Assembly Fixtures: Printed Locators Improve Repeatability Assembly variability is one of the most common sources of quality issues in manufacturing, especially when processes rely heavily on manual positioning. Even small misalignments can accumulate, leadin... Apr 7, 2026 Repeatability and Process Control
No Machining Allowance on Critical Surfaces In metal additive manufacturing, it’s common to aim for near-net-shape parts, but assuming that critical surfaces will meet final tolerances straight off the printer can lead to costly issues. Feature... Apr 7, 2026 Post-Processing & Reliability
Did You Know? Fewer Pieces, Stronger Assemblies Part consolidation is one of the most powerful advantages of additive manufacturing, enabling engineers to rethink assemblies as single, optimized components rather than collections of individual part... Apr 7, 2026 Advanced Structures & Lightweighting
Why Some Parts Should Never Be Fully Machined CNC machining remains a powerful manufacturing method, but not all parts are suited for fully subtractive processes. When designs require removing 70–80% of the original material, machining becomes in... Mar 31, 2026 Industrial Applications & Use Cases
Design for Manufacturability: What’s New This Year Design for Manufacturability (DFM) has evolved from a reactive step into a core part of modern product development. In today’s fast-paced environment, manufacturability must be considered from the ver... Mar 31, 2026 Design for Additive Manufacturing
How to Avoid Costly Production Errors Many of the most expensive manufacturing problems don’t originate on the shop floor, they begin much earlier in the design phase. Parts that appear flawless in CAD often fail in production because cri... Mar 31, 2026 Repeatability and Process Control
Tag Cosmetic Surfaces in the PDF/Drawing In additive manufacturing, not all surfaces carry the same importance, yet this distinction is often overlooked in technical documentation. Failing to clearly identify cosmetic or sealing surfaces can... Mar 24, 2026 Repeatability and Process Control
DFM & DfAM Review: Our Checklist A structured Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) review is essential to ensuring that parts move efficiently from concept to production. Rather than identifying... Mar 24, 2026 Design for Additive Manufacturing
Myth: Highest Resolution Always Means Best Part In additive manufacturing, higher resolution is often associated with better quality, but this assumption can be misleading. While finer layer heights can improve surface finish, they also significant... Mar 24, 2026 Additive Manufacturing Fundamentals
Metal AM End-Use: Low-Volume Bracket for Agricultural Equipment Metal additive manufacturing is often associated with aerospace or high-tech industries, but its value extends strongly into practical, industrial applications, especially in low-volume production. Th... Mar 17, 2026 Industrial Applications & Use Cases
CNC-Level Tolerances on As-Printed Faces One of the most common misconceptions in additive manufacturing is expecting CNC-level precision directly from as-printed surfaces. While metal AM offers incredible design freedom, it inherently produ... Mar 17, 2026 Design for Additive Manufacturing
Conformal Cooling: When It Truly Makes Sense and When It Doesn’t Conformal cooling has become one of the most talked-about advantages of additive manufacturing in tooling, but its application should be driven by engineering need, not by trend. While the ability to ... Mar 17, 2026 Design for Additive Manufacturing