Mechanical Design

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Hamilton ByDesign - The Solidworks Experience

To our clients it is, our plan is to leverage the strength and capabilities of the and build a new experience that is as intuitive and easy to use as the you use today. Today, I want to share the first example of this new approach, which we are calling .

SolidWorks Mechanical Conceptual is a tool for conceptual mechanical design that is complementary to the products you use today. It allows you to capture ideas digitally, quickly create , get feedback from internal and external stakeholders, and easily manage multiple concepts before committing engineering time to build.

Why Conceptual?

31% of project time is spent on conceptual mechanical design
3 out of 4 engineers are engaged in conceptual mechanical design
On average there are six conceptual and four design iterations in a typical project
There can be more than three internal and two external stakeholder groups involved in the concept phase

Today, SolidWorks is the best solution for , but it limits your creativity for this key conceptual step. SolidWorks Mechanical Conceptual fills in these gaps and allows you to:

Capture ideas digitally
Manage multiple concepts
Collaborate and communicate

Instinctive Design

Evolving a concept is where SolidWorks Mechanical Conceptual really begins to speed the design time. Most systems force you to think about product structure in order to capture ideas. Our is about ease of use, creativity, and ease of change – with amazing flexibility. Capturing concepts digitally is quick and easy with familiar tools and concepts so the focus is on ideas -- not on the software.

Sketch

SolidWorks Mechanical Conceptual merges the benefits of history, parametrics, and direct editing into a single interface. As a concept evolves, you can make any change necessary to a design while respecting the design intent you previously created. The Single Modelling Environment allows you to evolve from layout sketches to , to separate parts and assemblies, without taking product structure into consideration.

SolidWorks Mechanical Conceptual lets you evolve your design’s organizational structure as you evolve the idea and have a better understanding of where the design will go. This eliminates wasted time because you never have to start over or drastically rework designs to make an underlying change.

Search Assemble

In our single modelling environment, as we evolve our product structure into assemblies we have familiar tools and intelligence that improves with use as components learn how they were used previously. You can also automatically apply previous intent to new designs. And SolidWorks Mechanical Conceptual always saves the design, as well as various iterations, so it’s very easy to get back to a previous idea and develop it further.

As we get to more of a 3D concept, we can use motion simulation to better understand the real world interaction of parts and identify key concerns early on, before getting to detail design.

Social Innovation

When you feel that sufficient concepts have been captured, then it’s key to be able to engage stakeholders (both internal to the organization as well as with customers and vendors) to get feedback on the best path forward.

SolidWorks Mechanical Conceptual has social innovation capabilities built into its foundation. At any point, the designer can engage stakeholders by posting concepts to their private communities. Stakeholders are notified that there is a concept to review and can provide feedback using simple and familiar Web concepts. The world is becoming more social every day, and at SolidWorks we believe in . SolidWorks Mechanical Conceptual truly brings these capabilities to concept design. This type of participation will allow you to better engage with your customers and differentiate yourself from the competition. After stakeholders are done, the designer is automatically notified and can continue to evolve the concept with this feedback.

Connected

SolidWorks Mechanical Conceptual is always connected to the design database and to other users. This gives us the ability to secure your data, prevent data loss from any crashes, and automatically save iterations of each concept.

You are also connected to other users both working on your project and also in the wider SolidWorks community. You can participate in live chats with other users to get feedback on a question or a design challenge. Users are always working together on the same design so that there is no time wasted, or confusion as to what is the latest version. When a team member makes a change, all users are updated in real time with the latest version so the concepts will always progress forward.

Communities

Being connected provides access anywhere at any time to your concepts. SolidWorks Mechanical Conceptual even allows users to take designs on the go for design reviews, or even for sales and marketing using mobile applications.

We are very excited about the progress we have made with SolidWorks Mechanical Conceptual. This product will be a great complement to companies using SolidWorks today. We believe the product delivers on a new approach to conceptual design by incorporating the flexibility of a single modelling environment, social innovation, and the benefits of being connected online.

In May of this year, we will be working with select customers to validate these principles of conceptual design in their production environments. Once we are confident in the benefits these customers are seeing we expect to make SolidWorks Mechanical Conceptual available to all users in the Fall of 2013.

The team at have been using SolidWorks since 2001for more information on how to get your projects moving contact HamiltonBy Design Today

www.hamiltonbydesign.com

Monday, October 22, 2012

Mechanical CAD Design - Drafting

–Mechanical CAD Design & Drafting was created to enable businesses, small or large and individuals to have instant access to professional CAD drafting & design services without having to hire a new employee or using the services of a high end design firm. We provide accurate, quality drafting & design on a as needed basis.

