The Six Stations

Mechanical Design Services From a Working Gear Bay

AXOM MechDesign LLC offers six connected services for machine builders, product teams, and small manufacturers. Each one can stand alone, but they are designed to run as a sequence on the same bench. This page explains what each service includes, what you receive, and where it fits in the life of a mechanism.

Working from AXOM MechDesign LLC
2538 E 3750 N
Layton - 84040-8484
United States (US)

Station
Teeth

Gear Train Layouts

Gear train layout is the first station and the one that most other decisions depend on. A train is chosen for a ratio, but it is really defined by center distances, module or diametral pitch, tooth count, backlash allowance, and the phase that keeps the output where the machine needs it. We build the layout on a drafting sheet with real dimensions, not a screenshot of a model, so the fabricator can work directly from the drawing.

The layout pass names every gear and every interface. We record the number of teeth, the pitch diameter, the face width, the bore and keyway, the axial location, and the shaft material assumption behind the choice. We check contact at the operating center distance rather than at the perfect pitch circle, because gears never run at the perfect pitch circle once the housing takes load. Where a train has to fit inside an existing envelope, we measure the housing and lay the train against the measured surfaces.

Deliverables include a layout sheet with callouts, a gear schedule that doubles as a purchase list, and a short memo that explains the ratio split and any compromise we made. If the train is part of a larger mechanism, the memo also names the interfaces that the bracket package and the tolerance study will have to protect.

Station
Brackets

Bracket Package Design

A bracket package is the coordinated set of mounting parts that hold a mechanism together: base plates, support angles, motor pads, bearing blocks, guards, and the small tabs that keep a cable away from a gear. Designing them one at a time is how a machine ends up with four different reference holes and three fastener styles. We design the whole package as one document set with shared datum references.

The pass begins with a mounting survey. We identify the primary datum surface, the secondary and tertiary references, and the order in which parts stack during assembly. Every bracket in the package inherits those references, so a hole that lands on the base also has a clear relationship to the motor pad. Fastener callouts are standardized across the package, and clearance is checked against the parts that sit adjacent, including the moving members at their travel limits.

Deliverables include a bracket set drawing with a shared datum block, a flat pattern sheet for sheet metal parts, a fastener schedule, and a fit note that flags any bracket needing a slotted hole or an adjustment shim. The package is organized so a shop can nest and cut the flat parts together.

Station
Stacks

Tolerance Stack Studies

Tolerance stack studies answer the question that decides whether a prototype assembles: will the parts fit at the worst case. A stack is a chain of dimensions between a feature that must line up and the datum that controls it. We build the chain explicitly, part by part, and separate the contributors into machining, coating, fastener, and assembly groups so the team can see where the variation actually lives.

We do 1D stacks for straightforward linear chains and 2D stacks where angle and position interact. Each study lists the nominal value, the plus and minus tolerance, and the resulting worst case gap or interference. We rank the contributors and show which dimension is worth tightening and which can be relaxed to save cost without harming the fit. Where a stack is close, we also run a statistical check to show the realistic distribution rather than only the extreme case.

Deliverables include a working spreadsheet with every contributor visible, a one page verdict for the review meeting, and a set of recommended drawing changes. The verdict always states the worst case gap in plain numbers and names the single dimension that would most improve it.

Station
Shaft

Shaft Alignment Checks

Shaft alignment checks cover the geometry between a driver, a coupling, and the driven member. Misalignment is the quiet cause of vibration, seal wear, and bearing heat, and it rarely shows up until the machine has run for a while. We calculate allowable offset and angular misalignment from the coupling data and the bearing loads, then define the foot positions that bring the shafts into tolerance.

The check produces cold and hot alignment targets, because a machine that is aligned at rest may move once it reaches operating temperature. We identify the feet that need shims, the order in which to adjust them, and the measurement routine that confirms the result. Where a machine has a soft foot or a pipe strain condition, the check notes it and recommends a correction before the final alignment is locked in.

Deliverables include a setup sheet with target values, a shim table, and a short procedure a maintenance team can follow at the bench. The sheet is written to be used with a dial indicator or a laser system, whichever the site has available.

Station
Fit

Prototype Fit Weeks

A prototype fit week is a scheduled window where the first article meets the drawing under controlled conditions. The parts arrive, the gauges come out, and every interface is checked against the print. It is a simple idea that most programs skip, and skipping it is why the second build repeats the first build mistakes.

We prepare a checklist before the week begins, grouped by assembly step, with the dimensions that matter most called out for measurement. During the week we record interferences, photograph the trouble spots, and label the parts for revision. When a part must be adjusted on the spot, we note the change and the reason so the drawing can be updated afterward rather than relying on memory.

Deliverables include a measurement log, a marked up drawing set, a revision list sorted by priority, and a short closing note that states which parts are approved for the next build and which must be remade. Teams leave the week with a decision list instead of a pile of open questions.

Station
Rounds

Drawing Revision Rounds

Drawing revision rounds keep a released package honest after the first build. Redlines accumulate, notes drift, and a print set that was clean at release can become a puzzle within a month. We run a revision round as a formal pass with a defined start and end, so the print set comes out of it with a clear history.

Each round reconciles the redlines against the fit week log, folds in the accepted changes, and reissues the affected sheets with an updated revision block. We keep a short change log next to each print, written in plain sentences rather than revision codes alone. Superseded sheets are marked clearly so nobody builds from an old copy.

Deliverables include the reissued drawing set, a change log per sheet, and a summary of what was deferred and why. The goal is a set where the newest sheet is obvious, the reason for each change is readable, and the history is short enough to review in one sitting.

Process Overview

How a Typical Engagement Runs

The six services are stations on one line, and most projects pass through them in the same order. The process below describes a full engagement, though many projects use only the stations they need.

Step One

Intake and Scope

We review the mechanism, the constraint, and the deadline, then agree on which stations the project will use. The scope is written down before any drafting begins.

Step Two

Layout and Package

Gear trains and bracket packages settle the geometry. Center distances, mounting planes, and envelopes are fixed while the drawing is still cheap to change.

Step Three

Stack and Alignment

Tolerance studies and shaft alignment checks predict what the hardware will do at the limits. This is where the numbers behind each recommendation are produced.

Step Four

Fit and Revision

The fit week proves the drawing against real parts, and the revision round reissues the print set. The engagement closes with a change log and a handover note.

Most projects use three or four of the six services, and the right starting point is usually a single layout or stack study rather than a full program. Start with a design review at the Layton bench.