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Combining Rigid and Flexible Materials with PolyJet Overmolding
Overmolding is a familiar feature when manufacturing injection molded parts, but you can do the same thing with PolyJet 3D printing. Find out how.
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Using Lattice Structures in 3D Printing for Strength and Lightweighting
A great thing about 3D printed parts is they can be lightweighted while improving strength and durability. The secret is using an interior lattice structure
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How to Solve for Size Constraints, Small Gaps, and Thin Walls in 3D-Printed Parts
3DP design for manufacturing (DFM) advisories help avoid production delays and wasted iterations.
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Why You Should Use Vapor Smoothing on 3D-Printed Parts
Vapor smoothing uses chemical vapors to smooth and remove surface impurities from 3D-printed parts.
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Solving Wall Thickness Issues in Molded Parts
Address design change requests related to slot widths and wall thicknesses for molded parts.
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Finding the Right Corrosion-resistant Metals
Parts turning to piles of rust? These materials can help you avoid the scourge of corrosion.
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Plastics that Meet Medical Needs
Safety and longevity are paramount with plastic medical parts. Which work best for your application?
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Common Impact-Resistant Plastics
Need long-lasting plastic parts? Take a dive into the world of impact-resistant plastics.
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UV Resistant Plastics
This design tip evaluates UV-resistant plastic options available for injection molding, 3D printing, and CNC machining.
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Glass Transition Temperature of Polymers
Glass transition temperature (Tg) affects moldability, strength, elasticity, transparency, and more.
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Understanding Powder Bed Fusion Technology
Powder bed fusion (PBF) is a 3D printing technology that sinters (fuses) powder particles together.
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How to Choose a Heat Resistant Plastic
Melted plastic parts stink. Find out what materials will help you avoid this issue in your products.
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Mold Texture Standards and Finishes
Explore your options, including standard and Mold-Tech finishes, for your plastic molded parts.
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The Basics of Bend Radii in Sheet Metal
Understanding what values such as K-factor, bend allowance/deduction, and outside setbacks mean and how they work helps avoid common sheet metal design mistakes and might just streamline your development process.
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Fine-Tuning Tolerances for CNC Machined Parts
Standard machining tolerances can maximize quality, reduce cost, & simplify designs for your parts.
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How to Design STL Files for 3D Printing in Your CAD Program
Try these tips to optimize your design for STL—the common CAD format used in additive manufacturing
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Plating and Other Finishing Options for CNC Machining, Sheet Metal
Check out these machining and sheet metal finishing options to protect parts and improve function.
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7 Mistakes to Avoid When Designing 3D-Printed Parts
Improve part design in 3D printing by adhering to minimum feature sizes, avoiding warpage, and more.
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Manufacturing Tool Kit for the Aerospace Industry
These four things can improve product development and design for aerospace and defense companies.
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11 Ways to Cut Sheet Metal Fabrication Costs
Explore and try these 11 design tactics that can help you save money on sheet metal parts.
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Optimizing for Higher-Volume Machining
Get quick-turn machined production parts for less & finishing options from a single-source supplier.
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9 Mistakes to Avoid When Designing Injection Molded Parts
Navigate these challenges to improve design, shorten production time, reduce costs on molded parts.
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How to Design for Nylon 3D Printing
Consider these guidelines when designing for Multi Jet Fusion and selective laser sintering.
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A Guide to Medical Parts Manufacturing
8 ways to improve design, development, and function of medical products and devices
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6 Mistakes to Avoid When Designing Machined Parts
We’ve compiled six common machining issues to avoid to help you improve part design and reduce cost.
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8 Mistakes to Avoid When Designing Sheet Metal Parts
We’ve compiled the most typical sheet metal design issues to help you avoid delays and added costs.
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Manufacturing Tool Kit for Consumer Electronics
4 ways to improve part design through customization, material considerations, iterative prototyping, and the use of digital manufacturing.
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CNC Machining Materials
With a universe of metal and plastic options available, keep in mind your machined part’s function when choosing material.
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Create Production Parts with Carbon 3D Printing
Get tips on how to design for Carbon, and how the technology stacks up against stereolithography and Multi Jet Fusion.
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8规则将固体3 D Designs to Flat Sheet Metal
Designing sheet metal parts requires you to think of them and their features as flat, formable objects. Doing that is key to manufacturability.
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A Closer Look at Material Properties
When designing plastic or metal parts, your material’s mechanical, physical, thermal, and electrical properties are often critical.
