RESOURCES

blog article

May 24, 2019

As the 3D printing space continues to transform into something that fits into industrial factory settings, we’ve seen materials expand, systems improve, and a trend toward automation. What has so far seemed to be the missing piece is an equal improvement in post-processing technologies.

blog article

May 24, 2019

With recent advances in technology, 3D printing is fast becoming popular. According to a recent report, the 3D printing market is set to double in size every three years with the annual growth forecasted by analysts generally estimated between 18.2% and 27.2%. It also states that SMEs are the power-...

blog article

May 23, 2019

The industry is again at the forefront of grappling with the opportunity and challenges of transformational new technologies. At the start of last year, Microsoft released The Future Computed: Artificial Intelligence and its Role in Society.

blog article

May 22, 2019

Many manufacturers overlook eCommerce because they do not believe their business models are suited for selling online. Manufacturers who solely serve their distribution channel partners, for example, may find an eCommerce store unnecessary because they don’t sell direct to the end user.

blog article

May 22, 2019

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is revolutionizing how food manufacturing facilities operate, from processing to building maintenance and everything in between. Food and beverage companies have access to more data than ever before, and that’s helping them make more informed decisions....

blog article

May 22, 2019

As I was chatting with a metal fabricator about the number of engineers it has on staff, I asked if it were hard to find engineering talent that wanted to work in the world of metal fabricating. The question was timely, as he proceeded to share the tale of a young engineer that gave the company a ca...

blog article

May 21, 2019

For metal 3D printing to compete with metal injection molding, perhaps the two technologies should work together. That’s the thinking behind Desktop Metal’s latest partnership. The company has just announced a strategic partnership with Indo-MIM, the world’s largest metal injection...

blog article

May 21, 2019

3D printing in the industry is an expertise that is becoming increasingly important. This is shown by a recent study in which Sirris collaborated and also by our own experience. After all, Sirris has almost 30 years of experience and expertise in the field, based on which it can offer companies the ...

blog article

May 20, 2019

At last year’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the CEO of China’s largest online travel service predicted that the number of Chinese passport holders could nearly double in the next 24 months. If that sounds impossible, consider that less than 10 percent of Chinese citizens o...

blog article

May 20, 2019

If the commercial aviation industry effectively doubles in the next 20 years, as projected by the two largest aerospace manufacturing companies in the world, how can aerospace manufacturers and suppliers possibly keep up?

blog article

May 20, 2019

Any of my friends from college will chuckle at that phrase. It’s on the roadside welcome sign heading into Hillsdale, Mich. I immediately think of my dad telling me about the classic dystopian movie Soylent Green where Charleston Heston declares that the food is people!

blog article

May 20, 2019

Titan Robotics is introducing its new Dual Pellet Extruder Atlas-H 3D printing system. The new system builds upon the work the Colorado-based company has already introduced in terms of large-scale and pellet extruding 3D printing, offering dual extrusion capabilities.

blog article

May 20, 2019

This week we are going to see for the first time 3DQue’s revolutionary way to implement low-volume production using 3D printing. The Vancouver-based startup, founded by Mateo Pekic, has devised a method of 3D printing that is quite different and could enable practical use of 3D printer arrays ...

blog article

May 19, 2019

You’ve got your tickets and are ready to go to North America’s largest 3D printing event. What do you do? Some may feel attending a conference or trade show is a kind of business vacation, but that’s not really the best way to look at it. In fact, those who treat them in that way l...

blog article

May 17, 2019

Here at the Alliance for American Manufacturing, we get asked a lot about where to find specific American-made products - and there’s nothing people seem to ask more about than tools. Stanley Black & Decker announced this week that it is moving production of Craftsman wrenches, ratchets, s...

blog article

May 17, 2019

When you walk into a room filled with manufacturers, one thing stands out: they really love what they do. You can feel the passion in the air. This was true while walking through the Plex Experience Lab & Solutions Expo, as you listen to conversations between sessions, and at networking events d...

blog article

May 17, 2019

3D printing is definitely not magic, although it may seem to be so at times. The truth is that the machines we so fondly cover make only what they are told to make. This is done by preparing a 3D model for printing. 3D models are in fact the most important part of the sequence, because that is where...

blog article

May 17, 2019

Industrial 3D printing continues to march toward serial production. EOS is among the companies invested in leading that charge and is consistent in their messaging: additive manufacturing is ready for production. For EOS, developing the industry is a critical consideration as emerging technologies g...

blog article

May 16, 2019

This is extremely helpful in responding to client inquiries. If a company writes us about what sort of contract they need for manufacturing their products in Vietnam, I send them Overseas Manufacturing Contracts OEM, CM and ODM and then give them a flat fee quote for us to draft just such a manufact...

blog article

May 16, 2019

Swiss engineering company Scheurer Swiss GmbH Volketswil, Switzerland recently combined 3D printing and years of experience using carbon fiber-reinforced composites for motorsports to develop lighter, stronger bearing cages for the Moonwave catamaran.

blog article

May 14, 2019

Like everything else these days, the manufacturing world is using more technology to stay abreast of new trends and maintain a competitive edge. By 2020, Business Insider estimates that global manufacturers will invest around $70 billion on IoT technologies; this is in comparison to the $29 billion ...

blog article

May 14, 2019

Health Canada has issued official guidance for producers of 3D printed medical implants. When they say Guidance it is just that; it is not the law, but is a statement of expectations of the government in the area proscribed. Thus anyone attempting to market 3D printed implants of any sort in Canada ...

blog article

May 14, 2019

Sintratec is gearing up for RAPID + TCT next week to showcase the capabilities of SLS 3D printing beyond prototyping. North America’s largest 3D printing trade event is coming up quickly, and this Swiss company is ready for another big showing following a successful premiere of the Sintratec S...

blog article

May 14, 2019

Sintavia opened a 55,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing facility, featuring 3D printing. The Florida-based company specializes in producing components for the aerospace and defense industries and leverages a number of advanced techniques. Their service has been in operation since 2012, when thei...

blog article

May 14, 2019

Claudia Vecciolini examines the barriers and opportunities for SMEs as they face up to the challenge to become leaders, not laggards in the race towards digitalisation. Announced in 2018, the Made Smarter programme presents a forward-looking vision of British manufacturing in a digital age, proposin...

blog article

May 12, 2019

To share its expertise in medical device manufacturing, global engineering technologies company Renishaw is returning to RAPID + TCT, the additive manufacturing (AM) and 3D printing event in the United States. From the 21st to the 23rd of May 2019, Renishaw can be found on Booth 827 at the Cobo Cent...

blog article

May 10, 2019

After initial commercialisation in the 1990s, 3D printing metals has witnessed a flurry of interest in recent years. Key players have been quick to capitalise on this demand, enjoying exponential revenue growth since 2013 as a result. The influx of new powder bed fusion equipment vendors since 2015 ...

blog article

May 10, 2019

In October of 2017, the final car rolled out of a local Australian production facility: a Holden VF Commodore. Ford closed up shop a couple of years prior with Toyota not far behind. Today, the country is without an auto industry. However, the center-left Labor Party has pledged to hit reset on the ...

blog article

May 09, 2019

In coming months, we will be bringing you extracts from The Manufacturer's Annual Manufacturing Report 2019. This month, we focus on the Smart Factories section sponsored by PwC which tested attitudes and barriers to the adoption of digital manufacturing technologies.

blog article

May 09, 2019

3D printing of continuous fiber-reinforced composites continues to expand and advance. Many new companies and developments have emerged since Markforged announced the Mark One continuous fiber 3D printer in 2014. CEAD Delft, Netherlands was introduced in Karen Mason’s March 2019 feature, Movin...

blog article

May 08, 2019

The technology that is powering the fourth industrial revolution is now widely available and the value is clear-sensor and automation technologies are bringing new opportunities to update brownfield manufacturing sites across sectors and geographies around the world.

blog article

May 07, 2019

Together with its supplier Ampacet, a provider of masterbatch, Henkel is developing a solution for black plastic packaging that is fully recyclable. The new packaging material uses an alternative carbon-free black colour, enabling used bottles to be integrated back into the value chain.

blog article

May 07, 2019

When operations are overhauled at a factory or warehouse, or a company starts to deploy new types of technology or equipment, jobs are almost always lost. The goal itself may be to reduce workforce costs-or it may be to improve quality, speed or to align with other companies in the supply chain. If ...

blog article

May 06, 2019

GE has developed a fascinating 3D printed part design that’s partly inspired by biology. The new part is a heat exchanger that is eventually intended to be used in gas turbine electrical generation systems. The idea is to capture the otherwise-lost heat created by the primary turbine, and then...

blog article

May 06, 2019

The Pro L and XL 3D printers have been developed with greatly increased build volumes over previous FELIX AM platforms. The Pro L can build parts up to 300 x 400 x 400mm, while the Pro XL has a build chamber of 600 x 400 x 600mm. To ensure the quality and reliability upon which FELIXprinters has bui...

blog article

May 02, 2019

In Brevard, the largest contributor to our local economy is manufacturing. Today’s world of modern manufacturing is high tech, automated, within clean environments, with a combination of talented individuals with varying skills and professions. However, nationally 84 percent of manufacturers r...

blog article

May 01, 2019

Praise and recognition are essential to a healthy workplace, but awards and ceremonies take those achievements to the next level. Awards help promote your brand, showcase your team's work to company leaders, and look great on your resume. For manufacturers, industry awards are a valuable way to ...

blog article

Apr 30, 2019

There’s no shortage of manufacturing problems in our modern society, from supply shortages to distribution problems and an ever-fluctuating economy. With all of these problems, it can seem like a miracle that we’re ever able to get things done in a landscape in which everything is agains...

blog article

Apr 29, 2019

The world of technology has reached a stage where concepts like IoT, ERP, artificial intelligence and more have gained importance. One of the most talked about advancement in the world of IT recently has to be ERP. Enterprise resource planning has definitely  increased efficiency and simplified...

blog article

Apr 29, 2019

The Tire industry has always been at the forefront of technological innovations, often leading the way, for the rest of the pack. With the emergence of innovative technologies, ultra-modern production facilities and the rising global demand, the sector is poised to grow further. According to Global ...

blog article

Apr 29, 2019

One of the best ways for you to reach out to your customers and provide them with information about your business or manufacturing processes is through valuable marketing content. A blog will not only allow you to provide customers with information, but it will also give you a chance to incorporate ...

