Here you can find an assortment of mechanical design tools intended to help reduce the monotony of mechanical engineering. The hope is that these guides and help you located frequently need information and will help streamline your design process.
There are tables, formulas, shortcuts and advice. All these should be taken as aids, but never accepted without your own validation of the mechanical design tools within the context of your own application and your own analysis.
If there are any areas where you need further assistance, please feel free to contact us to recommend a new design tool.
GD&T Reference Guide (ASME Y14.5) Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing symbols and definitions. 1. FORM (No Datums) Symbol Name & Definition Straightness: 2D straightness of a line element. Flatness: Surface must lie between two parallel planes. Circularity: Roundness of a 2D cross-section. Cylindricity: Roundness + Straightness of a 3D cylinder. 2. ORIENTATION (Datums Required) Symbol Name … Read more
Imperial Bolt Strength Chart (SAE & ASTM) Standard strength ratings for carbon and alloy steel bolts up to 1″ diameter. These are the grades you’ll encounter on 99% of US engineering drawings. Grade Head Marking Material Proof (psi) Yield (psi) Tensile (psi) SAE Grade 2 No markings Low carbon steel 55,000 57,000 74,000 SAE Grade … Read more
What is ISO 286? ISO 286 defines the system of limits and fits for holes and shafts. If you’ve ever seen a callout like H7/g6 on a drawing and wondered what it actually means, this is your guide. The metric system uses a code-based approach instead of explicit ± tolerances. Once you understand the logic, … Read more
What’s the Difference? Cutting taps and form taps both create internal threads, but they do it in completely different ways — and they require different drill sizes. Confusing the two is one of the most common (and costly) mistakes on a shop floor. Cutting Taps (Chip-Producing) Cutting taps work exactly like you’d expect: they have … Read more
Retaining Ring (Snap Ring) Reference Retaining rings hold components on shafts or in bores without threads, pins, or adhesives. They sit in a machined groove and provide a shoulder. The two main types are external (on a shaft) and internal (in a bore). External Retaining Rings (Shaft Rings) Shaft Ø (in) Ring Thickness (in) Groove … Read more
Common Structural Steel Shapes Structural steel comes in standardized shapes that are designed for efficient load-carrying. Here are the dimensions and properties for the shapes you’ll encounter most in machine design, fabrication, and construction. Steel Angle (L-shapes) Size (legs × thickness) Weight (lb/ft) Area (in²) Ix (in⁴) Iy (in⁴) L1×1×1/8 0.80 0.234 0.022 0.022 L1-1/2×1-1/2×1/8 … Read more
What is Stress Concentration? Every time a part changes cross-section — a shoulder on a shaft, a hole in a plate, a groove for a retaining ring — stress multiplies at the transition. The stress concentration factor (Kt) tells you how much higher the local stress is compared to the nominal stress. Actual peak stress … Read more
Compression Spring Fundamentals Compression springs are everywhere — from ballpoint pens to automotive suspensions. Designing one means balancing wire diameter, coil diameter, free length, and active coils to achieve your target spring rate and deflection without exceeding stress limits. Key Formulas Spring Rate (Stiffness) k = Gd⁴ / (8D³Nₐ) k = spring rate (lbs/in or … Read more
Quick Metric ↔ Inch Conversion This chart covers the conversions you’ll use most often — common metric sizes and their nearest fractional inch equivalents. Perfect for when you’re working with mixed-unit drawings or trying to find the closest standard tool size. Millimeters to Inches — Common Sizes mm Decimal (in) Nearest Fraction Notes 1 0.0394 … Read more
American Wire Gauge (AWG) Reference AWG is the standard wire sizing system in North America. The gauge number is inversely proportional to wire diameter — smaller numbers = thicker wire. This chart covers the most commonly used sizes for power wiring, electronics, and industrial applications. AWG Wire Specifications — Solid Copper AWG Diameter (in) Diameter … Read more