Intro Low-volume production is gaining more popularity across the market. People will often use 3D printing to make low-run batches of units before committing to full-scale production. But, what is low-volume production, why is it so popular, and what are common uses for this style…
If you have to design a sheet metal piece, you need to be careful. Sheet metal uses completely different fabrication techniques, equipment, and expertise as compared to a standard solid piece. For better results, we put together this cheat sheet for designing sheet metal pieces. …
Intro Threads are a big component when it comes to making a part for fabrication. Assemblies in every industry and application can benefit from removable pieces. Knowing what they are, how to design them, and how a CNC machinist will thread your piece are all…
Intro When it comes to precision machining, the smallest decisions could result in wasted time and money. Luckily, there are certain tips to help you avoid these pitfalls. One of the big tips is to implement on-machine inspection. Our machining experts put together this piece…
Intro Did you know that the tolerances on your drawings could be wasting a ton of money each year? They’re just a few numbers on a drawing sheet, but it could result in you paying 45 times more for each part. The simple fact is…
Intro Material selection is often the most important part of making the best 3D printed parts. As you look around, you’ll notice a ton of different materials that offer different results. A popular lane of materials is thermoplastics. The two major types of 3D printing…
Intro Working with sheet metal is common in most machine shops. If you want a sheet metal piece to be fabricated, there are a few methods to choose from. The following sections will outline 7 of the most common fabrication methods for sheet metal along…
Intro Material selection is a huge consideration to make for every design. Even with the importance of this decision, many designers hold onto myths that could waste time and money. To dispel some myths, we put together a list of 6 myths that pertain to…
Intro Whenever an engineer puts together a technical drawing package for an outside machine shop, there’s a risk of overengineering. Something that looks perfectly reasonable on the drafting table can destroy your budget when it comes to CNC machining a part. Not sure where to…
Intro Urethane casting might be the perfect solution to your company’s problem. When it comes to affordable, fast, customizable products made in medium quantities, many people choose urethane casting. In this piece, we’ll explain what urethane casting is. We’ll include the process of making a…
Intro There has been a lot of confusion when it comes to the durometer Shore hardness scale over the years. Some people think it’s a measure of how flexible a part is, and people don’t understand how important the topic is. To help answer your…
A lot of different industries use Alodine coatings for a number of applications. However, there’s a lot of confusion between an Alodine, chem film, and chromate conversion coating. To help clear things up, our coatings experts put together this piece. We’ll cover all three of…