blog article

Apr 24, 2019

Manufacturers today are seeking efficiencies in production, and the ability to deliver a broader mix of customized products to their customers. They know that staying competitive will require operational processes and production lines to be integrated and adaptable in order to enable fast configurat...

blog article

Apr 24, 2019

A great blog can serve as the foundation of your industrial content marketing strategy and fuel lead generation. If you don’t have a blog, or if the one you have isn’t up to snuff, it may be helpful to go back to the basics and make sure your blog is set up for success. Before you start ...

blog article

Apr 23, 2019

For many years, 3D Printing was an abstract concept. The technology could be used to advance innovation, streamline design cycles, and power manufacturing, but there was little or no proof. Industries started to explore how to align additive manufacturing across business, but there were few use-case...

blog article

Apr 19, 2019

Dr. Russell Portenoy, a professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and an early physician ally of Purdue Pharma LP. whose views helped drive the push for addictive pain relievers for common aches and pains in the United States, has agreed to act as a witness and testify against the OxyCont...

blog article

Apr 19, 2019

You know you want more new customers, and you know your website is key to getting them to your company, so how can you connect the dots? When you do a Google search, you’re likely to click on a link from one of the first five results. Have you ever given any thought to exactly how one of those...

blog article

Apr 18, 2019

Are you thinking about 3D printing in titanium? Then this blog post is for you.  We wanted to make sure that you have all the information you need to produce high-quality titanium 3D prints. So let’s get started and learn the basics of DMLS 3D printing in titanium. Models made in titanium...

blog article

Apr 17, 2019

American manufacturing stands at a critical point in its long history - and how industry leaders view and react to the changing landscape will influence its future. As technology, demographics, and economic climate shift, manufacturers must innovate in order to stay competitive.

blog article

Apr 15, 2019

The most effective content marketing strategies incorporate various types of content, allowing companies to reach users at different stages throughout the buying journey. Offering informative blogs, white papers, eBooks, infographics, case studies, calculators, checklists, and other forms of content...

blog article

Apr 11, 2019

Polyamide (SLS) is the all-rounder when it comes to 3D printing materials. It can be used for hand-painted sculptures, tech gadget prototypes, stunning fashion and jewelry design, or even pieces of art. Since this nylon plastic comes in 26 different finishes and can be used so universally, we though...

blog article

Apr 05, 2019

Maturing technologies, human experiences and climate change are crucial to future proofing your manufacturing business. Prasad Satyavolu, chief digital officer, manufacturing & logistics at Cognizant, explains why. Due to a combination of economic instability and rapid evolution in consumer dema...

blog article

Apr 04, 2019

After working on and around slopes for over 28 years, and hearing beyond-countable complaints about painful, but competition-worthy ski boots, Reto Rindlisbacher’s dream was to create the unthinkable for winter sports enthusiasts. He wanted to create footwear that is both powerful and comforta...

blog article

Mar 28, 2019

If the two new colors that were recently launched to spice up your 3D prints in alumide weren’t enough to fuel your imagination, discover 5 outstanding alumide 3D prints in this blog post. Alumide is perhaps the most underrated 3D printing material. Often mistaken for aluminum or seen as the l...

blog article

Mar 27, 2019

Using a 3D scanner can be a good solution to start your 3D printing process. Indeed, to 3D print, it is necessary to get a 3D file! Several possibilities are available: you can design your own 3D design using a 3D modeling software, or get one from the internet. But you can also start by 3D scanning...

blog article

Mar 27, 2019

Are you starting a new 3D printing project and you’re unsure about the technology you should use? Or maybe you’re new to Additive Manufacturing? Let us introduce you to one of the most effective and highly precise 3D printing technologies: CLIP by Carbon. Did you know that industry giant...

blog article

Mar 26, 2019

3D printing has a lot of benefits to offer to the dental industry. From dental implants to aligners and 3D printed braces, the use of additive manufacturing is really promising in this sector. It could offer new possibilities on different levels, and that is precisely what Texas inmates are about to...

blog article

Mar 26, 2019

And if you’ve really been keeping up with our free resources, you would have learned from The Ultimate Guide to Marketing for Manufacturers that the work doesn’t stop after you’ve created content. The marketing magic continues when you promote your content to drive more buyers to y...

blog article

Mar 26, 2019

Low-temperature reactions are widely used in pharmaceutical manufacturing. Temperatures of approximately -80°C are sufficiently cold for most cGMP requirements, but as Chris Johnson, managing director of miniature bearing supplier SMB Bearings explains, these extreme temperatures create design c...

blog article

Mar 22, 2019

We know it! The 3D modeling world is actually offering a lot of possibilities and it might sometimes be complicated to see what are the best tools to use for your project. Choosing the perfect 3D modeling software is one of the most important parts of your project while getting started with 3D work....

blog article

Mar 22, 2019

We’ve reported before on 3D printing technology being used to make parts for satellites and other spacecraft, and this trend looks set to continue in the future, with Thales Alenia Space being one of the major companies leading the way. The company, which is a joint venture between Thales and ...

blog article

Mar 22, 2019

NASA researchers with the Glenn Research Center and Marshall Space Flight Center teamed up to develop GRCop-42, a copper-based high strength alloy with high conductivity. Using powder bed fusion 3D printing, NASA researchers successfully 3D printed near-fully-dense GRCop-42 components that are resis...

blog article

Mar 21, 2019

Japanese company Open Meals is fusing science and sushi to create nutrient-rich foods that is tailored to each diner. By using biological samples including saliva, urine, and stool, Open Meals will create a 3D printed sushi based on individual requirements.

blog article

Mar 21, 2019

Former Vice President Al Gore told an audience attending a conference sponsored by 3D printer manufacturer Desktop Metal that it takes longer than expected for new ways to take hold. Quoting an economist, he said, Things take longer to happen than you think. Then they happen much faster than you tho...

blog article

Mar 21, 2019

Armed with the knowledge of 3D modeling and 3D printing, a background in architecture, and the will to liberate his creative mind, Korean designer Se Yoon Park has created a stunning art installation made up of 3D-printed trees. His work imitates the organic structure of trees and consists of many s...

blog article

Mar 20, 2019

We are now able to 3D print a lot of different materials, and researchers continue to be interested in the development of new 3D printing materials. Today, let’s talk about this new project of 3D printed wood, developed by researchers from Columbia University! They managed to 3D print digital ...

blog article

Mar 19, 2019

There are hundreds of answers on every forum when someone asks: Which 3D software should I choose? People always list 3D programmes they use, but it’s not that easy to pick the best software for your projects. First of all, you need to know that 3D software divides into two categories: CAD and...

blog article

Mar 15, 2019

We talked about Additive Manufacturing being used in the fashion industry numerous times. From 3D printed shoes, fabrics and jewelry to software specialized in creating new, innovative solutions for the ultimate wearing comfort. In this blog post, we will go a step further into the future and discus...

blog article

Mar 15, 2019

Marketing isn't a new practice actually it has been around for centuries but for some companies in the industrial space, there is still an opportunity to completely embrace its effectiveness. For industry, marketing isn't just about flashy imagery and cute one-liners, it's a crucial part...

blog article

Mar 14, 2019

Austrian designer Julia Koerner had a rather delicious surprise last month: Head Costume Designer Ruth E. Carter, with whom Julia collaborated closely, won the Academy Award for her work on Black Panther. The cherry on top: Ruth wore a custom 3D printed piece created by Julia for the Oscar festiviti...

blog article

Mar 14, 2019

A major element of defining your part is to consider which type of plastic you’ll want to use. A variety of plastic materials are available. In raw form, they’re called resins. Resins can be combined with other resins or with filler materials to give plastics special properties. All of t...

blog article

Mar 13, 2019

At one time, lasers were nothing more than science fiction dreams. In the last 60 years, we’ve transitioned from imaginary cosmic ray guns to harnessing the power of light strategically. Today, lasers are everywhere, in subtle surgical equipment, optical media readers, and in the brute-force s...

blog article

Mar 13, 2019

3D printing resolution is very important to check before you upload your 3D model for 3D printing. When it comes to Additive Manufacturing, the resolution depends on the layer thickness. However, this is not the only factor you have to keep in mind while designing your parts. Despite that, the layer...

blog article

Mar 11, 2019

Have you ever heard about hybrid manufacturing technologies? We hear more and more about this new process, often seen as a little revolution. This process is using both subtractive and additive manufacturing. But why is this manufacturing process so interesting? That is what we are going to figure o...

blog article

Mar 11, 2019

Walk across the spotlessly clean and well-lit floors of Pratt & Whitney’s 1 million-square-foot manufacturing plant in North Berwick, Maine, and you’ll pass by dozens of closed-door CNC machines, each the size of a large refrigerator. The machines quietly whir and hum as they turn, m...

blog article

Mar 11, 2019

What would you print in Bordeaux? What about Petrol Blue? Well now you can get prints in these two colors for 3D printing in Alumide thanks to yours truly. Overnight, we went from offering six colors to eight, with Bordeaux and Petrol Blue joining our original dream team of Natural, Asphalt Black, B...

blog article

Mar 08, 2019

Boeing plans to increase production of the 787 to a rate of 14 per month in 2019. The company delivered 145 aircraft in 2018, up from 136 in 2017, and looks to be on track to make its goal for the new year. The move is not without risk. Production of the competing Airbus A350 is ramping up, and the ...

blog article

Mar 08, 2019

Three years ago Acura turned many heads with the Precision concept. Said to be the future of Acura design language, the latest RDX crossover is the most full-bodied expression of the Precision Crafted Performance design language. The rest of the range has only gone as far as the Diamond Pentagon gri...

blog article

Mar 08, 2019

McLaren designed the Senna to be a track car that was just barely legal enough to drive on public streets. Hinderances such as safety restrictions keep it from being the full-out ballistic projectile it was born to be. So McLaren asked the question, "What if we took the Senna out of that box?&q...

blog article

Mar 07, 2019

Additive Manufacturing is the perfect solution for low-volume production. It doesn’t require expensive molds and gives you new design freedom to improve your products. It can produce highly complex, accurate and fully functional parts in a short amount of time. But what if the manufacturing pr...

blog article

Mar 06, 2019

So you’ve realized that your old traditional and digital marketing business tactics just weren’t working, and you’ve taken steps to get your inbound marketing program off the ground. Great! To refresh, inbound marketing focuses on creating educational content that pulls people towa...