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后处理for Metal 3D Printing
Learn how to improve dimensional accuracy, surface roughness, and mechanical properties on metal parts with high-requirement applications.
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Integrating Hardware into Sheet Metal
Consider hardware material, placement, and other specifications to help optimize sheet metal parts.
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Balancing CNC Machining and 3D Printing for Metal Parts
How subtractive and additive manufacturing create the ideal equation for metal manufacturing
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How to Design 3D-Printed Hinges
Material selection, hinge length, and degree of bend are all critical when designing 3D-printed parts with living hinges.
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Using 3D Printing for Complex Jigs and Fixtures
Additive manufacturing is an excellent complement or alternative to machining when irregular, intricate, or smaller jigs and fixtures are needed.
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Molded Threads and How to Design Them
Threading for injection-molded plastic parts is complex—use these design tips to navigate the process seamlessly.
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7 Ways to Enhance 3D-Printed Parts with Secondary Ops
Secondary operations for commercial-grade 3D printing can improve form and function of additive manufactured parts after build is complete
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Solving Gating Problems in Injection Molding
考虑三种类型的选择和locat门ion or placement of those gates when designing parts for injection molding.
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Using Ejector Pins Properly on Molded Parts
The proper design and position of ejector pins can help minimize their effect on your injection-molded parts.
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7 Ways to Improve Sheet Metal Parts
Consider material and finishing options along with design elements like bends, reliefs, holes, and slots when developing sheet metal components.
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Mastering Complex Features on Machined Parts
Create complex machined parts faster and more efficiently with a few quick tips.
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5 Ways to Master Complex Features in Injection-Molded Parts
Create engaging, efficient parts, plus reduce costs with these complex injection molding design techniques.
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How to Use Multi Jet Fusion for Functional 3D-Printed Parts
Create functional prototypes and end-use production parts with HP’s 3D printing technology.
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Designing for Overmolding
Overmolding can be used to add a second molded part to an existing part, such as a grip, handle, or cover.
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Building Strength into Parts with Insert Molding
A combination of both plastic and metal, insert molding can add strength and durability to parts.
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Optical LSR for Lighting Applications
Optical liquid silicone rubber is replacing glass in many optical and lighting applications. LSR can also help simplify design and molding challenges.
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Threading Considerations for CNC Machining
Learn more about adding threaded features to machined parts, and how to display these features in CAD programs and Protolabs’ quoting system.
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Industrial 3D Printing for Production Parts
Focus on the process, material selection, and part geometry when designing functional metal and thermoplastic parts for additive manufacturing
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Prototyping with PolyJet 3D Printing
Use PolyJet to combine elastomeric and rigid properties together for prototyping two-material components.
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6 Ways to Cut Costs, Improve Designs with Industrial 3D Printing
Additive manufacturing can reduce costs in prototyping and low-volume production, provided you know the rules.
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3 d打印功能齐全的部分with Selective Laser Sintering
Selective laser sintering is a 3D printing method that builds durable plastic parts for prototyping and low-volume production.
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Selecting a Material for Stereolithography (SLA) 3D Printing
Compare materials for stereolithography with one another and with injection-molded plastics.
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An Introduction to Stereolithography (SLA) 3D Printing
Stereolithography, a staple of 3D printing, can deliver complex prototypes quickly and accurately.
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Creating Complex Undercuts with Bumpoffs
Creating Complex Undercuts with Bumpoffs
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9 Strategies for Designing Multipart Assemblies
Creating cost-effective assemblies often means lower part counts, flexible yet simple product designs, and a look at alternative manufacturing technologies.
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6 Ways to Achieve Undercut Success in Molded Parts
If your part design requires undercuts, consider side-action cams, bumpoffs, inserts, and other complex injection molding techniques.
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11 Tips to Reduce Injection Molding Costs
Stretch your budget with these injection molding design recommendations
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Manufacturing Options for Plastic Prototyping
Look at material selection, geometry, and surface finish when manufacturing plastic parts with processes like 3D printing and machining.
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Bridging the Gap Between Prototyping and Production
Bridging the Gap Between Prototyping and Production
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Thermoplastic vs. Thermoset
Understand how thermoplastics and thermosets compare when exposed to high temperatures.
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Selecting the Right Plastic for Your Next Molded Part
Learn about the key characteristics of common injection molding materials and recommended applications.
