S. Gazibaric is a tooling engineer for plastic and metal injection molding tools, sheet metal tools and plastic bottle tools. He has extensive experience in constructing medical equipment and medical devices. He has also worked as a designer of toys, plastic parts, bikes, engines and mechanical construction.
I work with companies in the medical equipment field that need technical documentation and mechanical engineering skills. My area of expertise is CAD/CAM tooling and manufacturing.
My most interesting project was tooling for Lego toy parts. It was interesting because it was very detailed and also fun because it makes children happy and I was able to be part of that.
My favorite software is Solidworks because it has so many integrated solutions which help with engineering.
I recently came across NX software, a fully integrated CAD/CAM/CAE product and I was very satisfied with it, but it is very expensive.
I enjoy working as a free-lance CAD draftsman because I can set my own hours.
I work remotely using TeamViewer for sharing CAD services, a free solution for remote desktops.
D. Bryson began work in machining and metalworking in Canada in 1981, becoming a world recognized journeyman tool and die maker in 1985. Re-entering the workforce as a CAD designer, he worked his way up to Senior Mechanical Engineer in a leading microwave radio company. He shares recognition in two patents relating to his design work of microwave radios. His previous hands-on metalworking experience has benefitted him greatly in his design career, where he continues to design and develop innovative yet simple-to-manufacture parts and assemblies. Familiar with all aspects of manufacturing including precision machining and grinding, stamping, die casting and welding. He is an expert in Solid Works and AutoCAD, including import and export of the many other software platforms in the marketplace.
My clients are varied. My background is in metalworking and mechanical CAD, both 2D & 3D. I have worked on very complicated mechanical assemblies and manufacturing drawings for the microwave industry, the semi-conductor industry, the nuclear industry and just the manufacturing industry in general. I have also worked with architectural CAD and have a client in the low voltage retrofit industry whose major customers are school districts and hospitals. They upgrade security systems and classroom technology. I have done both 2D drawings and 3D renderings for them. I have another client that installs automatic car wash systems and I do all their installation drawings. I have another client for whom I do RV park layouts. Finally, I have created drawings for individuals to submit with patent applications.
The most interesting project I worked on was a proprietary mechanical system that I can’t even talk about since the patent application is still pending. It had many small mechanical assemblies and a very large final assembly. All the work was in 3D. It will be interesting to see it actually come to fruition and know I was a part of it. I had to research many new to the market components that went into the assembly, create 3D models of them and integrate them correctly.
My favorite tool is Solid Works. With my mechanical background, it is the most versatile software available that ties part modeling, assemblies and drawings all together parametrically. I can’t imagine doing the work I do today on a drawing board with a pencil. A week’s work would take a year!
I have talked to all my clients many times over the last 2 years, thinking that they were bringing their CAD requirement in-house since I had shown a significant decrease in business from all of them. This was not the case. It is simply a slowdown in all industries. If anything, they have laid off their own full time people and are still planning on outsourcing the majority of their CAD work.
I have always been good at time management and servicing several clients on several projects at the same time. I have never missed a deadline or had an unhappy client. With a home office, I have the flexibility to work any hours required to get the job done.
I have been involved in many remote meetings as an observer but have not yet had the necessity to launch my own meeting.
T. Mifsud is a CAD consultant providing services to architects, engineers, builders , construction managers, and facility managers. He provides a range of CAD services, including implementation, standards and best practices development, training, project support, CADDBIM management and 3D BIM modeling services. He has extensive experience with Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Navisworks and AutoCAD. He is based in Southern NH which allows him to provide daily on-site services for clients in all 6 New England states. He has extensive real world experience in AEC-FM and CADDBIM management.
All project are challenging in different ways but the two main challenges are: unrealistic schedules and trying to meet our clients’ expectations
I use AutoDesk Suite and Revit. Pros and cons are too much detail to go into.
Training is ongoing. I have a program for our staff called “sharpen the saw” days, i.e. for 4 days a year (scheduled as work permits for the individual) each person or group selects a specific topic, researches/studies and develops a presentation for the benefit of the entire staff.
We don’t outsource anything in our skill set but do outsource to IT and web content/development consultants
We serve architects, construction managers, facilities manager for CAD, REVIT and BIM and our particular areas of expertise are training, implementing software, support services, library development, standards development.
I work with and support many clients on their projects so there isnt one stand-out that I could describe as the most interesting.
REVIT Architecture is my favorite software and I teach classes in it It makes everything easier than 2D AutoCad.
Over the last 5 years the trend in New England has moved totally away from drafting in 2D AutoCad. We anticipated this trend, moved ahead of our clients and now work primarily in 3D BIM.