blog article

Mar 05, 2019

Fully electric vans aren't all the rage yet, but Mercedes is trying to change that with its EQV Concept at the Geneva Motor Show. Mercedes promises this concept is going to spawn an extremely similar production vehicle. The specs on the concept are promising, too. The EQV Concept will travel 249...

blog article

Mar 04, 2019

Telecommunication is all around us, from our phones, WiFi, public transportation to space exploration, it connects people around the globe. Considering how widely used this technology is, there is always room for improvements. We need faster internet, better connection, and improved devices. Can Add...

blog article

Mar 01, 2019

You know it, applications of additive manufacturing are numerous. Today we are going to focus on the mechanical engineering applications of this cutting edge technology. Do you know that 3D printing could help you on many levels for your mechanical projects? From developing your prototype to the imp...

blog article

Feb 27, 2019

A 3D printed sponge to soak up chemo drugs… Does it sound impossible for you? You certainly know it by reading our blog, 3D printing technology is now really revolutionizing the medical industry, from treatments testing to 3D printed organs. Today we are going to see how additive manufacturin...

blog article

Feb 27, 2019

3D printing service prices depend on several factors including technology and the type of material or filament used. This page will give you an overview of how much to charge for 3D printing services. Do you know that 3D printing goes beyond printing toys to play or printing additional cups for your...

blog article

Feb 27, 2019

Industry 4.0: Is this fourth industrial revolution just another buzzword boardrooms use while the machine shop is knee deep in oil & swarf? Meanwhile, nobody’s bothered to do a proper inventory in the stockroom, so we’ve run out of machine screws again. Or is industry 4.0, as some so...

blog article

Feb 27, 2019

We talk a lot about 3D printing in the medical industry, from 3D printed knee replacements to hearts. But there is much more to discover within 3D technologies. For instance, 3D scanning. This technique enables doctors around the world to literally look inside the patient in just a matter of seconds...

blog article

Feb 27, 2019

There are so many 3D printing materials to choose from that it might be overwhelming. Which one would be best for your production? It might be a hard call to make. To help you we’ve written about available materials, their properties, and possible applications. Recently we had a look over flex...

blog article

Feb 26, 2019

Design teams test the aerodynamics of a Formula 1 car by putting a prototype in a wind tunnel. Using a full-size model in the testing process can be expensive and time-consuming, so development engineers often use smaller scale 3D models during testing - but how can they be sure that the prototype w...

blog article

Feb 21, 2019

For decades, Medical 3D Printing has been enabling a more personalized approach to patient care. But for decades, it’s been a quiet player on the sidelines, leveraged in relatively few specialties and called on as an additional planning tool for the most complex cases. Today, the steady rise o...

blog article

Feb 21, 2019

We already talked about a family moving into a 3D printed house in France. In the other real-life examples, we will introduce you to some stunning projects from the Netherlands, Dubai’s 3D printed offices which were a pioneer for office architecture, to the first ever 3D printed bridge. How ab...

blog article

Feb 20, 2019

In the construction industry, 3D printing is constantly improving, allowing for the creation of more and more outstanding architectural projects. In this blog post, we are going to tell you about a new success: The longest 3D printed bridge in the world! From 3D printed houses to 3D printed urban fe...

blog article

Feb 20, 2019

Done professionally or as a hobby, sports are fun, however, they can be also highly dangerous. Therefore we have to constantly look at how to improve our safety. By 2025 the sports safety equipment market will be worth over 90 Billion US dollars and Additive Manufacturing is going to be a big invest...

blog article

Feb 20, 2019

Using Kickstarter and Indigogo are great new ways for startups to present their products to the public and to their future customers. This way, people interested in the project can invest money in it. To make your Kickstarter campaign worth it, and make a great launch of your product, you could use ...

blog article

Feb 19, 2019

3D printing, or additive manufacturing, is not a new concept. First conceived in the late 1980s, it’s only in recent years that it has taken flight. Additive manufacturing is used in daily life, but developments are making it more accessible for other industries to use the technology, includin...

blog article

Feb 14, 2019

3D printing offers tons of benefits in the fields of medicine, engineering, and business. This page will help you understand and appreciate the different 3D printing applications. What to make with a 3d printer? What can you print with a 3d printer? Have you asked yourself these questions? If you ar...

blog article

Feb 14, 2019

A guitar pick is a simple design, right? It’s just a flat piece of flexible plastic, after all. Well, Paul Holcomb, founder of Bog Street LLC and designer of the LEAP series of guitar picks, begs to differ. He has reimagined the guitar pick with an all-in-one design with variable thicknesses a...

blog article

Feb 13, 2019

A lot of companies are offering their additive manufacturing services and you might feel a bit lost. In this blog post, we will help you choose the best 3D printing service for your project. What criteria should you take into account to choose your 3D printing service? We will see what is best for y...

blog article

Feb 13, 2019

We recently talked about Additive Manufacturing in space projects, such as colonizing Mars with 3D printed habitats or using moon dust for Additive Manufacturing applications. It’s also no news that Additive Manufacturing is broadly used in the medical sector. From 3D printed prosthesis to org...

blog article

Feb 12, 2019

Now that Additive Manufacturing (AM) has traversed the Hype Cycle to the Path of Enlightenment, an increasing number of manufacturing concerns are focused on learning how to leverage the benefits of AM to bolster the strength of their value streams. Most who are successful at understanding the gains...

blog article

Feb 12, 2019

Partnering with an industrial manufacturing marketing agency may be just what your business needs to boost growth and achieve goals. However, once you’ve established a partnership with an agency, you must make sure they are delivering an ROI return on investment.

blog article

Feb 12, 2019

Few would argue that cost-effective and efficient postprocessing of 3D-printed parts is a necessary aspect of the industry’s continued growth. Yet it’s important to recognize that postprocessing is far more effective if it’s considered early in the design process-not treated as an ...

blog article

Feb 12, 2019

Andretti Autosports, a top performer in IndyCar Series, Indy Lights, and FIA Formula E competitive auto racing, today revealed the team will leverage high-performance FDM 3D Printers and materials from Stratasys. Stratasys 3D Printing solutions will help Andretti accelerate design and development of...

blog article

Feb 11, 2019

Manufacturing teams are all striving for continuous improvement - more output, better quality, lower costs, increased flexibility, and agility, etc. There is a global wave of digital transformation in manufacturing, commonly referred to as Industry 4.0 or the fourth industrial revolution. Attend Liv...

blog article

Feb 11, 2019

At Autodesk University (AU) last November, it was not surprising that several speakers representing the company, including CEO Andrew Anagnost, discussed the convergence of design and manufacturing. This has been a theme at several prior sessions of the annual AU event. However, another convergence ...

blog article

Feb 08, 2019

There have been plenty of discussions lately around the mounting skills gap dilemma facing manufacturing and fabricating industries. It’s quite a different conversation compared to a decade ago, though. Between late 2007 and 2010, the U.S. economy was suffering through a financial crisis-led r...

blog article

Feb 08, 2019

For those utopians starry-eyed about emerging 3D printing/additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, former President Barack Obama’s enthusiasm was rather encouraging. As a new era has dawned in the White House, what is helping and hindering the growth of 3D printing today?

blog article

Feb 08, 2019

Two of the most popular forms of carbon steel for manufacturing-galvanized and galvannealed-start with the same process, but that’s where the similarities end. The difference between these two is the addition of an important manufacturing step that could affect your choice of materials for cer...

blog article

Feb 07, 2019

Steady industry growth was a trend for manufacturers in 2018. According to a recent Forbes report, U.S. manufacturing has rebounded since the Great Recession, with a gain of 1.1 million jobs over the last eight years. Those numbers are expected to climb in 2019.

blog article

Feb 06, 2019

After high school graduation and a few years at a technical school, or maybe four years at a university, you’re done, right? Racking up 14 to 16 years in classrooms, full-time, should be more than enough for a career, shouldn’t it? How much education does the modern world really need fro...

blog article

Feb 06, 2019

Creating objects at the nanoscale is not the easiest thing to do. Thankfully, a lot of researchers are already trying to make new progress on it. Today, let’s talk about a collaboration between the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineeri...

blog article

Feb 06, 2019

Are you looking for a way to manufacture flexible objects? Do you that you can use additive manufacturing technology for these projects? By using 3D printing you will have several possibilities to create your flexible parts. Are you looking for rubber-like material? Or a part slightly flexible?

blog article

Feb 06, 2019

Jewelry has been around for centuries, it has already been known in ancient Egypt as the archeology shows. Starting your own jewelry business might seem overwhelming, but it’s not as hard as you might think. To help you out we prepared for you a simple guide to opening your first jewelry busin...

blog article

Feb 05, 2019

The benefits of automating repetitive operational procedures are clear, at least in theory. Workload automation can provide improved process efficiency, better visibility and allow a more agile response to an ever-changing technological landscape. But it’s that ever-changing nature that causes...

blog article

Feb 04, 2019

Even if you think your operation couldn't get better, there's always room for improvement. Thanks to rapidly developing technology, you have new options to implement quality control on your shop floor. With a few tweaks to your process, you can see distinct improvements in quality while main...

blog article

Feb 03, 2019

The best way to demonstrate the transformative benefits of 3D post-print automation is through a customer’s real-world success story. This prominent consumer goods company utilizes multiple additive manufacturing technologies within their prototyping department. With volumes ramping annually, ...

blog article

Feb 03, 2019

Are you looking for 3d printing projects you can make at home? Are you aware of the wonders that this little machine can do for you? 3D printing is a powerful technology. It allows you to bring to life anything you have in mind. With 3D printing technology, you can now see, hold and feel whatever is...

blog article

Feb 02, 2019

January’s jobs report released on Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) revealed that U.S. companies added around 304,000 jobs last month and average hourly wages grew 3.2 percent for private-sector workers from one year ago. The unemployment rate rose to 4 percent mostly due to the r...

blog article

Feb 01, 2019

Metal 3D printing crosses markets. And those in machining, fabrication, and other areas of conventional manufacturing have been paying attention. A high-end, previously machined part could be totally redesigned to take advantage of all that additive manufacturing (AM) has to offer, complete with imp...

