Mechanical Design

Howard Gibson — my resume HTML PDF

I am a member of OACETT. I am a Certified Engineering Technologist, specializing in mechanical design. As of April 2019, I am OACETT's Toronto West Chapter Chapter Chair. I hold a Lean Manufacturing White Belt certificate.

Articles by me

Most of the following articles are written in LaTeX, and converted to a readable format by the various LaTeX tools. Adobe no longer supports GNU/Linux, but there is lots of PDF support for this OS.

Calculating Locational Tolerances — HTML PDF: As a mechanical designer, I prepare fabrication drawings. I apply a lot of dimensions to holes, and I have to work out tolerances. Finally, I sat down and did the math. If you prepare or check mechanical drawings, this article should be useful.
Design For Manufacture and Assembly — HTML PDF: These are my notes on the subject. Shoddy design is a non-value added cost. Let's do it properly!
Document Management — HTML: I have been working with engineering documentation in some form or another since the mid-seventies. This is an opinion piece, based on all my experience. Here is a cute link from Seth Godin in the same vein.
Positional Tolerances — HTML PDF: Positional tolerances as per ASME Y14.5, and some ISO specification, are supposed to provide 50% more allowance, compared to plus/minus tolerances. Do they? Also, note how the scatter diagrams are generated randomly, every time this website is updated.
Office Suite Abuse — HTML: Your office suite is your slave. It must do whatever you want.
Parametric Threads in SolidWorks HTML: You can model a threaded assembly and create fabrication drawings of the parts, and make it so that all the thread specifications update. It does have to be a metric thread. Let me show you how. This was written in straight HTML.
Robot LiDAR — HTML PDF: Can a motor vehicle operate on public roads using LiDAR to detect stuff around it? Some other details of Robot vehicles are discussed. The file is PDF because I do not have web space for the HTML version.
Screw Torques — HTML: This is a screw torque calculator, written in JavaScript. As of 2018/11/20, I think I have everything working, and it explains the engineering it is doing. I need to add materials. I need to test the hell out of it. The pull-down menus do not work on my cellphone. I am learning JavaScript! :)

External Engineering Websites

Engineering.com: All sorts of engineering stuff.
Engineering Tips: This is an engineering forum I found on the internet. You can log in and ask technical questions. You can be helpful and answer some of the questions if you know what you are talking about.
SimpliEngineering: This is a site similar to Eng-Tips.
Matweb: Here is a very useful database on engineering materials.
Tips on Designing Cost Effective Machined Parts: Most of my stuff gets machined. I do not agree with everything in the article, but most of it is good to know.
Engineering and Technology: This contains all sorts of articles on engineering related topics, maintained by Dr James B. Calvert. I still have an old slide rule lying around somewhere.
Slide Rule Era: All sorts of old engineering stuff. SlideRuleEra is a member of Eng‑Tips and SimpliEngineering.
RoyMech: All sorts of more engineering stuff thanks to the late Roy Beardmore. This used to be www.roymech.co.uk. It is not obvious who is maintaining this.
Bolt Science: A UK based consulting firm with a very informative website.

Finally...

Never be caught without your Machinery's Handbook. You never know when you have to flatten out a panel for dovetailing.

Next time, I buy the large print version, which weighs more.