Welding & Automation, Inc. has over 45 years of machine design experience; starting with simplistic single operator work cells to complex fully automated manufacturing lines. 

Our design platform is SolidWorks, which can output designs to most 3D cad formats.  Our designs include all solid part models, solid assembly models, part drawings, and assembly drawings in a format of the customer’s choice.  Parts lists are provided in XL format and hole tables are provided in excel format when required.  If necessary, all details can be customized using the customer's standard title blocks. If so desired; the title blocks must be provided by the customer at the design review prior to the start of detailing. Our designs are normally created using ISO standards, however, we can adapt most designs to the customer’s standards of choice.

Simulation studies are a virtual prototyping tool for engineers and designers interested in understanding the performance of their assemblies.  These studies help analyze the kinematic and dynamic behavior of designs.  They aid in debugging and improving mechanisms without the need to develop physical prototypes and the investment into costly test equipment.  They also provide the ability to establish conditional variables in materials, in mass, in geometry or other attributes to test and optimize the design for strength or function at the desired loads or speeds.  The results of the tests can be uploaded to charts and graphs and even into spreadsheets for corroboration.  The conclusions that can be drawn from this method of testing can lead to expedited product development or improved performance on mature products.  Studies of this nature can be conducted on the simplest mechanism to a complete machine design. Additionally, the study can be saved as an animation of the mechanisms for marketing demonstrations or as a training tool. We use SolidWorks motion simulation to conduct these studies

High speed automatic equipment is normally designed and built utilizing mechanical cam technology to accurately synchronize the motions of most mechanisms.  Over the years, we have designed many automatic machines utilizing cam technology.  We have experience designing and supplying plate cams, box cams, barrel cams, linear cams, and conjugate cams.  For cam design we utilize Camnetics software which directly interfaces with SolidWorks to generate solid models.  We also offer cam manufacturing as a separate service to replace existing or worn cams or to facilitate a new motion to increase the efficiency and the effectivity of existing equipment.

Many automatic machines require interfacing with custom designed tools and dies. Welding & Automation, Inc. has designed and built multiple tools and dies in our years of experience to interface with both standard and custom press mechanisms.  We can provide strip layouts and die progressions from your part designs, or from your existing drawings. 

Welding & Automation provides a design service for product fixturing.  This is especially important for resistance welding applications.  Many times the insulation of a welding fixture is overlooked which leads to shunting of the energy away from the part and into the tooling. Improper fixture design can lead to poor welding strength, accelerated electrode wear, and arcing which can be an operator safety issue.  With our extensive experience with welding and welding materials we are in a position to design the fixtures or recommend the proper methods and materials for trouble free fixturing.

Most companies today have transitioned to 3D modeling for their software design programs.  In many cases their engineering libraries contain 2D designs from older but still active product lines.  In many cases it is desirable to have older design documentation converted to their current design platform.  Oftentimes there is limited time or limited personnel resources to perform these conversions.  Welding & Automation offers the outsourcing of these tasks at a reasonable rate to bring your mature products up to a level of engineering documentation that is compatible with your current design platform.