On Tue, May 23, 2006 at 10:34:34AM -0700, Vitaliy wrote:
> Has anyone used eMachineShop.com?
> 
> It looks like they do more than ProtoCase (a company we used in the past to 
> build prototypes of our enclosures), it's nice that they're US-based.
> 
> One drawback is that they force me to use their software (which is rather 
> simplistic), and they don't accept drawings in any other format. I would 
> prefer to use SolidWorks instead.

I do a decent amount of machining myself, as simplistic as their
software may seem, there is a very, very good reason for it, the
interface it geared to forcing you to make parts that are
manufacturable. The problem with accepting raw SolidWorks is it's far to
easy to draw something that is impossible to machine. Much better to
have a restrictive peice of software that enforces sane part designs,
and also makes it fairly easy for a computer to determine if the part is
possible.

> I'm mostly interested in their plastic case prototyping capabilities, but 
> any comments at all (including CS experiences) are appreciated.

I've used their software for a few proposed designs, but haven't
actually bought anything from them yet. They are very expensive for what
you get, but then again, so is most custom machining. One drawback is
I've heard a lot of people say the quality, IE holding tolerences, is
pretty bad, but then again what their software promises, +-5mil usually,
is pretty poor for machining.

Overall, I'd say go for it if you can afford them. Just don't try to use
them for parts needing really tight tolerences.

-- 
pete@petertodd.ca http://www.petertodd.ca
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