Did you know you can download STL files for many common mechanical parts for absolutely no charge?
There are two major sources of these parts: McMaster Carr and Wurth. Both are major suppliers of mechanical hardware, tools and equipment. They present massive databases of these parts to the public, including fasteners, bolts, covers, lids, etc. Many of these parts are of common designs you’d find in items you use yourself.
The idea is that you browse their catalogs (as a business) and then order a truckload of them for your business. However, there’s a not-so-secret feature both companies provide: you can download the 3D models for these parts.
Why do this? It’s because manufacturers want to ensure the parts they are buying will actually fit and function on the systems they’re building. You wouldn’t want to order a truckload of fasteners and discover they’re too small for your product, do you?
Instead the process is to download the 3D model and then import it into your CAD system. This allows product designers to ensure these parts truly fit into their designs without issue. Both suppliers provide countless variations of the parts, allowing designers to choose the best one for their product.
In the case of Wurth, for example, you can download the item in a number of different formats, many of which are 3D models. These even include CAD formats, like STEP. STEP files can be directly imported into many CAD systems, and this allows designers to insert components right into their CAD assemblies.
There’s another possibility, however. If you have the 3D model, particularly in STL format, you can 3D print it.
This means that both McMaster Carr and Wurth effectively provide a massive, free, online database of standard Mechanical components that you can download and 3D print.
Need a screw cap for that bottle you’re designing? Don’t design it — just download it instead. It will even be a standard cap design used by industry — and you can use it, too.
Via McMaster Carr and Wurth