I like not being tied to one desk and the challenge of constantly changing projects.
Ive been using remote software for 6-7 years. The one I prefer now is TeamViewer because it is good for remote support, training, teamwork whereas others we have tried are not as quick or flexible. Working remotely with clients is good for handling all types of questions. For comprehensive introductory training of 2 hours or more its preferred to have a face-to-face meeting.
B. Goossens is an independent CAD consultant. He started his career as a CAD support technician, and gained experience working on a host of architectural and engineering related projects. He has also served as a CAD cartographer, and has deep experience in the use of CAD/GIS and topographic mapping and worked on a host of engineering related projects. He provides services in CAD/GIS (geographical information system), and is an expert in piping and its use in the residential and commercial industry. He is also a CAD designer, and is an expert in the preparation of piping and instrumentation diagrams, PFD’s (process flow diagrams) and engineering related projects. As a piping designer, he has extensive experience in working on piping layouts, 3D modeling, detail piping design and piping drawing production for process piping. He has deep experience working on PDS (piping design system) 3D equipment modeling, PDS 3D piping design, PDS interference manager, PDS isometric pipe spool extraction, squad checking and marking of vendor drawings, and quarterly meetings with chief engineers using visualization technology for review of design areas. As a CAD piping designer, he has been responsible for the detail design and drawing production for process piping. He has extensive experience working on PDS 3D equipment modeling, PDS 3D pipe routing, PDS drawing generator, and PDS isometric pipe spool extraction, plant designs, plot plan developments, piping layouts, P&ID’s, PFD’s, interfacing with vendors, project review meetings, and field surveys. He also has extensive experience in providing engineering support, developing standards for best practices, project management, and construction management.
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D. Stockton is provides 2D drafting services to clients in the fields of architecture, civil engineering, and environmental engineering. He also provides BIM services utilizing Autodesk Revit Architecture as well as vectorization with Autodesk Raster Design. He started using AutoCAD in 1991 as a leader in the effort to bring CAD into the engineering department of his employer at the time. He works with a variety of clients, primarily using Autodesk software.
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E. Galicki is an expert in the field of parametric solid modeling, mechanical design/drafting, and engineering support services. He has helped to implement a wide range of ideas, including devices for clients in the electrical, optical, medical, automotive and aeronautic sectors.
T. Stonehocker is an independent design engineer with a strong mechanical background (e.g. machine design, machine building, 3Dmodeling, patents, CNC programming). He has been using 3D modeling programs since AutoDesks first mechanical desktop in 1994 and is currently using Solidworks 2010.
I am a mechanical engineer and I design and build specialty machines. I have served many different kinds of clients, in the welding fields, brake manufacturing, film manufacturing, auto manufacturing, tire manufacturing, blow mold (secondary equipment) presses and assembly machines, candy manufacturing and motorcycle / trike manufacturing.
All of the projects I work on are interesting in their own right, and I have never had a dull moment with any of them. If I had to pick a favorite I would have to say the motorcycle and trike designs that I have had the pleasure of designing for people.
The thing that made the bike projects stand out over the others I have done would have to be, taking a clients dreams and making them a reality. Of course the same thing that made them stand out was also the biggest challenge. I would have to say that the biggest challenge I faced designing the bikes and trikes for my clients was convincing them to do what would make the bike function the best not necessarily what was the coolest look. Sometimes a cool look is just a cool look and will not perform well, so trying to get them to change their minds and go with a not so cool look BUT a look that was both functional and appealing to the eye, was my most challenging effort. (I have attached a pic of the last bike that I designed for an architect in LA)
I use Solidworks 2012, KeyShot3 and PhotoShop. These are my three go to softwares, I use them all the time. I have used mechanical desktop, proE, catia and Solidworks and I have found that the majority of my clients are using Soildworks, I like it and it works for me.
I have found a few sites that have jobs posted that you can bid on that have helped me get in front of some clients. Also I have found a site that I have posted a profile and portfolio on that has been a big help to me. This site is a site that is mainly built for engineers and it caters to their needs with a place to post projects so all of the parties involved with a given project can be informed about everything that happens to that project at the same time. They also host several challenges that all of the engineers can participate in to show off their skills and have a little fun at the same time. I have learned a lot from different engineers from all over the world through sites like this and I like to think that I have been a positive influence to others in the world through my interactions with these sites.
I like the freedom of being able to work from my desk at home all hours of the day and night, using a virtual office to communicate with my clients to get the job done. I feel that it takes a dedicated individual to be a free-lance. That individual must be motivated with a strict since of professionalism to stay focused and get the job done. This type of individual must also be able to manage several projects at once because if they are good at what they do, they will be covered up with work all the time.