blog article

Feb 01, 2019

From Selective Laser Sintering to Direct Metal Laser Sintering, 3D printing offers the ultimate solutions to many production needs and requirements. You can choose from a variety of materials depending on their properties, strengths, colors, melting points, and other characteristics. For those reaso...

blog article

Jan 30, 2019

Additive manufacturing and robotics are really getting along. In 2018 we talked about seriously impressive 3D printed robot projects on our blog. Today we are going to focus on 3D printed robotic arms. From industrial machines to 3D printed prosthetics, how could 3D printed arms become a revolution ...

blog article

Jan 30, 2019

More and more materials are 3D printable and today, we are going to talk about 3D printed glass developed by MIT’s scientists. Researchers, 3D printer manufacturers, everybody knows that the potential of 3D printing can be increased with a growing and interesting offer of 3D printing materials...

blog article

Jan 30, 2019

For the past few years, one of the biggest trends in manufacturing is Digital Transformation. Most manufacturers have created some type of Digital Transformation roadmap, started their search for relevant use cases, and in some instances, began their implementation. These transformations are either ...

blog article

Jan 30, 2019

Stratasys and Google Arts and Culture are re-imagining some of the world’s most cherished artifacts and historical monuments through additive manufacturing. Using the Stratasys J750 3D Printer, historians can now re-create ancient artifacts and historical monuments both digitally and physicall...

blog article

Jan 29, 2019

The digitalization of your manufacturing operations is an essential component of not only working to improve operational efficiencies today – but also preparing for what’s next.  Define specific objectives based on the level of automation, data processing and connectivity you need i...

blog article

Jan 29, 2019

Modeling and Simulation is defined as an imitation of the operation of a real-world process or system. In other words, a simulation in practice is a way to evaluate virtual scenarios using a process model to mitigate the risk of an investment. This means that Manufacturers can fail quickly and inexp...

blog article

Jan 28, 2019

The town I live in is home to four companies involved with additive manufacturing: a builder of 3D printers, an international distributor of resins, a multinational consultancy, and a 3D printer of small toys. That certainly doesn’t make the town a hotbed of AM activity. But it’s an impr...

blog article

Jan 28, 2019

American manufacturers are facing another big threat to growth and profitability in the future. It is the threat of rising healthcare costs. Both the costs of insurance premiums and deductibles continue to rise. Many people and companies are asking why the per capita cost is so high in the United St...

blog article

Jan 28, 2019

Nascar was an early adopter of 3D printing because it enables their engineers to prototype faster, testing more design iterations to determine what makes the car go the faster. The drivers are often involved in the testing process and thus exposed to the wonders of 3D printing. Brad Keselowski got b...

blog article

Jan 28, 2019

A luxury footwear brand called Ica & Kostika has used 3D printing technology to create a range of shoes which it dubbed as its Exobiology collection. Inspired by nature, the shoes are shaped and designed to comfortably fit the natural form of the foot.

blog article

Jan 28, 2019

A team of engineers at the University of Maryland has created the smallest-ever 3D printed fluidic circuit element. Fluidic circuits are a lot like electrical circuits, where different components of a circuit board control and direct the flow of fluid/electricity. They’re used in medical devic...

blog article

Jan 28, 2019

What is the ideal operating speed for your stamping press to deliver the highest productivity? What’s the optimum clean-in-place interval for the vats in your beverage production line? Your operators are running an asset hard. What’s the consequence of the machine’s future health? ...

blog article

Jan 28, 2019

Surface finish is fundamental to the performance and appearance of any customer-ready part. For example, in the way of performance, an uneven surface can create aerodynamic drag that is the difference in a part meeting or failing a critical test. In the way of aesthetics, it can also be the differen...

blog article

Jan 25, 2019

The standard robot (overlord) is usually equipped with rigid actuators, also known as grippers; they may have a soft coating to limit scratching the surface of whatever object the robot is interacting with, but ultimately the actuators have to be relatively stiff in order to bear the weight of lifte...

blog article

Jan 25, 2019

A study out of North Carolina State University investigates a process for 3D printing soft robotics that can be controlled with magnetic fields. Soft robotics is a subfield where robotic objects are constructed of materials that mimic tissues of living organisms; they generally achieve motion withou...

blog article

Jan 25, 2019

Kallista’s Grid bathroom faucet and Cube handles are stunning examples of minimalist design. And I’m not the only one who thinks so. Kallista, part of the Kohler (Wis.) Decorative Products Group, recently received a Good Design Award from the Chicago Athenaeum Museum for its faucet set.

blog article

Jan 25, 2019

One of the questions we are constantly asked as a 3D printing service is how to get a 3D model for 3D printing. Indeed, you may want to start using 3D printing technology, but you don’t know how to get a 3D model. Here are three ways to get the perfect 3D model for your project!

blog article

Jan 24, 2019

Manufacturing companies are hoping to continue their revenue growth in 2019 by focusing on three key areas. Deloitte has released the results of its annual manufacturing industry outlook report, which finds that the optimism from 2017 and 2018 will continue this year. With promises of tax reform, de...

blog article

Jan 23, 2019

Composites manufacturing is inherently an additive process and has always been about structural efficiency in our three-dimensional world. However, the 3D printing community has been slow to catch on. For more than 30 years, 3D printing has been stuck in 2.5D, building parts a layer at a time on a f...

blog article

Jan 23, 2019

Xiaoyu Rayne Zheng, assistant professor of mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering, and a member of the Macromolecules Innovation Institute, and his team have developed methods to 3D print piezoelectric materials that can be custom-designed to convert movement, impact, and stress from a...

blog article

Jan 23, 2019

A team of researchers recently launched a paper entitled 3D Printed Chiral Metasurface as Dichroic Dual-Band Polarization Converter. We can see every day that researchers around the world are fascinated with additive manufacturing. Let’s talk about this research focusing on designing and 3D pr...

blog article

Jan 23, 2019

Using molds for mass production has been known for ages, but there is more to discover about this technology. Molds allow you to manufacture the same parts over and over, but getting the masterpiece perfect might be hard. Is 3D printing the solution? Let’s find out why should you start using A...

blog article

Jan 22, 2019

Industry 4.0 is commonly defined as the next wave of manufacturing technology advances, which characterize the fourth industrial revolution. It includes cyber-physical systems, the Internet of Things and cloud and cognitive computing. Industry 4.0’s attraction is not only in the digitization o...

blog article

Jan 22, 2019

Every few months or so I read about a university, government agency, or manufacturing company that’s opening a research center devoted to advanced technologies. These organizations tend to be large and well-funded. GE, for example, invested approximately $1.5 billion in its Global Research Cen...

blog article

Jan 22, 2019

Climate change is indisputable, as is its impact on our planet’s invaluable but finite resources. Indeed, this is one of the most pressing paradoxes of our time: how do we strive for industrial growth while also being mindful of the traditional environmental impact of production?

blog article

Jan 22, 2019

2018 marked a turbulent year for manufacturers, with UK output declining amidst an uncertain business and economic landscape. In light of this, Graeme Wright, CTO for manufacturing, utilities, and services at Fujitsu UK, shares his five technology trends to watch out for in manufacturing in 2019. We...

blog article

Jan 22, 2019

With the hype around the Golden Globes earlier this month and the excitement in the air around today’s Oscar nomination announcement, we thought we would take a look back to see when 3D printing was used in some of our favorite films. The 2018 blockbuster by Marvel used 3D printing to make fan...

blog article

Jan 21, 2019

In the case of Attl A Spol, a company producing stainless steel tubes for a Volkswagen supplier, automated robots allowed them to perform monotonous manual labor with heightened precision and 20 hours a day, 6 days a week without any required downtime or service outages.

blog article

Jan 21, 2019

Made in America considerations have come into play over the past few years with regard to iron and steel products used by cities, counties, and states when they repair or build drinking water and sewer systems. That trend continues as Congress fights back efforts to change the rules.

blog article

Jan 18, 2019

A Zero Waste Lab was just opened in Thessaloniki, Greece that directly recycles plastic into outdoor furniture. For the public, closing the plastic waste loop with direct recycling is one of the more compelling selling points of 3D printing as we all feel the guilt of our plastic waste.

blog article

Jan 18, 2019

Around the world, about 350 million people struggle with arthritis. That’s an enormous amount of people who seek help, even when it comes to simple tasks such as brushing your teeth. Many of them turn to adaptive aids, but they are expensive and don’t give much choice of customization. H...

blog article

Jan 17, 2019

TAHOE Boats, part of White River Marine Group, the marine manufacturing arm of Bass Pro Shops, has announced its new and revolutionary T16 boat design engineered with families in mind. Using innovative 3D printing technology, the T16 delivers a lightweight design and better affordability with an unc...

blog article

Jan 17, 2019

3D printing company Carbon (Silicon Valley) showed the first digitally manufactured polymer parts in production for Ford Motor Co. at the Additive Manufacturing for Automotive Workshop at the 2019 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit.

blog article

Jan 17, 2019

CNC Machining is a manufacturing process in which a set of pre-defined computer codes are used to manipulate how the existing machinery such as lathe, grinder, milling machine, would behave. These codes are generated with the help of CAM software that converts CAD drawing of parts into a series of s...

blog article

Jan 17, 2019

The technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT) practice at Deloitte, the business advisory firm, has revealed its latest digital trends for 2019 in its annual UK technology, media, and telecoms (TMT) report. 2019 will see the first mass-market generation of 5G-enabled handsets go on sale.

blog article

Jan 17, 2019

January is a great time to look at the year ahead and sketch out a few ways the automation market needs to evolve in 2019, to the benefit of both vendors and customers. Digital Darwinism, or slowly falling behind the competition as you fail to adapt to new technologies, is a real thing. And it&rsquo...

blog article

Jan 16, 2019

We talk a lot on this blog about Chinese New Year and for good reason! It’s a major multi-week holiday that puts production at a complete standstill, and if companies do not properly prepare, it could cause major headaches. It’s not just Chinese New Year, though.

blog article

Jan 16, 2019

3D printing with concrete is all the rage right now amongst the big wigs in the construction industry, and Europe is jumping on that enthusiasm with the opening of its first industrial concrete 3D printing facility, which is in Eindhoven, Netherlands. The project is a collaboration between BAM Infra...

blog article

Jan 16, 2019

One of the biggest (pun totally intended) trends occurring in 3D printing right now is printing bridges. We just covered the opening of China's first 3D-printed footbridge in Shanghai, but another record-setting 3D-printed concrete pedestrian bridge was unveiled on the same weekend and also in S...

