Project Context
Problem
West Coast Industries needed to modernize their legacy 2D orthographic drawings into 3D models for improved manufacturing precision and to increase redundancies.
Solution
Converted entire catalog of hand drawn aerospace orthographic tooling designs into parametric 3D models.
Audience
West Coast Industries is a manufacturer of a wide variety of tooling for the Aerospace Industry. Their Coldwork technology extends airframe life.
Project Type
Summer Internship turned into Full-time Remote Contractor
Constraints
Limited computer hardware resources reduced capable speed to complete tasks.
Time Frame
Interned: 2015
Contractor: 2017 – 2020
My Role
Mechanical Drafter Archivist
Team
Independent Contractor
Project Breakdown
01
Problem Context
The aerospace industry has shifted towards 3D modeling for better visualization, simulation, and manufacturing precision.
West Coast Industries’ Coldwork technology portfolio existed primarily in hand drawn orthographic drawings.
Figure 1: Legacy 2D orthographic drawings converted into 3D models and orthographic drawings using Solidworks.
02
Research Process
Self-taught myself Solidworks, and learned aerospace engineering principles and industry standards for tooling documentation from mentor.
Synthesis
Created and conducted a systematic workflow for accurate conversion of hand drawn orthographic 2D drawings into consistent parametric 3D Solidworks model.
Figure 2: Example of a 3D Solidworks model and its digital orthographic 2D drawing.
03
Design
Developed dimensionally accurate parametric 3D models in SolidWorks with assembly constraints. Ensured models could generate accurate 2D drawings when needed.
Figure 3: A dimensionally accurate 3D model of an aerospace component.
04
Deliverable
- Converted 1000s of dimensionally accurate orthographic 2D hand drawn aerospace into 3D models using Solidworks for aerospace tooling company.
- Collaborated with engineers to design and develop a simple mechanical tool which solved a problem the aerospace mechanics were experiencing.
- Created a centralized documentation system that allowed mechanical engineers to quickly search for and locate tool parts, improving workflow efficiency and reducing downtime.
Outcome
Improved asset redundancy for West Coast Industries by digitizing their hand-drawn technical drawings.
Reflections
This experience bridged academic engineering knowledge with real-world aerospace applications. Learned the critical importance of precision in aerospace tooling and how proper 3D modeling can enhance both design communication and manufacturing accuracy. The progression from intern to contractor validated my technical growth and ability to deliver professional-grade engineering documentation.
