The Upload

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

Check out these great gifts to give to your favorite engineer for the holidays!

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

Properly conceived new product introductions can mean the difference between success or failure.

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

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.

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.

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.

Finishing options for sheet metal vary depending on your needs. For instance, are you looking for an aesthetically pleasing part, a part that needs to withstand environmental challenges and wear, or are you testing overall functionality?

It’s no secret that 3D printing processes don’t produce injection molding-quality surface finishes right off the printer, but there is good news. Technologies exist to help, and there are new developments all the time.

Cutting corners isn’t always a bad thing when it comes to sheet metal parts. Design elements that round or bevel corners, such as chamfers and radii, not only add aesthetic value, but also provide improved safety for end users.