Workshop & Manufacturing Simulators
From the drawing to the finished part. These tools cover workshop technology end to end — machine tools and CNC, threads, fits and inspection, bending, welding and joining, and the hydraulic and pneumatic circuits that run production.
- 20 tools
- 4 topics
Machine Tools & CNC
Removing metal: the three core machine tools, the cutting conditions they run at, and the code that drives them automatically.
Lathe Machine
Turning, facing and threading, with cutting speed, feed, material removal rate and power.
Milling Machine
End mill, face mill and slot drill operations: cutting speed, feed per tooth, removal rate and power.
Drilling Machine
Identify the parts, operate the controls, and work out cutting speed, feed, power and torque.
CNC G-Code
Type G-code and watch it run: rapid, linear and arc moves, canned cycles and a 3D tool-path view.
Speeds & Feeds
RPM, feed rate, cutting force, torque, power and tool life for turning, milling and drilling.
Threads, Fits & Inspection
What the drawing asks for and how it is checked: thread sizes, tolerances, geometric controls and hardness.
Tap Drill Chart
Tap drill and clearance sizes for metric, UNC, UNF, BSW and BSP threads, with thread engagement.
Thread Nomenclature
Major, minor and pitch diameter, pitch, thread and helix angle, with the ISO metric thread table.
Limits & Fits
Hole and shaft limits, clearance and interference from ISO 286 and ANSI B4.1 fits.
GD&T Symbols
All 14 geometric tolerances with datums, tolerance zones and feature control frames.
Hardness Testing & Conversion
Brinell, Rockwell and Vickers tests, and conversion between the scales.
Fabrication & Joining
Forming sheet and joining parts: bending, welding, riveting and bolting — how each is specified and how strong it is.
Welding Symbols
Groove, fillet, plug, spot and seam weld symbols to AWS A2.4 and ISO 2553, with a trainer and quiz.
Weld Strength
Fillet and butt weld throat, effective area, stress and factor of safety.
Bend Radius & Bend Allowance Calculator
Bend allowance and deduction, K-factor from a test bend, multi-bend flat patterns and a chart by gauge.
Types of Riveted Joints
Lap and butt, single and double riveted, chain and zigzag, rivet heads and the riveting process.
Riveted Joint Design
Tearing, shearing and crushing strength, pitch and joint efficiency.
Bolt Torque & Preload
Tightening torque, preload, bolt stretch and factor of safety for metric and inch bolts.
Hydraulics & Pneumatics
Moving and clamping with oil and air: circuits drawn to ISO 1219, cylinders sized from the load, and electrical control.
Hydraulic Circuits
Drag-and-drop ISO 1219 schematics with live flow and pressure, and ten circuit templates.
Hydraulic Cylinder Sizing
Bore, rod and stroke from the load: force and speed each way, and a rod-buckling check.
Pneumatic Circuits
ISO 1219 pneumatic circuits with FRL units, 5/2 valves and timers, simulated live.
Electro-Pneumatic Circuits
Relays, sensors and solenoid valves driving pneumatic actuators.
From Drawing to Finished Part
Workshop technology follows a part from the drawing to the bench. The drawing fixes what is wanted: sizes and their tolerances, thread callouts, geometric controls and weld symbols. The machinist turns that into a process — which machine, which tool, what speed and feed — and cuts the part, by hand or through a CNC program. Sheet parts are bent and flat patterns calculated; parts are joined by welding, riveting or bolting; and the finished work is checked against the drawing. Fluid power runs through all of it, clamping, pressing and moving parts in production. The four groups on this page follow that sequence.
Everyday Workshop Calculations
A handful of relations cover most of the arithmetic done at a machine or a bench. The table lists them with the tool that works each one out.
| Calculation | Relation | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|
| Cutting speed | V = πDN / 1000 (m/min) | Speeds & feeds, lathe |
| Milling table feed | F = fz × z × N | Milling |
| Metric tap drill | Ddrill ≈ D − P | Tap drill chart |
| Bend allowance | BA = θ(π/180)(R + Kt) | Sheet metal |
| Fillet weld throat | a = 0.707 × leg | Weld strength |
| Bolt tightening torque | T = K × F × d | Bolt torque |
| Cylinder force | F = p × A | Cylinder sizing |
A Sensible Order for a Workshop Course
- Measurement — rules, calipers and micrometers, in the Measuring Instruments collection.
- Reading drawings — threads, limits and fits, GD&T and weld symbols.
- Machining — drilling, then turning and milling, then choosing speeds and feeds.
- CNC programming — the same operations written as G-code.
- Fabrication — sheet-metal bending, welding, riveting and bolted joints.
- Fluid power — hydraulic and pneumatic circuits, then electrical control of them.
What a Simulator Can and Cannot Teach
A simulator teaches the parts of a machine, the order of operations, the arithmetic behind the settings and the logic of a circuit, and it lets a mistake happen without a broken tool or an injury. It does not teach the feel of a cut, the sound of chatter, or the safe habits that only come from supervised time at a real machine. Use these tools to arrive at the workshop already knowing what to do and why, so practical time is spent on the skill itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does workshop technology cover?
It covers how parts are made: measurement, reading engineering drawings, machining on drills, lathes and milling machines, CNC programming, sheet-metal work, welding, riveting and bolted joints, and the hydraulic and pneumatic systems used in production.
Do the tools support both metric and inch standards?
Yes, where the standard differs. The tap drill chart covers metric, UNC, UNF, BSW and BSP threads; limits and fits covers ISO 286 and ANSI B4.1; the bolt tool covers metric and inch bolts; welding symbols covers AWS A2.4 and ISO 2553; and the speeds and feeds calculator works in metres per minute or surface feet per minute.
Can a simulator replace practical workshop training?
No. It prepares for it. The simulators teach procedure, calculation and circuit logic safely and repeatably, but practical competence and safe working habits are learned on real machines under supervision.
Where are the measuring instruments?
Vernier calipers, micrometers, height gauges, dial gauges and protractors are in the Measuring Instruments collection, which also includes limits and fits and GD&T.
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