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Finding a Balance with Resin Colorants
Finding a Balance with Resin Colorants
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Thermoplastic Glass Filling, Colorants, and Other Additives
See how glass fibers, colorants, and other additives can enhance injection-molded parts, as well as the affect of colorants on the molding process and part design.
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Improving Part Design with Uniform Wall Thickness
Achieve consistent walls and features with slight adjustments to geometry and materials
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Adding Text into Part Design
Adding Text into Part Design
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Sorting through Surface Finishes
Consider these tips for identifying the right surface finishes when designing molded parts.
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Eliminating Side-Actions with Draft
Eliminating Side-Actions with Draft
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Incorporating Shut-offs in Injection Molding Design
Incorporating Shut-offs in Injection Molding Design
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Adding Crush Ribs to Molded Parts
Adding Crush Ribs to Molded Parts
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Cutting Corners on Injection-Molded Parts
Cutting Corners on Injection-Molded Parts
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Reading Between the Lines: Proper Planning for Parting Lines Can Improve Part Cosmetics and Functionality
Proper Planning for Parting Lines Can Improve Part Cosmetics and Functionality
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5 Design Considerations for Multi-Cavity Molds
When moving from single- to multi-cavity tooling, parts might behave differently. Plan accordingly.
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6 Ways to Simplify Mold Modifications
6 Ways to Simplify Mold Modifications
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How to Plan for Design Changes Without Breaking the Bank
How to Plan for Design Changes Without Breaking the Bank
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Creating self-mating parts in injection molding design
Creating self-mating parts in injection molding design
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Injection Molding for Optical Applications
Learn more about thermoplastic components for lighting and optics
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Designing Living Hinges that Fold Flat
Designing Living Hinges that Fold Flat
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How to Leverage Low-Volume Injection Molding
Use on-demand manufacturing to reduce costs, provide critical inspections, tame demand volatility.
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Minimizing Knit Lines
Minimizing Knit Lines
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Knit Lines and How to Avoid Them
When injection molding a part, a knit line may present no problem, or can cause a serious structural problem. Take these steps to avoid knit lines.
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How to Solve Gating Problems in Molding
How to Solve Gating Problems in Molding
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Gate Considerations to Improve Moldability
Gate Considerations to Improve Moldability
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Creating Channels in Part Design
Creating Channels in Part Design
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Draft Angle Guidelines for Injection Molding
Apply proper draft early and often to injection-molded parts to save production time and money
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Injection Molding Basics
How draft, radii, wall thickness and other design factors improve part manufacturability
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Cosmetic Defects in Injection Molding and How to Avoid Them
Improve the appearance and performance of injection-molded parts by eliminating cosmetic issues early.
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Conquering Complexities: Mold-Making Techniques Make Complicated Features Possible
Conquering Complexities: Mold-Making Techniques Make Complicated Features Possible
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Designing Effective Clips for Molded Parts
Designing Effective Clips for Molded Parts
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Using Side-Actions in Molding Design
Using Side-Actions in Molding Design
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Plastic Boss Design on Molded Parts
Building Better Bosses
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How to Choose Core and Cavity Placement for Injection Molding
Choosing Core and Cavity Placement for Molded Parts
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Reinforce Parts With Support Features and Material Selection
Reinforce Parts With Support Features and Material Selection
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Turning to Lathe For Parts with Cylindrical Features
For parts that have cylindrical features, using a lathe may be your best option.
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How to Reduce CNC Machining Costs
Use these design and material considerations to cut your machining costs.
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Selecting the Best 3D CAD Software for Digital Manufacturing
Enhance your prototyping and product development efforts with this design program and file format primer.
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Mastering ProtoQuote: Create Better Parts With Our Design Analysis
Create Better Parts With Our Design Analysis
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How to Use Mold Flow Analysis
Flow analysis helps determine gate placement, locate knit lines and identify areas where gas trappings can occur.
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How Metal 3D Printing is Redefining Part Design
Direct metal laser sintering brings unprecedented freedom to those willing to rethink traditional part design.
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Designing for Direct Metal Laser Sintering
Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) produces complex, durable, lightweight metal parts. Depending on the design, DMLS can be a reliable way to manufacture metal parts.
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Conquering Undercut Design Issues with Side-actions, Inserts, and Shut-offs
Solving undercut issues in design with side-actions, inserts, and shut-offs
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8 Mistakes to Avoid When Designing Sheet Metal Parts
We’ve compiled the most typical sheet metal design issues to help you avoid delays and added costs.
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