Yes I do most of my work remote, and I use dropbox to transfer my files back and forth with my clients. Yes I have used WebEx, Skype and GoToMeeting and I have found them all to be effective tools to communicate with my clients I have done design reviews complete with stress analysis on projects and I have done well using these mediums.I have had some face to face discussions with clients using Skype and it has work fine. The only thing I can think of that is probably better handled face to face would be a run-off on a machine or the delivery of the final product.
J. Brouwer has over 40 years of engineering experience as a contract engineer with a wide variety of defense and aerospace companies. Since being introduced to CAD in 1982 he has accumulated over 54,000 design hours on 3-D CAD, 10,000 on ComputerVision’s CADDS 4X and the remainder on IRONCAD, ZW3D and variety of other PC based CAD programs.
He also provides the following services:
I support companies that do not have an engineering department. I provide mechanical and plastic product design.
It was a project for Boeing. They were making models for testing. We did the F-22 and Osprey — who gets to work on project like this? It was a few years ago and we had to make 3D prints. Just making sure the solid/surface models were complete. The work was done in Ironcad and a Hybrid CAD system.
IronCAD is my tool of choice because of its ease of use and great flexibility, but I also use a hybrid CAD system when a project has to be broken down to wireframes and surfaces. I have used most of the Pro/E paradigm systems: Pro/E, SW, Inventor and Solid Edge, but never have really got proficient with the Pro/E paradigm.
Much of my work is reverse engineering requiring working from scanned data. It requires a Hybrid CAD systems to work with this data. I also get called in when the project is a mess and they need it cleaned up and get the parts made.
The freedom it offers.
I started telecommuting years ago when we used phone handset modems. Using CADKEY, I would sent the files back and forth. I use all of the programs you have mentioned. Most of the problems can be handled remotely. Face to face is always important at every milestone, even though I have done projects where I have never met face to face.
Mr. Raileanu has over twenty years’ experience in CAD-based solutions designing aluminum and steel machinery, fabrication drawings, processing and part designing.
He creates designs for HVAC systems. He has designed in the following areas:
• metal fabrication
• processing and part design
• drafting and MS Office
• 2D & 3D geometry creation and manipulation
• mechanical & sheet metal structural design
• product engineering and mechanical design
He has been working with AutoCAD since college days, however he works mainly on SolidWorks to design heat and ac frames, sheet metals and enclosures. He has worked with AutoCAD since 1989, however in 2004 he discovered SolidWorks and since then he has been designing 3D models and drawings only with SolidWorks. As a proficient user of SolidWorks, he believes SolidWorks has the best user interface and intuitive, reliable FEA (Failure Effects Analysis) features.
Since 2017, he has been working with a world-class manufacturer of dehumidifiers in Georgia. He has been designing and developing innovative products and production systems to support engineering requirements. He has been using SolidWorks extensively for all product designs, weldments and frames, work assemblies and subassemblies and creation of job fabrication binders for manufacturing team members. This includes all necessary part files, bend drawings, appropriate dimensional data, general overview layout, exploded views of critical component assemblies.
Since 2016, he has been working in another company, in development of anatomically-precise 3D and 4D surface imaging systems. He works with R&D products, responsible for creating and maintaining any CAD documentation required by sales, and developing detailed engineering drawings for system design, components, cabling, and prototyping 3D printing products.
From 2015 to 2016, he also provided CAD support for a pallet rack manufacturer in Georgia that offers a full range of services from design to installation of storage solutions for many industries and materials. He designed layouts and drawings for estimating, approval, permitting and fabrication.
One of his most challenging projects was one that required him to design and build a video electronic enclosure that had to be light and also appeal to specific customers in that field (medical devices). The challenges were to make it less heavy than the previous design, to fit all electronic components required, to have a good maintenance access and to look visually appealing.
He built a mobile dehumidifier unit with a small footprint to fit other competitors design, easy maintenance access, sturdy, structurally safe, outdoor proof and easy to maneuver. He also brought some new concepts to the design to challenge the competitors’ design, such as less energy consumption (less welding) and ability to stacking during shipping or storage.
He feels that the best thing about working as a CAD draftsman is that he gets to work from home.
He uses Skype and phone to communicate with clients. He shares his screen with clients for a variety of different purposes. He also uses Webex and GoToMeeting as he finds these tools to be very effective between people at different locations. He thinks they solve most of the issues related to projects. When required, however, he also meets clients face to face. He does not believe that issues can be solved only by face-to-face meetings, but in certain situations where a personal approach is required face-to-face meetings may be more appropriate.
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