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From the earliest days of additive manufacturing, providers of 3D printing hardware and materials have identified the aerospace industry as an important target for their products. Aircraft, as highly complex systems with a diverse array of parts, stand to benefit from cutting-edge developments in production tools and materials, especially those that can reduce the weight […]

Stereolithography (SLA) is a versatile and high-quality manufacturing and prototyping process. Although less widely used than extrusion-based additive manufacturing technologies like Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), SLA was actually the original incarnation of 3D printing, first appearing way back in the 1980s. Today, desktop SLA printers have been popularized by brands like 3D Systems and Formlabs, […]

Innovations in CNC machining, additive manufacturing and casting technologies are giving companies, prosumers and consumers an unprecedented level of design options. However, with so many technologies on the market, the question remains: how are they faring in terms of growth and which industries are employing them most prominently? Here, we take a look at the […]

Every industry and application is different, but metal parts often look and feel superior to their plastic counterparts. Metal provides a gloss and sheen, as well as the appearance of strength and durability. Plastic is incredibly useful, but metal often wins in the overall quality stakes. On the other hand, plastic parts are often much […]

Laser cutting technology has been around since the 60’s but now it’s as relevant as it has ever been due to its growing usage within industrial processes. This non-contact process uses a constant beam of light to create heat and pressure which then reshapes/distorts various materials with precision as the cutting head moves over the […]

3ERP offers a wide variety of prototyping processes, from industrial-grade CNC machining to FDM 3D printing. For small volumes of plastic parts, however, businesses are often torn between injection molding — a commonly used process in which molten material is injected into a metal mold — and vacuum casting, in which more affordable silicone molds […]

Precious metals such as gold, silver and platinum form a major cornerstone of many products. While they serve as core components for electronics, energy creation and the automotive industry, they are most popular in the production of jewelry and accessories. These metals are often irreplaceable in their respective roles and embody a diverse range of […]

Whether your prototype is for user testing or investor pitches, injecting a splash of color can turn a half-finished idea into a part that looks ready for the market. 3ERP offers a range of coloring options for prototypes and end-use parts, offering finishing services like painting, tinting and anodizing, as well as color-friendly manufacturing processes […]

For a long time, making toys in an amateur capacity was a difficult thing to do. You could use wood, or you could piece things together from recycled components, but high-quality toymaking was a practice exclusively carried out by big and medium-size toy companies: giants like Mattel and LEGO and the like on the higher […]

Sheet metal fabrication is a handy set of manufacturing processes used to create parts from flat pieces of metal. Sheet metal comes in a range of materials and thicknesses, and can be used to create parts like appliances, enclosures, brackets, panels and chassis. For those new to sheet metal fabrication, the process can seem daunting. […]