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The Digital Thread

Your blog feed for manufacturing resources, in-depth features, and industry news.

Past '3d printing' posts

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The advantages of Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
3D Printing
03/12/2025

Selective Laser Sintering – Its Advantages and Disadvantages

Here we take a brief look at selective laser sintering advantages and disadvantages to see if it could be the right choice for you.
By Protolabs
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Industrial 3D printing machines in Protolabs manufacturing facility
3D Printing
24/11/2025

Types of 3D Printing Technology

Learn about the various types of 3D printing technologies available for rapid prototyping and production parts and how to choose the best one for you.
By Protolabs
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The Advantages and Disadvantages of Stereolithography
3D Printing
05/09/2025

Advantages and Disadvantages of Stereolithography (SLA) 3D Printing

Discover the key advantages and disadvantages of stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing, including accuracy, materials, costs, and design considerations.
By Anastasios Pantelis
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3Dp SLA Process
3D Printing
29/08/2025

Strongest 3D Printing Filaments

Discover the strongest 3D printing filaments, from carbon fibre nylon to high-temp ULTEM, and how to choose the right material.
By Protolabs
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Black ABS Plastic Milled Part
3D Printing
30/06/2025

ABS vs. PLA

A side-by-side guide to two of the most popular 3D printing materials, what they do best, and how to choose between them
By Protolabs
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DMLS process
CNC machining
26/05/2025

CNC vs. DMLS: Which One Is Right for Your Part?

Engineers and designers often face this decision when prototyping or producing complex metal parts. Each process comes with strengths and limitations. This guide breaks down the differences, from materials and surface finishes to cost, speed, and complexity, so you can choose the method that best fits your needs.
By Protolabs
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3DP factory
3D Printing
07/05/2025

3D Printing Materials for Rapid Prototyping

See our recommendations for selecting 3D printing materials that are best suited to rapid prototyping. Find out which materials are most durable, cost-effective and commonly used to validate various types of products.
By Protolabs
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DMLS 3D Printed Parts
3D Printing
03/01/2025

Metal 3D Printing vs. Traditional Casting: Comparing Benefits and Use Cases

The differences between casting and DMLS are quite stark, compare the two technologies to find out what works best for your application
By Chloe Vollaro
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Designing a 3DP CAD Model
3D CAD
07/11/2024

Turning CAD Models into 3D Printed Parts

How to evaluate build direction, support structures, radii placement and wall thickness to optimise you design for 3D Printing
By Eric Utley
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3D print cad design
3D Printing
03/10/2024

5 Ways 3D Printing Enriches Product Design

3D printing offers a wealth of opportunities to iterate rapid prototypes for testing and more.
By Protolabs
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Microfine material
3D Printing
15/08/2024

Recent 3D Printing Trends in the Medical Industry

What does the future hold for 3D printing within the medical industry?
By Protolabs
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3D Printing machines
3D Printing
04/07/2024

How has Digital Manufacturing Evolved?

A look back at the last 40 years of 3D printing and how digital manufacturing has evolved.
By Protolabs
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