The Digital Thread

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.

Unique products are amazing until parts break and you can’t obtain replacements. Enter 3D printing.

Metal 3D printing has brought Inconel, the classic nickel-based heat resistant alloy, well and truly into the 21st century

Safety is the overriding concern in aerospace and space technology - countless test cycles, inspection procedures and certificates are behind every single part of the jigsaw. Although safety requirements are non-negotiable, they come at a cost – they slow down the speed of the product development cycle.

3D printing and CNC machining - do they compete with or complement each other?

As product development speeds up, the design rules are changing. Nowhere is this more apparent when looking at the industrial 3D printing process of direct metal laser sintering.