The Upload

Will your next designer be a computer? Explore how AI is making inroads in CAD modeling.

A look at the past, present, and future of women in manufacturing

On-demand digital manufacturing adds speed, reliability, and quality to production of medical parts

The global renewable energy market is growing. EVs, geothermal energy, and solar power lead the way.

New EDM technology rapidly removes printed parts from build plates, reducing cost and lead time.

3D printing offers a wealth of opportunities to iterate rapid prototypes for testing and more.

Keep patients safe! Find out what materials can withstand an autoclave’s blistering heat and steam.

Jairus of All recreated the Hidden Blade from the popular video game series Assassin’s Creed with help from quick-turn machining at Protolabs.

When it comes to getting a fabricated sheet metal part that is consistent with a complex set of technical requirements, ensuring that a supplier has all the necessary information to generate an accurate quote is the first (and most important) hurdle to cross.

There’s one of only a few 3D printing processes that is possible at both a desktop- and industrial-level. It’s fused deposition modeling (FDM), although you’ll sometimes see it referred to as fused filament fabrication (FFF). It’s a great printing process to create prototype parts to test fit and form. Because it prints using thermoplastic material, it also delivers parts that are functional when in a high-heat environment, or when exposed to chemicals or mechanical stress.

A newly machined metal part can end up with edges that are sharper than desired for the end user unless the design smooths or breaks those sharp edges. To create an edge break, the design should incorporate sloped or beveled edges and corners known as chamfers—or rounded ones called fillets.

When you hear the term “over-engineering,” you probably think about all of those overly complicated products we’ve all encountered that seem too complex relative to their intended use. The confusing shower faucet controls. The washer or dryer with a dizzying array of counter-intuitive buttons and settings. Your new car’s baffling audio setup. Well, you get the idea.