blog article

Jan 16, 2019

You want to use 3D printing, but don’t know how 3D printers work? Or maybe you are already using 3D printing but don’t really understand the way these impressive 3D machines work. That is why, today, we chose to focus on these amazing 3D printing systems. How does a 3D printer work? Are ...

blog article

Jan 16, 2019

You know it already, mobile communications are quickly advancing and 5G connections might soon be part of our daily life. Ultra-fast video streaming, super-efficient car radars, and 5G communication systems could quickly be improved in the upcoming years, and it could be thanks to 3D printing techno...

blog article

Jan 15, 2019

Industry 4.0 is upon us, but what exactly does it mean? Not just in defining the term, but in understanding the potential benefit it can bring, then once prepared, how to go about implementing Industry 4.0 technologies in your shop. Recent years have seen a resurgence in manufacturing activity that ...

blog article

Jan 15, 2019

Fortify, a Boston-based additive manufacturing company specialized in composite material systems, has announced today a seed round of $2.5M with strategic funding from Neotribe Ventures, Prelude Ventures, MainspringCapital, Ocean Azul Partners, and McCune Capital.

blog article

Jan 15, 2019

Roaming the vast halls of CES, you realize the show isn’t just about the brightest TVs or the fastest drones. It’s also about deliciousness. As you’ve probably seen from our numerous dispatches from the show, we found a bunch of cool startups developing new ways to make tasty treat...

blog article

Jan 15, 2019

One of the most exciting things about working in manufacturing is the fast-paced nature of the industry. However, the constant change and continuous innovation can also create a challenge - keeping up with everything. As a supplier, you need to know what trends are driving demand for your products a...

blog article

Jan 11, 2019

While President Trump and others extol manufacturing sector growth, the year ended with the standard manufacturing production number dropping from 59.3 percent in November to 54.1 percent in December. While any PMI number over 50 still indicates growth, this is the lowest figure since November 2016 ...

blog article

Jan 11, 2019

A 3D printed sponge could absorb excess drugs from entering the bloodstream of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, reducing the side effects of treatment while also allowing for higher dosages to combat more resistant tumors. The toll of cancer doesn’t stop at the illness; the treatments c...

blog article

Jan 10, 2019

Metal additive manufacturing is on the rise. The most recent numbers show that over 50% of service providers are producing some level of metals parts, and almost 25% are producing metal exclusively. However, metals have more challenges when it comes to meeting the final surface finish specifications...

blog article

Jan 09, 2019

This past December, I took part in a three-day workshop conducted by the American Management Association on behalf of my employer, the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association International (FMA). The entire organization took part in the program, entitled Building Better Work Relationships: New T...

blog article

Jan 09, 2019

Here is a project developed by an archeology team at the University of California, in Los Angeles: they decided to help to reconstruct the ruins of Tiwanaku (AD 500 – 950). 3D modeling and 3D printing have been used to help this Unesco World Heritage Site located in Bolivia. 3D printing and ar...

blog article

Jan 09, 2019

Did you know that you can 3d print Rocket engines?  Not only that but today, we will tell you about a new example of a 3D printed rocket. The company Rocket Lab developed a 3D printed rocket and it has launched its first mission for NASA. A great way to end in 2018!

blog article

Jan 07, 2019

When the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) released its monthly Report on Business last week, the manufacturing industry got a bit of a jolt when December’s Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) plummeted more than 5 percent from the previous month. The drop to 54.1 percent is a 25...

blog article

Jan 07, 2019

And here is the result, the first stab at a bicycle light - in this case, one based on a pair of Carclo 26.5mm collimators. Good citizen note: With powerful leds behind them, it is only fair to use such optics as a switchable main beam to go alongside a properly controlled non-dazzle dip beam.

blog article

Jan 06, 2019

Digital manufacturing promises to improve productivity on the shop floor, offering manufacturers sensors, software and connectivity to capture and leverage data about their operations. However, truly digital manufacturing extends beyond the shop floor; it follows and encompasses the entire product l...

blog article

Jan 04, 2019

Additive manufacturing promises a revolution in the way we manufacture and distribute goods in a range of industries. The opportunities for the MedTech sector are immense, for business, healthcare professionals and patients alike. Ultimately, the benefit of this technology lies in the deskilling and...

blog article

Jan 03, 2019

Flutura has helped various batch manufacturing companies move from Standard Operating Procedures to Dynamic Operating Procedures to achieve high-quality benchmarks for their products. The key to this is through better decision making for shop floor personnel in real time by identifying deep insights...

blog article

Jan 02, 2019

By now, you’ve probably heard the troubling statistics. IndustryWeek reports that nearly 25% of manufacturing employees are age 55 or older, and many will soon be leaving to enjoy a well-earned retirement. Unfortunately, there’s no influx of new talent waiting to take their places.

blog article

Jan 01, 2019

There has been sustained excitement about IOT and the data capabilities it will bring to the industry. In 2013, McKinsey&Company had predicted that IOT would bring $3-6T economic impact in 2025. With margins getting smaller and competition getting more intense, manufacturing companies are gettin...

blog article

Dec 28, 2018

Recently, a potential client asked if we The Barnes Group Advisors could give a presentation to their stakeholders. Requests like these are common and topics typically include Industrial Additive Manufacturing or The Future of Additive Manufacturing.

blog article

Dec 27, 2018

One would be hard-pressed to find many commentators ready to say Europe’s manufacturing industry is coasting. Rather, the last decades have been quite competent at throwing several challenges towards our economic model. The 2018 European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) Conference “The World...

blog article

Dec 27, 2018

We cover heaps of research and development concerning the 3D printing of bone, and while the technologies of the field are advancing at a rapid pace, most of the techniques and materials are years away from being applied. That’s why it’s especially exciting when we get to report on prese...

blog article

Dec 27, 2018

Every maker’s 3D printer is working overtime around the holidays as family and friends request trinkets, figurines, and custom name tags. But arguably, the most popular Christmas-time objects to 3D print are ornaments. Some designers go to extremes by incorporating moving parts into their 3D p...

blog article

Dec 26, 2018

In only a few years, nearly all vehicles will include 3D printed components. This is evidenced by the growing number of automotive manufacturing companies already using additive methods as well as those in the research and development phase of incorporating 3D printing into their supply chains and a...

blog article

Dec 24, 2018

Every day thousands of people are diagnosed with dyslexia. Dyslexia is a very common disorder, usually, discovered at an early age. It influences only writing and reading and can be treated by specialized teachers. However, they are lacking new tools to help children develop better writing skills. I...

blog article

Dec 24, 2018

The constant evolution of the 3D printing world offers diverse possibilities, enables new business models, and allows for the creation of amazing designs, impossible to build with traditional manufacturing techniques. If 2018 has already been a great year, what about 2019? What can you expect for yo...

blog article

Dec 24, 2018

A lot of amazing things can happen in just one year. For 3D printing, 2018 has been a really great year, for the whole 3D printing world, but also for Sculpteo. Let’s take a look at this amazing year and more precisely, at all the amazing projects created around the world thanks to 3D printing...

blog article

Dec 21, 2018

3D printing technology is constantly evolving and new 3D printing technologies are appearing on the market quite often. Innovations are always going further and in this little 3D printer guide, we will focus on the best professional 3D printers to see what are the main additive manufacturing trends....

blog article

Dec 21, 2018

It’s true that there is no place like home for the holidays, but during these months of sweater weather, family gatherings, seasonal celebrations, and greeting cards, it is easy to take the creature comforts that make all these things possible for granted. Let’s take a look at how manufa...

blog article

Dec 21, 2018

Data shows that the additive manufacturing industry grew 21 percent from 2016 to 2017 (Wohlers Associates). With so many businesses now embracing industrial 3D printing, it is natural for them to move from R&D to prototyping to the production of parts. At each stage, 3D printing supply chains be...

blog article

Dec 21, 2018

There are only a few manufacturers on that planet that are so important and so specialized that their production of a brake caliper would warrant any amount of attention. Bugatti is one of those few. After premiering a 3D-printed titanium caliper early in 2018, Volkswagen Group released a video of e...

blog article

Dec 21, 2018

If Santa Claus ran a toy company, he’d have the best lean manufacturing operations in the industry. A lean analysis shows that he delivers custom tailored products to every one of his clients; providing immense value. He is also able to accomplish this with minimal waste and able to adapt to s...

blog article

Dec 20, 2018

Meeting your prospective electronics manufacturing partner face-to-face can be a valuable part of the process of assessing whether or not they're the right fit for your company. Manufacturing trade shows offer the perfect opportunity to meet and compare a whole range of contract manufacturers un...

blog article

Dec 20, 2018

2018 is almost over and what a year it was! We found needles in strawberries, saw a surge in food fraud and an outbreak in listeria from contaminated rockmelons. We observed the rolling of another Australian prime minister, while the positive growth in Australian manufacturing continued. We watched ...

blog article

Dec 20, 2018

The article discusses an engineering course at Michigan Technological University in which students designed and additively manufactured adaptive aids for arthritis sufferers. They 3D-printed a light switch extender, a device that actuates fingernail clippers, and a toothbrush holder - to name a few....

blog article

Dec 19, 2018

Over the last few months, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program has been commemorating our 30th anniversary. The Program has enjoyed taking a step back to look at our beginnings, the reasons the Program came to be, and how we can continue to deliver on our mission to strengthen and e...

blog article

Dec 19, 2018

Let me guess – you’ve designed a killer product that you want to manufacture in China, but you’re worried that a cheaper version of your product will appear on Alibaba in a month. Who wants to spend the R+D dollars to then have their intellectual property (IP) stolen in a flash? Ta...

blog article

Dec 19, 2018

Additive Manufacturing has numerous applications, and one of the most known is 3D printing prototypes. This technology provides you with a wide range of materials, absolutely new design freedom, and at the same time, the results are fast and cost-effective. What are the most interesting ways to use ...

blog article

Dec 19, 2018

The survey of 346 manufacturers found that output growth picked up in the three months to December, rising further above the long-run average. Output expanded in 15 out of 17 sub-sectors, with growth driven predominantly by the food, drink, & tobacco, mechanical engineering, and chemicals sub-se...

