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CNC machines, particularly in the realm of large CNC machining, are an impressive tool for fabricating a diverse array of products, but they come with their own unique size constraints. The average machine shop or hobbyist is less likely to possess a significantly large machine, as such equipment can be impractical in many situations. This […]

The ability of 3D printing to easily create figurines, models and plastic electronic casings has been a massive boon to the toys and games industries. Manufacturers and enterprising makers have been employing the technology to make a whole bunch of unique tools for gamers to make the most of their play. Customized Miniatures & Tabletop […]

Today’s companies have more options than ever to manufacture parts from almost any materials. And when it comes to producing parts from plastics, most end up opting for either injection molding and 3D printing. While the 3D printing option is generally more well-known because of its availability to even consumer-level users, the injection molding market […]

Injection molding is the most popular method for manufacturing plastic parts on the planet, so it’s not surprising that the global market for the process was valued at almost 260 million U.S. dollars, with projections for continued growth in the foreseeable future. The technology is used in a wide variety of industries, including aerospace, medical […]

As a material widely used in everyday items from clocks to knives to bricks to pottery, machining ceramics can be a great way to expand a company’s materials portfolio. Though they are traditionally made using a kiln, machining them can be a useful endeavor that gives your machine shop a unique selling point. As a […]

There are two broad categories of injection molding tools: soft tooling and hard tooling. Selecting the appropriate material depends on a variety of factors, such as budget limitations, volume requirements, and material selection. Soft tooling is used for prototyping or small production runs while hard tooling is used for high-volume production. What is Soft Tooling? […]

For mass production of simple parts, there are few manufacturing processes more suitable than injection molding, the most widely used plastic manufacturing process in the world. Injection molding is used to make everything from food packaging to aircraft parts, while its speed and cost-effectiveness — especially at scale — make it the top choice of […]

For most people, the knowledge about manufacturing and prototyping technologies of today consists mostly of what they learn in school or what they stumble upon on the internet. Many are at least vaguely familiar with the process of 3D printing, which can offer sustainable and eco-friendly manufacturing possibilities. But even though 3D printing is becoming […]

With supply chains interrupted and demand for products decreasing, the coronavirus pandemic is hitting the manufacturing industry hard. And because several countries are still months away from controlling their local COVID-19 situation, it could be a while before business gets back to normal. But that doesn’t mean the rapid manufacturing world will sit idly by […]

As we enter a more eco-conscious era of manufacturing, there are tons of concerns that new technologies are possibly taking us backwards. The concerns often levied at 3D printing put its abundant use of plastics and power usage under fire, and sometimes these arguments are valid. However, players within the industry are doing their best […]