Our team offer

2-D and 3-D design & drafting
Red lines, mark-ups or converting sketches to CAD
As-builts, Standards or Convert old drawings to CAD
Construction / Permit / Preliminary Drawings
Photo-realistic 3-Dimensional Renderings & Animations
Conceptual & Pre-Developement Layouts
Multi-discipline design Experience
Consistent, high-quality work
Fast, reliable turn-a-round
All Work guaranteed
Flexible contracts – Days, Months and or Years

For more information contact Hamilton By Design

www.hamiltonbydesign.com.au

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Mechanical Engineering Solutions

Creative Mechanical Engineering Solutions for Product Development and

We offer advanced Mechanical Engineering services to customers that help them develop complex mechanical designs and products to improve performance, reduce time to market and minimize financial risk.

Services

We can help you by providing:

Mechanical Engineering Solutions: Designing for Performance, Efficiency & Innovation

Creative Mechanical Engineering Solutions for Product Development & Machine Design

In today’s competitive landscape, engineers and companies cannot afford to rely solely on intuition, guesswork, or legacy methods. Real success in product development and machine design depends on combining creativity, discipline, and rigorous analysis. At Hamilton By Design, our mission is clear: deliver mechanical engineering services that enhance performance, compress time to market, and reduce financial risk.

Here’s how we do it — and how we help clients build engineering confidence into every stage.

🧩 Core Services: From Concept to Realization

We work across the full mechanical value chain. Among our core offerings:

Design Reviews
Before you commit to prototypes, we step in with critical evaluation — checking manufacturability, structural integrity, cost drivers, and alignment with system requirements.
A design review isn’t just critique — it’s risk mitigation.
Concept Analysis
Many projects get locked into a first idea and fail to explore alternatives.
We perform parametric trade studies (e.g. stiffness vs. mass, cost vs. durability) early, so the “best” concept is chosen, not just the familiar one.
Product Design
From mechanical layout to component specification, we bring holistic systems thinking — particularly in heavy machinery, mining equipment, conveyors, and rotating systems.
Engineering Analysis
Using FEA, thermal modelling, and dynamic simulation, we validate every design under realistic load, environment, and usage scenarios. The goal is to find the limits before the product hits the field.
Rendered Images & Animations
It’s one thing to build; it’s another to show. We generate high-fidelity renders and motion/flow animations to visualise operation, assembly sequence, or failure modes — useful for stakeholder review or marketing.
SolidWorks / CAD Solutions
Whether you already use SolidWorks, or you need compatibility, we deliver parametric, well-organised CAD models, assemblies, and detailed drawings that work downstream across manufacturing, simulation, and maintenance teams.

🔧 Why These Services Matter — Real Engineering Value

1. Reducing Time-to-Market

A smooth transition from concept to prototype — with fewer redesign loops — means faster launches, less rework, and lower capital wasted.

2. Minimising Financial Risk

Every project carries cost risk: material overspec, underperformance, schedule delays. By injecting analysis early (reviews, FEA, concept modelling), we shrink that risk envelope.

3. Optimising Performance & Longevity

Machines, structures, and systems operate in harsh environments. Wear, fatigue, vibration, and thermal effects all degrade performance over time. Through simulation and validation, these failures can be anticipated and avoided.

4. Better Communication Across Stakeholders

Rendered visuals, animations, and simulation results help non-technical stakeholders (management, clients, operations) see why design decisions are made — building trust and clarity.

🏗 Engineering Examples: Where Theory Hits Practice

Here are a few illustrative scenarios where our capabilities deliver concrete advantage:

Mining Chutes & Hoppers
Material flow, impact, and wear are unpredictable. By scanning as-built geometry and applying FEA/CFD models, we optimise shape, thickness, and backup structure to reduce jamming or high-stress zones.
Conveyor Frames & Shafts
Long spans and dynamic loads demand stiff, low-mass designs. Modal analysis helps avoid resonant frequencies, while static FEA checks stresses and deflections under heavy load.
Heavy Machine Structures
Large, welded subframes in mobile machinery are subject to fatigue, shock loads, and thermal gradients. We use combined analysis techniques to ensure long service life.
Thermal/Expansion Effects
When equipment operates near heat sources or in fluctuating climates, thermal stress and expansion matter. We model temperature fields, thermal expansion, and structural stress to prevent binding or distortion.