blog article

Dec 19, 2018

As we have highlighted in this blog time and again, surgeons are moving beyond the limitations of two-dimensional images on a screen to achieve the goal of personalized patient care. While medical imaging has come a long way, ultimately an image on a screen cannot offer the same insight as seeing, f...

blog article

Dec 18, 2018

Even though they went extinct thousands of years ago, the woolly mammoth still captures our imagination. This summer, our parent company Materialise was faced with the unique challenge of 3D printing a life-size replica of a mammoth for the new city museum of Lier in Belgium. What does it take to br...

blog article

Dec 18, 2018

People around the globe are quick to laud Britain for its prowess in the likes of financial services, education, and media. But few are willing to accept that the nation is a world leader in manufacturing. Despite having remained in the top 11 production countries for the past decade, UK manufacturi...

blog article

Dec 18, 2018

In many ways, the promise of industrial-grade 3D printing additive manufacturing as a production method is already here. Case in point: BMW. The Germany-based luxury automaker recently announced that it had just fitted its one-millionth 3D printed part in production: a window guide rail for the new ...

blog article

Dec 18, 2018

You don’t have to be a bank or insurance company to know the value of having bulletproof compliance and governance structures in place. In multi-national, multi-platform business, correctly handling and generating the masses of data required between on-premises, private and public cloud deploy...

blog article

Dec 17, 2018

Looking for leaders in disruptive technology? Just pull out your smartphone there's a good chance your screens are peppered with apps of companies that have transformed how everyday products and services are consumed. How people shop. How they move from spot to spot. How they watch and listen to...

blog article

Dec 17, 2018

It’s December. That means holiday cheer and a spate of articles, columns, and blogs predicting trends that will shape manufacturing in 2019. A good trends piece about additive manufacturing was posted recently on the website of the Belgian software company Materialise.

blog article

Dec 17, 2018

Tomer Gluck of FennecLabs recently posted a tutorial on 3D printing transparent objects such as lenses on desktop FDM 3D printers. While there are many transparent filaments available for FDM (fused deposition modeling) 3D printers, there are few transparent 3D prints that come out of the popular de...

blog article

Dec 17, 2018

As of the end of 2018, it has now been seven years since SmarTech Publishing believes the additive manufacturing (AM) industry reached its most significant inflection point when the mass influx of low-cost desktop machines catalyzed public attention in the technology like never before.

blog article

Dec 14, 2018

There’s been a lot of buzz lately in the additive manufacturing realm about generative design, developing AM-friendly materials, and shifting printer processing speeds into overdrive. Generative design is an iterative process whereby specialized software and cloud computing produce multiple, e...

blog article

Dec 13, 2018

November was an exciting month for HUI, as we built our first run of sellable parts on our brand new TruMatic 6000 TRUMPF machine. This is great news for both our customers and our teammates. Once the machine is functioning at full capacity by the end of December, we’ll see improvements in pro...

blog article

Dec 13, 2018

Additive Manufacturing is exactly what the Aerospace industry needs, as it redefines design and material possibilities. Researchers already work with 3D printing on Earth and the potential uses of it in space. The next step? Testing it in orbit and on Mars. It’s been a while since we sent our ...

blog article

Dec 12, 2018

MIT is always at the forefront of innovation when it comes to additive manufacturing and we see that once again, they found new 3D printing advantages. We can now be sure that everything is 3D printable: Researchers from MIT developed an amazing antibacterial 3D printed cellulose. They also unveiled...

blog article

Dec 12, 2018

We already know that additive manufacturing is particularly great for the automotive industry: It will help you in your manufacturing process to reduce costs or to create custom-made 3D printed parts. But now, with the constant progress of companies in large-scale 3D printing, it is possible to get ...

blog article

Dec 12, 2018

Nano Dimension builds machines for additively manufacturing printed electronics used in the medical, aerospace, telecommunications, defense, and automotive industries. The company’s DragonFly Pro System simultaneously 3D-prints dielectric polymers and conductive metals. The Israeli firm, which...

blog article

Dec 12, 2018

The manufacturing industry has been making rapid advancements in recent years, paving the way for cutting-edge technologies. With each new innovation, manufacturing gets more efficient and more precise, leading to the cost-effective production of safer and higher-quality products.

blog article

Dec 11, 2018

Welcome to the first part of our 3D printing pipe fittings tutorials! Did you know that it is possible to 3D print pipe fittings? Additive Manufacturing will provide you with high quality, robust mechanical parts. 3D printing materials can be water-resistant, heat- resistant and show great resistanc...

blog article

Dec 11, 2018

You’ve already installed antivirus software, so your operations are now protected, right? Don’t be lulled into a false sense of cybersecurity. If you haven’t implemented the first cybercrime prevention steps to protect your Operational Technology (OT), your networked equipment may ...

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Dec 11, 2018

Biofuel manufacturers can now breathe a sigh of relief with a new announcement that opens and encourages enhanced business operations. Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has ascertained that biofuel manufacturers are now permitted to import raw material without any restrictions.

blog article

Dec 10, 2018

As you may have heard, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program is commemorating its 30th anniversary this year. It’s got me thinking about that milestone in light of the MEP National Network’s mission to strengthen and empower U.S. manufacturers and its emphasis on deliveri...

blog article

Dec 07, 2018

The U.S. Department of Labor released its November labor report today, and the overall takeaway shows numbers that are, well, mostly meh – nothing great but nothing too unpleasant. Although November’s 155,000 new jobs were a little less than the 198,000-forecast and below the yearly 209,...

blog article

Dec 07, 2018

It might sound like a joke, but food 3D printing is a real thing. We already talked about chocolate 3D printers on the blog, and today, we are going to take a look at 3D printed meat. Indeed, 3D printing meat is becoming possible and several projects have been made in the last few years. Yes, your r...

blog article

Dec 06, 2018

As operational technology merges with ICT, mobile communication has an important role to play towards the manufacturing industry. With that said, 80% of Industrial IoT is wired and fixed networks dominate in factories. These long-established physical constraints have contributed to a fixed mindset i...

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Dec 05, 2018

Did you know that we are not only an online 3D printing service but also a laser cutting service? We believe in innovation and want to provide you with the latest technology developments. In a lot of our blog posts, we explain 3D printing applications and what are the different technologies and mate...

blog article

Dec 05, 2018

Additive Manufacturing is bringing a new revolution in the medical field. We already talked about 3D printed skin, jaw reconstruction and even 3D printed heart! Now researchers are testing 3D technologies for healing tendons and ligaments. Sounds impossible?

blog article

Dec 05, 2018

We are excited to announce that we are a founding member of MIT’s Center for Additive and Digital Advanced Production Technologies (ADAPT). The group is focused on scaling new manufacturing technology through research and education, bringing together the best minds in academia and industry. We...

blog article

Dec 04, 2018

Despite the fact that manufacturing remains a top sector when it comes to targeted cyber attacks, manufacturers haven’t focused on cybersecurity as a key aspect of their businesses. This is likely due to the fact that manufacturers don’t know how at risk they are, much less where they ca...

blog article

Dec 04, 2018

New 3D printing technologies are regularly unveiled by researchers all around the world. And today, we are going to tell you about this new experiment from Clemson University in South Carolina USA! Researchers at Clemson University are currently working on a new 3D printing technique involving rapid...

blog article

Dec 04, 2018

AI, most regularly associated with Artificial Intelligence, has become a bit of a stand-in term for what is really a broad selection of technologies that encompasses machine learning, predictive analytics, natural language processing, object recognition and more. To the uninitiated, it can be a bit ...

blog article

Dec 04, 2018

Digital technology is shaping businesses and reducing conventional ways of structuring and conducting them. In a nutshell, digital transformations are happening in leaps and bounds and as far as the packaging industry is concerned, it has run on set business models until recently. With digitization ...

blog article

Dec 04, 2018

Finding the right size clothing can be a frustrating experience, especially if you aren’t proportioned exactly like the designer envisioned. Just ask anyone who has gone through the frustration and work of trying on multiple pairs of pants or shoes in a department store, only to leave empty-ha...

blog article

Dec 03, 2018

One of the most familiar dilemmas of being a shoe lover is finding the space to store your latest acquisitions. And even if you do find a corner in the back of your closet – how can you admire them from there? German company RCKZ used 3D printing to design a stackable, stylish storage box. Rea...

blog article

Dec 03, 2018

There are sure to be many new challenges (and opportunities) for manufacturing companies in the wake of the Brexit fiasco. Whilst we’re currently embroiled in an uncertain political, economical and technological climate that’s creating more questions than answers, we can be certain that ...

blog article

Nov 30, 2018

Additive manufacturing is obviously a great solution for proof of concept, prototyping, and even production. But there are also plenty of advantages that we are not necessarily thinking about while speaking about 3D printing. That is why, today, we want to tell you about storage and supply chain man...

blog article

Nov 29, 2018

Cybersecurity compliance is a concept that has been talked about abundantly in recent years. Whether it is in reference to the alleged interference in an election process or the latest retail breach of customer’s credit card information, it is hard to deny that the risk is real. But, what does...

blog article

Nov 29, 2018

Is your company liked? The question may sound silly, but the reality is that companies making themselves available online and through social media are the ones most likely to succeed. It’s no secret that television and radio commercials aren’t as effective as they once were, and print ad...

blog article

Nov 29, 2018

Manufacturing is at a turning point. At a time when we walk around with supercomputers in our pockets, plants that have been around for decades are still operating like the world hasn’t changed. Sure, there are many businesses undergoing a digital transformation, but the perception remains tha...

blog article

Nov 29, 2018

The demand for healthy and convenient ready-to-eat (RTE) food is on the rise. Already the largest segment in the overall conventional and non-conventional food industry, the RTE food market is forecasted to grow at a 21.8-percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2018 and 2023.

blog article

Nov 29, 2018

Ceramic has become a popular material in the 3D printing world. It’s heat resistant, food safe, relatively strong, and has a look and feel that’s just more pleasant than plastics and polymers. That explains why more companies are 3D printing with ceramic. Now, even makers can join in on ...

blog article

Nov 29, 2018

Our world is full of networks. Our social networks are abstract, but others, such as the circuitry in our brains or the underground networks of fungi that trees use to communicate, have to exist physically. Physical networks, which are restricted by the laws of three-dimensional space, captured the ...

