Mechanical design from web 3D model

A very common practice nowadays is that some engineering companies and manufacturers of professional products, which are later used in other processes, offer 3D models of their products on their websites.

An example includes industrial equipment, machinery, and tools. These 3D models can be downloaded from the supplier's website, but to do so, companies often request user information to build their databases of potential sales leads.

These 3D product models are accurate and detailed to some extent, but they are provided as complete assemblies or modules. While this is useful for testing assemblies, referencing, or verifying tolerances with other products, they cannot be used to manufacture individual parts. This is logical; if suppliers provided such detailed models, they would essentially be sharing the engineering and designs of their products, which could be replicated or modified by others, potentially allowing unauthorized manufacturing.

One example I encountered involved working with machinery, specifically mining pumps. One of the best providers in this field, with leading technology, is the Finnish company Metso. Their website features an extensive catalog of resources and information about their products. For instance, in the case of mining pumps, they offer the HR200 pump for slurry and mining industry applications.

The 3D model available for download is detailed and offers several configurations, capacities, and equipment sizes to choose from. However, all the models come as solid assemblies, making it impossible to select specific components, such as the front casing. This particular piece is complex in design, featuring many internal details and assembly features.

I downloaded this 3D model from Metso’s website and modeled the front casing in detail myself. The work was completed using Autodesk Fusion 360, resulting in a model that includes the detail and assembly capabilities of the original real piece.

Attached are some images of the design I created, along with a link to the 3D model in my GRAB CAD portfolio.