Minimum spacing between ribs should be 2X the nominal wall thickness.Ĥ. To increase product rigidity, it is better to increase the number of ribs rather than the rib height.ģ. Maximum rib height should not exceed 3X the nominal wall thickness. Rib thickness should be 60% to 80% of the nominal wall thickness.Ģ. Some of the most common design guidelines are listed below:ġ. If possible, a combination of thin and thick ribs should be avoided. Design engineers typically follow standard guidelines for rib design. When creating rib patterns, it is important to remember that ribs are only there to increase part rigidity and should not be added for aesthetic reasons. Detecting manufacturability issues at the design stage will prevent costly reworking and save valuable time during later production stages. If a wall thickness change is necessary, it should be a smooth transition to ensure ease of material flow and prevent critical stress points that may cause part failure during product testing and result in an updated part design or additional tooling costs. Any major change in part thickness can cause major molding issues such internal voids, surface sink marks, unpredictable shrink rates, and, ultimately, longer cycle times. The aim of this column is to focus on design fundamentals and the impact they have on the manufacturing and production processes.ĭesign engineers need to try and maintain a consistent wall thickness throughout the entire model. Just think about the change in design from the conventional box-shaped vacuum cleaner to the modern Dyson. The rapid development of modern 3D CAD systems has facilitated the evolution of product design, and as a result, a move to more organic forms and ever-increasing geometry complexity. By Marc Freebrey, Vero Software Plc (now part of Hexagon)

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