blog article

Nov 29, 2018

Manufacturers who excel at orchestrating analytics, Business Intelligence (BI), quality management and real-time monitoring to improve manufacturing strategies are growing 10% faster than their peers. 81% say real-time monitoring is improving their business, and 60% say analytics and Business Intell...

blog article

Nov 29, 2018

Day to day productivity is vital to the success of any manufacturer. And the manufacturing industry has historically been considered a key driver in productivity growth in the UK. But since the financial crisis of 2008, manufacturing - along with the rest of the economy - has seen an undeniable slum...

blog article

Nov 28, 2018

Running as lean and fast as they can to capitalize on every growth opportunity in 2018, manufacturers are taking bold steps to digitally transform operations in 2019. According to a recent survey of 151 North American manufacturers conducted by Decision Analyst on behalf of IQMS, technologies that b...

blog article

Nov 28, 2018

The global EV offensive is forcing some manufacturers to look for alternative ways of cashing in from their experience in the field. BMW recently announced that their Thailand branch will be kicking off local high voltage battery production starting next year. The plant will be located at a new prod...

blog article

Nov 28, 2018

We understand how hard you have worked to build a secure factory and digital framework. We know the landscape has changed dramatically over the past ten years, and we get how hard it has been to sit with uncertainty throughout this process. It’s one thing to acknowledge where you may have gaps...

blog article

Nov 28, 2018

Formnext is one of the biggest trade shows in the additive manufacturing world. Each year, new 3D printing innovations are unveiled, making the future of additive manufacturing more and more promising. Like previous years, this trade show took place in Frankfurt, Germany, from November 13th to Novem...

blog article

Nov 28, 2018

We already had a few examples of how 3D printing is used in the aerospace industry. In a previous blog post, we talked about 3D printing with moon dust and 3D printed parts on airplanes. Now it’s time to have a closer look at how Additive Manufacturing and CT scanning brings more development a...

blog article

Nov 28, 2018

The term disruptive technology is everywhere these days. How do you separate the truly disruptive from the hype? And what does it mean for technology to truly be disruptive, instead of just new? When it comes to IIoT, Anurag Garg, VP and Head of Analytics & IoT, Plex Systems believes there is on...

blog article

Nov 27, 2018

3D sculpting is a fascinating way to bring characters, monsters, and all kinds of organic shapes to life. While many 3D modeling programs focus on precision, 3D sculpting apps are all about turning a piece of visual clay into a stunning 3D print. This article will show you the 10 best 3D sculpting p...

blog article

Nov 27, 2018

Manufacturers throughout the United States are facing a new set of challenges and exciting growth opportunities. Given the manufacturing industry’s important role in providing both direct and indirect jobs, how firms react to these changing conditions is critical not only to the companies them...

blog article

Nov 27, 2018

The market for additive manufacturing in the general and commercial aerospace industry has undergone several radical changes over the past three years, all targeted toward implementing the AM process in part manufacturing. Although following very different dynamics, these changes concern both the me...

blog article

Nov 27, 2018

Automotive industry stakeholders worldwide are now racing toward full industrialization and integration of the AM process within their end-to-end production workflow, beginning with software and materials, passing through the AM hardware, and ending with services and a growing number of possible app...

blog article

Nov 27, 2018

Few materials in the world of manufacturing offer as wide a range of applications as ceramics. When it comes to additive manufacturing, the wide range of ceramic applications and material types is further expanded by the even wider range of different ceramics additive manufacturing processes that ha...

blog article

Nov 27, 2018

No other year in the history of the dental industry has seen as great a push towards global adoption of digital dentistry than 2017 and, as a result of this, attention from dental professionals on 3D printing technologies is at an all-time high. This, of course, is a net positive for the dental 3D p...

blog article

Nov 27, 2018

Space Florida’s board of directors voted Tuesday to throw almost $20 million at new projects estimated to add over 270 high-paying space-related jobs at Cape Canaveral. The biggest project would include $52 million in new facilities for a new player in launch operations and launch vehicle (roc...

blog article

Nov 27, 2018

Imagine if you could immediately and continuously identify the companies that are researching you online. Imagine being able to track those companies throughout the buying journey, ensuring you never miss a sales opportunity. Imagine having all of this actionable information at your fingertips, so t...

blog article

Nov 27, 2018

It was Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher, who said, “Change is the only constant in life,” highlighting the strong need to always expect and plan for change throughout our lives. This is certainly true for the manufacturing industry as cultural and technological changes increasingly place ...

blog article

Nov 26, 2018

It’s probably not a bad idea for smaller and mid-sized manufacturers (SMMs) to adopt us against them attitude as they become aware of the prevalence of cyber-attacks in the digital age of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Industry 4.0.

blog article

Nov 26, 2018

In the last couple posts in this series, we’ve considered coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) past and present as well as the various calibration standards and probe types that a shop should be aware of when in the market for one of these metrology systems. In this last post, let’s take...

blog article

Nov 26, 2018

It’s been a while since the Apollo Program and Neil Armstrong’s words that’s one small step of a man, one giant leap for mankind echoed on the radios. But, the aerospace industry doesn’t sleep. Next step: lunar and planetary colonization. We already landed on the Moon and on ...

blog article

Nov 23, 2018

Additive Manufacturing has been used for medical purposes for a while. We already talked about 3D printed synthetic skin and organs. But there are plenty of other opportunities for 3D printing to not only improve our lives but even save them! In this blog, we look at how 3D technologies allow for sa...

blog article

Nov 23, 2018

Mercedes-Benz is continuously expanding its range of genuine replacement parts from the 3D printer. The brand has already been offering 3D printed replacement commercial vehicle parts since 2016, now Mercedes-Benz announced that further replacement parts have passed the strict quality assurance at M...

blog article

Nov 22, 2018

It’s the first day of a promising new career. The candidate you recently offered a job to is now waiting patiently in reception. They are excited and nervous at the same time. They have a million and one questions racing through their head which they hope will be answered during the induction ...

blog article

Nov 22, 2018

The manufacturing industry has always been influenced by the demands of society – which remain permanently in flux. Britain has a reputation for lagging behind other nations when it comes to manufacturing, focused primarily on moving goods in high volume at the lowest possible cost.

blog article

Nov 22, 2018

Lean manufacturing is a big buzzword in the industry – and with good reason. A belief system that has helped to propel manufacturing into an exciting new era, lean ideology is one of the most important and influential movements of our time. At The Manufacturing Institute, we’ve seen firs...

blog article

Nov 21, 2018

Facing a crisis of shrinking profit margins, Manufacturing Alliance leaders have been asking for some tips on trimming overhead costs. For this article, OVERHEAD COSTS are considered any resource, task or thing that does not directly touch the product being produced for sale. Also, a couple of sugge...

blog article

Nov 21, 2018

3D printing opens many possibilities for companies and including additive manufacturing technology in a production process has a lot of benefits. Whether for rapid prototyping or production, all sectors can use this cutting-edge technology. Indeed, we recently learned that the home appliance manufac...

blog article

Nov 21, 2018

Do you want to use 3D printing? If your answer is “yes”, you will first have to create a 3D model. To make this 3D model, you will have to use CAD software and/or 3D tools in order to make sure that your file is actually 3D printable. These programs will help you to make the most of 3D p...

blog article

Nov 21, 2018

Our Design Studio works closely with our clients to give them the best production solutions and 3D printing experience. And that’s how we know what your needs are and how you might struggle with some design challenges. However, Additive Manufacturing can give you amazing design freedom that wi...

blog article

Nov 21, 2018

The pushback against President Donald Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs appears to be gaining momentum. In an open letter addressed to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer this week, 34 U.S. organizations representing a wide variety of manufacturers - ranging from the Association of Eq...

blog article

Nov 20, 2018

They say study the past to know the future. In the migration from subtractive manufacturing to additive, we may be following the existing paradigm too closely. Both subtractive and additive manufacturing span a three-step process: part design, part build and the post-processing of the part to make i...

blog article

Nov 20, 2018

Well for starters, Pittsburgh is ranked 8th nationally for manufacturing output. There are 3,000 manufacturing businesses and more than 100,000 manufacturing professionals in the Pittsburgh metro area. So when the Manufacturing & Technology team was researching the best place to hold our 2019 ev...

blog article

Nov 20, 2018

To support a potential, future lunar base, researchers at the European Space Agency (ESA) have 3D-printed and baked fake moon dust into screws, gears, and even a coin. Both private and government space agencies have expressed serious intentions and started developing plans to build a human-inhabited...

blog article

Nov 20, 2018

There are more and more non-dairy milks hitting the shelves, from soy and hemp to pecans and flax seed, but a milk alternative (hopefully) coming in 2019 is actually a dairy product, despite the fact that it comes out of a 3D printer and not a cow’s udder. Founded by Ryan Pandya and Perumal Ga...

blog article

Nov 20, 2018

Business dynamics for manufacturers are changing more rapidly and becoming more disruptive than ever before. The changes are driven by the rising expectations of consumers and business customers, increasing complexities of global supply chains, growing competitive pressures, constantly shifting regu...

blog article

Nov 20, 2018

GBP/USD has edged lower in the Tuesday session. In North American trade, the pair is trading at 1.2809, down 0.33% on the day. On the release front, Bank of England Governor Mark Carney testified about inflation before Parliament’s Treasury Committee. British CBI Industrial Order Expectations ...

blog article

Nov 19, 2018

Looking to increase your sales? Although successful, well-executed B2B marketing strategies take time to build and require ongoing, consistent effort, there are some things you can do today to help drive sales - and they only take a few minutes.

blog article

Nov 19, 2018

Australia’s FMCG market presents myriad challenges for both suppliers and retailers - geographic scale and distance, relatively high costs of transportation, population density, supply chain complexity, and the diverse and fast-evolving expectations of our customers.

blog article

Nov 19, 2018

To compete in a world of continuous product innovation and expanding market opportunities, your company needs to implement strategies that deliver a competitive advantage. Learn how to make this possible by unifying the major elements of your design, manufacturing planning, and resources on a common...

blog article

Nov 16, 2018

Digital twin technology has gained significant traction across industries. Analysts predict that connected products, backed by actionable real-time data, will be represented by digital twins in the future. With the unprecedented growth of the Internet of Things (IoT), there is a sudden burst of inte...

blog article

Nov 16, 2018

Here in the U.S., the manufacturing sector is regaining its health and optimism remains high, but challenges remain. Chief among these challenges is the job skills gap. Not surprisingly, major themes at FABTECH 2018 revolved around automation, robotics, and the Connected Factory/Industrial Internet ...

