The Digital Thread

Driving innovation in any industry is difficult, but it’s particularly tricky in the space industry. Parts need to be reliable, withstand increasingly harsh conditions, function for extended periods without maintenance and remain lightweight yet tough enough to withstand the forces of launch and space travel. With these requirements in mind, it's important to select the right manufacturing method.

Material science constantly pushes the boundaries of what is possible in product development, but what materials are making an impact in the space industry? We've compiled a list of cutting edge materials used for space applications to help you make the right decision for your project.

3D printing is often a great entry route to prototyping plastic parts mainly because it is a quick, flexible, and cost-effective process. But what happens once you are ready to move forward with your product development plan?

In recent years there has been an increase in the utilisation of robots and AI, the pandemic has only propelled this. This blog touches on some of the current robotics and AI trends.

Consider cost, part performance when choosing PEEK or PEI (Ultem) Plastics for CNC machining or injection moulding your parts.

3D printing is often a great entry route to prototyping plastic parts mainly because it is a quick, flexible, and cost-effective process. But what happens next?

With analysts predicting a market value of $1 trillion by 2040, the space industry is thriving. But what are the key trends that need to be on your radar?

As the Space sector continues to innovate and develop, adoption of digital manufacturing technologies to support speed, repeatability, and consistency are key to the future success of the industry. In this panel discussion, three of our in-house experts answer your questions on key materials, options for meeting critical quality standards, the future technologies of the industry, and more.

Aluminium is a common and popular metal that’s found everywhere and used in a stunningly wide range of parts and products: automotive parts, aerospace components, boat and marine gear, consumer electronics including smart phones, industrial machinery parts, HVAC systems, the list goes on. In this blog we look at why aluminium is so commonly used, why there are so many aluminium alloys, and take a brief glimpse at the main alloys we use at Protolabs.

Doing the right things in the prototyping phase is a bit more complex than it looks at first glance. Hardware requires special rules to get the results you need.

In this blog we look back on the last four years of manufacturing - the challenges that were overcome, and how this has prepared the sector to meet new challenges head on in the future. Results are reflective of the yearly manufacturing survey sent out to the community in partnership with IMechE.

What’s hot at the moment if you are a start-up business? What's important is what your solution is.