The Upload

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

Latest Posts

Sample of swirling effect from a nylon material with yellow colorant.
Tech Tips
September 22, 2022

Avoiding Flow Lines in Molded Parts

For most molded parts, visible flow lines are undesirable. The good news is there are ways to avoid them, both in design and the way that the parts are manufactured.
By Protolabs
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Metal part
Tech Tips
September 13, 2022

Designing Sheet Metal Notches, Tabs, and Slots

Notches and tabs are two sheet metal design strategies that can help you in more ways than you might initially think. Designing them properly is key.
By Protolabs
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HDPE resin pellets closeup
Materials Science
September 7, 2022

Translucent and Clear Plastic Injection-Molded Parts

Choosing the best translucent material for your molded parts isn’t always crystal clear. There are quite a few things to think about before making your final choice of materials and design.
By Protolabs
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3D Printing and Customized Medical Implants
medical
September 4, 2022

3D Printing and Customized Medical Implants

3D printing is making major inroads into customising medical implants for individuals. It allows implant manufacturers and sometimes even hospitals to create complex geometries and patient specific solutions that saves the surgeon time and improves a patient’s outcome.
By Protolabs
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Metal part
Tech Tips
August 15, 2022

How and When to Add Bend Reliefs to Sheet Metal Parts

We often see designs come to us that don’t include bend relief. To ensure that we can successfully create your part, we add relief to your design.
By Protolabs
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A pile of white Nylon Resin pellets
Materials Science
August 15, 2022

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Glass-Filled Nylon

Making nylon parts stronger isn’t difficult. All it takes is the addition of glass to your base material. Explore the pros and cons of glass-filled nylon.
By Protolabs
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The Advantages and Disadvantages of Stereolithography
MFG 360
August 10, 2022

Stereolithography advantages and disadvantages

Stereolithography advantages and disadvantages
By Protolabs
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Cargo ships loading at a port
Supply Chain
August 9, 2022

Onshoring Supply Chains Help Relieve Supply Pains

You know about black swan events: those unpredictable forces that can lead to potentially devastating consequences. They’ve been swooping in with disturbing regularity. Past trade wars with and tariffs on China. The lingering pandemic. The stuck container ship blocking the Suez Canal. Clogged ports. Container shortages. Trucker shortages. Geopolitical uncertainty including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Surging inflation. Ongoing natural disasters and climate-change factors.
By Rob Young
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Clear ABS resin pellets
Materials Science
August 4, 2022

ABS vs. PC: Comparing Two Common Thermoplastics

Choosing to use ABS, polycarbonate (PC), or combining them is a popular way to get strong machined, printed, or molded parts. There are a lot of similarities, but also some significant differences that might help you find just the right one for your parts.
By Protolabs
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Cobot
Digital Manufacturing
August 4, 2022

Decoding Fourth Industrial Revolution Buzzwords

Industry 4.0. is unfolding in real time and the conversation on digitization, automation, and the present and future state of manufacturing is generating quite a buzz. Let’s unpack some common buzzwords we hear on the subject and how they relate to digital manufacturing.
By Protolabs
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This plastic molded enclosure is actually an assembly of multiple parts
Tech Tips
August 1, 2022

Selecting a Manufacturing Method for Electronic Enclosures

Despite their widely varying applications, many electronic devices have at least one thing in common—the circuit boards and other components that make them work are all in an enclosure.
By Protolabs
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