🔍 Differentiators: Why Hamilton By Design

Engineer-First Mindset
We approach every project from first principles — not template-based. If a design doesn’t pass theory, we don’t proceed to CAD.
Integrated Workflow
Scanning, analysis, mechanical design, and CAD are handled in tight loops — so geometry is consistent, and iteration is fast.
Data-Driven Decisions
Every design choice is backed by data: stress plots, displacement maps, safety margins. We don’t rely on “rules of thumb” in critical systems.
Client Collaboration
We don’t just deliver drawings — we work alongside your team, sharing intermediate models, explaining trade-offs, and enabling you to make informed calls.

🚀 Taking Your Mechanical Design Further

If you’re working on a new machine, retrofitting plant equipment, or designing a rugged structural system — here’s how we can help:

Book a Design Review or Concept Study. Let us audit your initial design, identify risk zones, and propose alternatives.
Integrate Scanning & Simulation. Using modern scanning, we build as-built geometry to feed simulation and validate modifications.
Iterate with Confidence. With mechanical analysis in every loop, you reduce guesswork and rework.
Deliver a Complete Package. Rendered visuals, drawings, performance reports — everything your team needs to build confidently.

If you’re interested in learning how these mechanical engineering solutions can apply to your next project — whether mining, heavy machinery, materials handling, or industrial plant — I’d love to talk.

Let’s turn bold ideas into engineering reality.

Mechanical Engineering | Structural Engineering

Mechanical Drafting | Structural Drafting

3D CAD Modelling | 3D Scanning

Chute Design

SolidWorks Contractors in Australia

Hamilton By Design – Blog

Custom Designed - Shipping Containers

Coal Chute Design

Mechanical Engineers in Sydney

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Functional projects can delivered on time

Hamilton By Design offer a complete mechanical design service our fabulous team provides full support to meet your design challenges.

Our Mechanical Design Services include; 3-Dimensional Drafting, 3D-design and 2D-drafting to mining, maintenance and industrial industries. As a small business, we value every client, clients from Mining Services Companies, Designing Engineers, Architects, Project Managers and Fabricators

Many of our past projects have included:

Additional Design Resources
Additional Drafting Resources
Product Design and Development Services
Prototype Construction and Testing
Visualisations of your product ideas or parts
Concept design
Sheet metal design and development

To discover how functional projects can delivered on time and on budget contact www.hamiltonbydesign.com today

Design Projects | On time | In Budget

Functional Projects Delivered On Time: Engineering with Integrity

At Hamilton By Design, we believe well-executed mechanical engineering isn’t a luxury — it’s the foundation of reliability, safety, and client trust. Every project we accept carries three core promises: functionality, timeliness, and budget discipline.

We deliver “functional projects on time” not by chance, but by design.

What We Do

Our mechanical design services span the complete spectrum of industrial requirements. Whether you’re in mining, maintenance, manufacturing or heavy industry, we support clients across disciplines:

3D conceptual design / modelling
2D drafting and documentation
Product development and prototyping
Sheet metal design and fabrication plans
Visualisations, renderings, and animations
Supplemental design & drafting resource support

We partner with mining services firms, design engineers, fabricators, project managers, architects, and all stakeholders who demand a practical, robust design partner.

The Challenge: Complexity, Deadlines & Cost Pressure

In mechanical projects, “late” often means cost blowouts, reputational harm, and safety compromises.
The typical obstacles include:

Incomplete or evolving specifications
Geometric clashes and interface surprises
Fabrication tolerances and assembly misalignments
Lack of resources or overcommitment
Delays from downstream changes or rework cycles

If you aren’t designing with these realities in mind, your “ideal” model rarely survives the transition to shop floor.

Our Approach: Engineering Discipline + Rigour

1. Early Concept Validation

We don’t wait until late stages to test ideas. Early trade studies—stiffness vs mass, cost vs durability, modularity vs permanence—help eliminate dead-end paths. That way, your concept starts with a strong chance.

2. Integrated Design & Drafting

Rather than forcing design handoffs, we mesh conception and documentation. This keeps geometry consistent from modelling to CNC, from fabrication to as-built. It means fewer surprises and less rework in manufacturing.

3. Simulation & Analysis

We apply finite element, static stress checks, thermal modelling, and modal analysis where needed to stress-test your concept long before fabrication. That ensures your part behaves before it’s cut from metal.

