web site as well as short leadtimes, published prices and part numbers for every configured component, which can easily be added to the bill of material," Dan Pescariu