Abstract:
A method of fabricating an assembly of at least two parts (20, 22, 24, 26, 28) of metal plates butted together at a welded interface area (30) by using a stored CAD program of the three dimensional coordinates of a first part (20, 22, 24, 26, 32) and a second part (32) including the coordinates of an interface area (30) or outline of the first part (20, 22, 24, 26, 32) onto to the second part (32). The parts (20, 22, 24, 26, 28) are cut from stock about the desired peripheries by a cutting tool (34) guided by a sub-file in the computer program and, while the part (20, 22, 24, 26, 32) remains in the cutting machine (36), the program guides the cutting tool (34) to cut out a recessed area (30) in the second part (32) for receiving the first part (20, 22, 24, 26, 32) into the recessed area (30) of the second part (32). The first part (20, 22, 24, 26, 32) is welded to the second part (32) about the recessed area (30) to create a permanent interface area (30).