4. Iterative Prototyping & Testing

We believe in “fail fast, fix early.” Prototype cycles are short, feedback tight. You see performance in physical tests, we refine, repeat — before full rollout.

5. Transparent Project Management

We track scope, risks, and timeline deeply. Clients receive regular status updates, design flags, and cost forecasts. No surprises, no hidden deviations.

Why “Delivery” Matters as Much as Design

A beautifully engineered product is worthless if it never reaches site, or arrives late. Here’s what delivering on time enables:

Budget certainty — you aren’t paying for idle fabrication time or last-minute rework.
Operational readiness — your plant or machinery can go live when planned.
Trust & repeat business — on-time delivery is as reputational as technical quality.
Continuous improvement — you build a feedback loop: data from delivery, use, and maintenance inform the next design cycle.

Real-World Scenarios

Mining Hoppers & Chutes: In high-abrasion flow environments, even millimetre misalignment causes jamming. We validate geometry, material, and structural design so the system fits the flow from first install.
Structural Frames & Platforms: Vibration, fatigue, and thermal expansion all demand that the frame not just supports weight, but remains stable over cycles. Our designs consider real loads, not idealized ones.
Sheet Metal Assemblies: Fold lines, bending, weld deformations — we integrate manufacturing constraints into design so that production happens without constant “fudge factors.”

These examples show how functionality, durability, and delivery are inseparable in mechanical systems.

The Value Proposition: Why Clients Choose Us

Client focus over contract size — every client matters, not just the big names.
End-to-end support — from concept to installation, we stay part of the loop.
Engineering accountability — we don’t hand over “departments” or fragmented work; we deliver systems.
Clarity in communication — you always know where the design stands, what risks exist, and what trade-offs drive decisions.

Making Your Next Project Functional & On Time

If your next project demands reliability, craftsmanship, and zero surprises — here’s how to start:

Engage early. Bring in engineering support at concept stage, not as a last-minute layer.
Define constraints formally. Budget, schedule, critical interfaces — agree these early.
Mandate simulation early. A lightweight stress check can catch 80% of fabrication mistakes.
Use digital data loops. Let CAD, drafting, and modelling share geometry — avoid redrawing and rework.
Track risks continuously. Change management, part tolerances, supplier capability — monitor them weekly.

With this approach, “functional, delivered on time, and on budget” becomes not a slogan, but a repeatable engineering promise.

Mechanical Engineering | Structural Engineering

Mechanical Drafting | Structural Drafting

3D CAD Modelling | 3D Scanning

Chute Design

SolidWorks Contractors in Australia

Hamilton By Design – Blog

Custom Designed - Shipping Containers

Coal Chute Design

Mechanical Engineers in Sydney

Monday, July 23, 2012

Mechanical CAD

The reason are very important is because they are the most important, first steps to creating a very good system. The reveal a lot of information about the system being designed and the use this information to produce the or .

With the advancement in mechanical CAD drawings, it has become very easy to create designs that account for all the possible defaults in the component, which can make calculations out of the given parameters and solve a lot of technical details for engineer’s right out of the design.

One of the most important factors in mechanical drawings is using the right persons to create your design. Converting ideas into design involves a lot of foresight and understand, along with a lot of experience. All this combined; it becomes vital to employ very experienced mechanical designers who understand the science of components in a mechanical system.

that runs on the offer the most cost effective methods of producing Mechanical Designs.

For more information about and Smart Mechanical contact Today

www.hamiltonbydesign.com

Mechanical CAD: The Blueprint for Engineering Success

Mechanical CAD drawings are far more than just 2D sketches or visual aids. They are the foundation of every mechanical system, translating concept into manufacture and guiding the entire lifecycle of a component or assembly.

At Hamilton By Design, we view CAD not just as a tool, but as a strategic asset — a way to expose hidden constraints, validate design intent, and bridge the gap between engineering vision and practical execution.

Why Mechanical CAD Matter More Than Ever

Communicating Design Intent
A good mechanical CAD drawing tells a story. It shows dimensions, tolerances, welds, holes, surfaces, fits, clearances, and assembly relationships. Toolmakers, fabricators, and other engineers depend on that story to build reliably. If the CAD lacks clarity, confusion, errors and rework follow.
Design Validation & Default Mitigation
Modern CAD software allows designers to incorporate error checking, constraint logic, parametric relations, and behavioral rules. As you iterate models, the system can warn you of over-constraint, interference, geometry failure, or tolerance conflicts before prototyping. In effect, the CAD system becomes your first line of defense against design faults.
Efficiency & Reuse
An experienced mechanical designer doesn’t just draw — they foresee variation, leverage libraries, reuse modules, and build flexible systems. With the right skills, CAD becomes not just drafting, but design automation. The right parts, constraints, and relations reduce repetitive manual effort.

