Site Mission

The purpose of this site is to pass on the next generation of designers some of the successful design criteria and techniques used by those who preceded them.  Very often this data is lost from generation to generation. Much of the information almost never appears in text books or handbooks.  This is because much of it, but not all, is empirical or statistical.

Therefore, Vanair has tried to create webpages delineating some of this data that was used successfully by Vanair and others in successfully creating “one of a kind” capital goods machines for metals industry.  They were designed over a 50-year period and many are still in operation. 

Many, but not all, of the techniques were gleamed from many people through the years (see acknowledgements).  Much of the data presented in this website is of the “slide rule era” type and is basically design handbook type formulas.  Other large portions are “expertise” type data and embodies a great deal of personal research, observation, and tests.

This type of data gives the designer in the medium and small industries access to design methods and techniques that she or he might not normally have access to and that can be performed on a hand held calculator or personal computer.