The 11 Most Important Metals Used in Medicine
Makers of devices used in medicine and healthcare need to be careful about their choice of raw materials. Not only must the material meet the engineering requirements of the application, but it must not pose any additional risk when in contact with the human body or the many types of chemicals that are often found in […]
What Makes Stainless Steel Stainless?
Steel is one of the most common engineering and building materials in the world, found virtually everywhere in a million common everyday items. Of that steel, a significant proportion is stainless steel, considered to be rust-proof. But not all stainless steels are the same and many people don’t know what exactly makes steel “stainless”. Let’s […]
How To Talk About Surface Texture Like A Pro
As a product designer you know that your choice of a surface texture goes a long way towards determining how your product looks, feels and performs. However, you may not realize that there’s a specialized vocabulary used by manufacturers when they make and describe surface textures. If you become familiar with these terms and how […]
Product Applications Help You Find the Plastic That’s Right for You
When developing a new product, there are so many different types of plastic available to use. Choosing the right one depends on application-specific criteria. In our experience, developers should consider if the plastic material is food safe, impact resistant, flexible, engineering grade, fire retardant or biocompatible. The below are our recommendations on the most common […]
CNC Materials: How To Choose The Right Materials for CNC Machining
One of the great advantages to using CNC machining is its versatility. That’s because precision CNC milling and turning works successfully with a very wide variety of raw materials to produce finished parts. This gives design engineers many options when it comes to creating prototypes and commercial products. Most CNC turned and milled parts are […]
The 10 Most Popular Injection Molding Materials
We often get asked what the best plastic injection molding resin is to use for certain projects. And honestly there is no one answer for that. The best resin is the one that works for you and your unique circumstances. The good news is that there are many thousands of plastic injection molding resins to […]
The Story of the Blackest Color Ever Made
Colors are all around us, from the pictures we paint to the clothes we wear. But, have you ever thought about where colors come from? Today, we’re going to discuss the science behind color transmission and absorption, as well as why it’s important for new product design and development. Understanding how light interacts with a […]
Choose The Right Plastic For Your Next Project
With thousands of plastics on the market, it can be a daunting task to decide which type is the best for your next rapid prototyping or low-volume manufacturing project. When choosing which plastic to use, there are going to be trade-offs between cost, moldability, surface finish, durability, strength and many others. The choice of plastic depends on […]
Custom Colors in Injection Molding – What You Need To Know
Let’s say you’ve got a great new idea for a plastic product and you’ve found a manufacturing partner to help you make it. You don’t need a lot of parts to start out with, but you do need that special custom color which is really going to make the whole thing come alive. Just show […]
Vitrimers May Replace Plastics As We Know Them
A truly revolutionary new class of material successfully combines the best attributes of thermoforming and thermosetting plastic. This could change the way we make rubber ducks, jumbo planes and everything in between. It might also greatly effect and improve our impact on the environment. What Are The Most Common Plastics? Polymers, generically called plastic, used […]