What Makes CAD Effective?

Skill & Experience

CAD is only as powerful as the person driving it. Crafting truly useful mechanical models requires understanding component behavior, material properties, manufacturing constraints, and system interactions. A designer must anticipate load paths, clearances, alignment, assembly, and servicing — not just sketch shapes.

Parametric & Constraint-Based Modeling

The backbone of advanced CAD is parametric modeling: dimensions, feature relations, and constraint definitions. Change one parameter (length, thickness, radius) and the model updates intelligently in all related parts. This flexibility is crucial for iteration, optimization, and design evolution.

Integration with Engineering Tools

CAD is stronger when integrated with analysis. A robust CAD setup enables:

Export of geometry to FEA for validation
Import of scanned (reality-capture) geometry to retrofit or reverse-engineer
Associative drawings, bills of material (BOMs), and simulation links to design
Version control and design comparison

At Hamilton By Design, we often start a project with a detailed CAD phase — refining curves, building assemblies, and layering relations — before simulation or fabrication begins.

Real-World Examples: CAD in Action

Mining Chutes & Hoppers
Material flow, abrasive wear, and impact dynamics demand accurate geometry with sufficient tolerance and clearance. Good CAD ensures that liners, support scaffolds, flanges, and transition angles all align seamlessly.
Machine Frames & Baseplates
CAD allows you to define structural webs, ribbing, weld reliefs, and precision mounting interfaces. You can manage deflection, assembly error, and vibration before anything is built.
Gearboxes / Enclosures
You must maintain shaft alignments, bearing fits, and clearances for seals and lubrication. CAD plays a central role in capturing those relationships in one coherent model.
Custom Fabricated Parts
Sheets, folds, bends, and welds all must be seamlessly represented. CAD can generate unfolded flat patterns, detailing bend allowances, and remap changes automatically.

Overcoming Common CAD Challenges

Challenge	Strategy
Design changes break models	Use constraints, relations, and modular architecture so that changes propagate gracefully.
Too rigid or over-constrained geometry	Use flexibility, selective constraints, and reference geometry to allow realistic motion.
Assembly misalignments	Use locator features, alignment references, and intentional clearance offsets.
Poor documentation	Automate drawing views, annotation templates, and detail extraction to reduce manual error.
Version control chaos	Use disciplined file-naming, version tracking, and change logs so that CAD evolution remains traceable.

CAD as a Strategic Asset

When properly leveraged, mechanical CAD delivers far more than lines and curves — it becomes a shared engineering environment, enabling:

Faster iterations, because geometry updates cascade predictably
Cross-disciplinary collaboration, since mechanical models link to electrical, control, and structural systems
Better handoffs to fabrication and procurement with error-free dimensioning and annotation
Digital continuity into downstream systems like simulation, PLM, and digital twin frameworks

In other words, CAD becomes the soul of engineering integrity: the core record that ties concept to reality.

How Hamilton By Design Leverages CAD in Practice

We don’t use CAD just to draw — we use it as an engineering platform. Our workflow might look like:

Concept modelling — quick iterations using parametric sketches
Constraint refinement — test assemblies, relative motion, fits
Validation setup — export to FEA or retrofit scanned geometry
Detailing & fabrication output — auto-generated drawings, BOMs, nesting
Revision control & change propagation — maintain consistency across versions

That flow ensures that every physical part built from our CAD models behaves as designed — with fewer surprises and greater confidence.

Mechanical CAD, when wielded with discipline and insight, becomes more than a drafting tool — it becomes the first engineering validation step, a communication bridge, a manufacturing enabler, and a strategic asset in your project pipeline.

If your next mechanical project demands clarity, consistency, and performance, we’re ready to partner. Let’s convert your ideas into precision models — and your models into engineered reality.

Mechanical Engineering | Structural Engineering

Mechanical Drafting | Structural Drafting

3D CAD Modelling | 3D Scanning

Chute Design

SolidWorks Contractors in Australia

Hamilton By Design – Blog

Custom Designed - Shipping Containers

Coal Chute Design

Mechanical Engineers in Sydney