blog article

Nov 16, 2018

The opening of McLaren’s new production facility in Rotherham may have been rich in pomp and ceremony - a 3,850 horsepower convoy of supercars racing to meet the more sedate Royal fleet of Bentleys, for example - but behind the showmanship, there are vital lessons for UK manufacturing.

blog article

Nov 16, 2018

Amid all the hype and wide-eyed growth predicted for virtual reality, it's often difficult for stakeholders to decide which of its two words to focus on. Will VR deliver only indirect, virtual benefits to the manufacturing industry or direct, tangible benefits that become a bottom-line reality?

blog article

Nov 16, 2018

Dependent upon your perspective, the concept of artificial intelligence (AI) invokes one of two opinions: One, eventually the machines will rule the world. Or two, you appreciate the benefits of modern technology. But either way, one thing is certain: The human workforce relinquishes a bit of respon...

blog article

Nov 16, 2018

Robotics is a field concerned with the intuitive connection of perception to action. Nowadays, Artificial Intelligence is used in every industry to automate applications throughout the product line to save time and money. Robots are now used to handle most tedious and dangerous manufacturing applica...

blog article

Nov 15, 2018

While a good deal of the talk at this year’s International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) focused on big data, automation, and 3D-printing technologies, what struck me most was the undercurrent of change in our industry. There was a palpable uptick in the number of female attendees learn...

blog article

Nov 15, 2018

In the manufacturing industry, there is more to measure now than ever before. This we all know. And while every production process is different, taking a data-driven approach to uncovering insights is a great strategy no matter what is being produced. We all know this, too.

blog article

Nov 15, 2018

IoT Analytics, a leading provider of market insights & competitive intelligence for the Internet of Things (IoT), M2M, and Industry 4.0, today published a comprehensive 375-page market report titled Industry 4.0 & Smart Manufacturing 2018-2023.

blog article

Nov 15, 2018

The rise of the 4th industrial revolution (4IR)has brought with it digital inter-connectivity that offers unprecedented opportunities for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs.) But with that openness, there also comes risk - the threat of the loss of data, the theft of capital or intellectual prop...

blog article

Nov 14, 2018

You already know that your customers mean everything to your manufacturing business. Every once in a while, however, it's important to let those customers know it, too. You likely spend a lot of time, money, and energy bringing in new clients, but very few companies expend anywhere near that muc...

blog article

Nov 14, 2018

This particular printer, a Fabrikator Mini v2, has a few foibles - although fewer than many - one of which is that the heated bed cables (for heater and thermistor) foul a screw sticking out of the base, as well as the z-axis (vertical) lead-screw, and they also rub on one of the y-axis rails.

blog article

Nov 14, 2018

Have you ever wished for an easy, all-in-one-place guide to the most cost-effective locations for specific manufacturing processes? Maybe you’re thinking, No, but now that you mention it. Such a guide would probably do very well, but because of the nature of contract manufacturing - no two pro...

blog article

Nov 14, 2018

The seventh annual Manufacturing Day was a resounding success in California! MFG DAY continues to draw more and more participants each year, and 2018 was no exception, with nearly 2,800 events held across the country. For those not in the know, here’s a brief recap of what MFG DAY is all about...

blog article

Nov 14, 2018

Are you in a mood for some history? Today, we are going to take a look at the history of mechanical engineering. You certainly know it, additive manufacturing and 3D modeling are now great solutions, helping mechanical engineers in their daily work.

blog article

Nov 13, 2018

Mark Twain once famously wrote that reports of his death had been an exaggeration. More than a century later, in 2008, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs said much the same thing in his own Mark Twain moment when Bloomberg erroneously reported Jobs’ passing. I’ve noticed that a similar prematur...

blog article

Nov 13, 2018

The only constant in business today is changing, and the only certainty is that change will likely accelerate in the future. In order to survive and thrive in this environment, manufacturers must be able to rapidly respond to changes by adjusting their business processes or models to meet the requir...

blog article

Nov 12, 2018

Additive Manufacturing is becoming commonly used in many industries and aerospace is no different. We already talked about 3D printed rocket engines and Siemens turbine blades. Now it’s time to talk about Airbus again. Clearly, this Aerospace giant is making the most of Additive Manufacturing....

blog article

Nov 12, 2018

McKinsey & Co. recently revealed the findings of its annual survey that monitors the adoption of digital transformation trends. The survey results, highlighted in an article in Design News, revealed rampant adoption of Industry 4.0 with McKinsey concluding that everyone in manufacturing is leadi...

blog article

Nov 09, 2018

We hear more and more from new experiments made using 4D printing. The 4D printing technology is using the same printing process than 3D printing, the difference between these two manufacturing techniques is the material: the use of what we call smart materials is allowing to create 4D printed objec...

blog article

Nov 09, 2018

Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has spawned a lot of incredible ideas. Ideas like digital twins and digital threads that enable a complete understanding of the product lifecycle and up-to-the minute data on how the product is actually being used, serviced and performing.

blog article

Nov 08, 2018

Who doesn’t love a sandwich from Subway? Apparently, there are 37 million possible sandwich variations, made possible through different filling, salad, bread, and condiment combinations. Jonathan Wilkins, marketing director of industrial parts supplier EU Automation, explains how the future of...

blog article

Nov 07, 2018

Do you know that it is actually possible to 3D print magnetic parts? In this blog post, we are going to talk about two impressive experiments in which 3D printing has been used to create magnetic parts. How does it work? What are the benefits of 3D printed magnetic parts and who could make the most ...

blog article

Nov 07, 2018

Before sending your 3D models for printing there are a few things crucial to keep in mind. They are important to assure your 3D models will come out looking just as good as on your screen. With this blog post, you will learn what are the essential requirements your 3D model has to meet and how to pr...

blog article

Nov 07, 2018

Help is out there, you just need to know where to look. Each year, billions in funding for research and development and workforce initiatives is available for small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) in order to help them get off the ground or aid in expansion efforts. Here are seven organization...

blog article

Nov 07, 2018

Just think about it for a second. Every day you interact with hundreds of products that at one point were nothing more than an idea. But have you ever wondered what it looks like to take a product from prototype to production? It's a complex process that combines creativity and procedures. There...

blog article

Nov 06, 2018

New 3D printing innovations are allowing to develop new applications in various sectors such as aeronautics, medical or architecture. Now, the technology is even going further with 4D printing. This new technology arouses everybody’s curiosity and could lead to amazing innovations. Today we ar...

blog article

Nov 06, 2018

Manufacturers are operating in a highly competitive business world marked by constant changes in consumer demand as well as competitive and regulatory environments. Customers are demanding better services and products at lower prices and changing the way they consume them. New and non-traditional co...

blog article

Nov 06, 2018

Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) enable supply chain networks and manufacturing to stay synchronized, scale and flex to fluctuations in demand. The best MES implementations bring greater accuracy, control, scale, and speed to shop floors and are one of the strongest growth catalysts any manufac...

blog article

Nov 05, 2018

Thank you to the over sixty manufacturing business leader members who responded to the recent Manufacturing Alliance survey. Your input is invaluable to ensure the Alliance is providing our manufacturing community with the information and services needed. Results came back pointing to nine major top...

blog article

Nov 05, 2018

At our ARC European Industry Forum 2018, Chris Hazlewood, Senior Manager at Mitsubishi Electric, gave an important Key Note speech about the three key technologies forming the digital enterprise; Edge Computing, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and 3D printing, with focus on AI.

blog article

Nov 05, 2018

There was a time in the not-so-distant past that many moldmakers could be their own suppliers for individual components, tasking lower-level staff with fabricating one-off metal pieces needed for new tools. These days, however, with tool rooms shorter staffed and new orders keeping the mold makers a...

blog article

Nov 05, 2018

The long-awaited resurgence of American manufacturing has arrived. Too bad there aren’t enough workers to fill the jobs. More than 500,000 positions in manufacturing are going begging at the moment, according to Steve Menaker, national industrial product industry leader with RSM US LLP, an aud...

blog article

Nov 04, 2018

Blockchain’s greatest potential to deliver business value is in manufacturing. Increasing visibility across every area of manufacturing starting with suppliers, strategic sourcing, procurement, and supplier quality to shop floor operations including machine-level monitoring and service, blockc...

blog article

Nov 01, 2018

Yes, machines can learn too! Put simply, machine learning is the ability for computerized machines to learn how to make predictions and/or perform classifications without explicitly being taught or programmed. Just like humans have different learning styles and problem-solving techniques, so do mach...

blog article

Oct 31, 2018

In this blog post, we will show you how easy it is to 3D model threads, which are used all around us. We have them in our bathrooms, kitchens, gardens. Most of them have a universal size and can be easily designed and 3D printed with an online service like Sculpteo. Our 3D printing experts will show...

blog article

Oct 31, 2018

Are you a mac user? You certainly know it, all 3D modeling software is not available on the same operating systems. That is why if you are a Mac user, you will necessarily have to pay attention to find a CAD program compatible with your operating system.

blog article

Oct 30, 2018

ASM PT, the world’s largest equipment supplier to the electronics manufacturing industry, is investing in the Portuguese company Critical Manufacturing, a developer of state-of-the-art MES software. Both companies signed a deal to that effect in late July in Porto. We talked with Guenter Laube...

blog article

Oct 29, 2018

President Trump’s trade fight with China continues on multiple fronts. This dispute the president is prosecuting against Beijing is a big deal that is regularly overtaken by other events in the news cycle, and it isn’t helped that the president himself is, ummm, an imperfect messenger to...

blog article

Oct 26, 2018

We recently made a top of the best free 3D CAD software (or computer-aided design software) for your 3D printing projects. But what about laser cutting? We decided to make a selection of the best free 2D CAD software to help you with your laser cutting projects. You want to use laser cutting but you...

blog article

Oct 25, 2018

Not only do factories provide better-paying jobs, they lift up entire communities. There's nothing that upsets us more here at the Alliance for American Manufacturing than when someone tries to argue that manufacturing doesn't matter anymore.

blog article

Oct 25, 2018

Keeping your manufacturing staff happy is critical if you plan to grow your business and continue to delight your customers. Disgruntled employees have the ability to sap the lifeblood from your organization. And in some cases, one or two negative views can spread quickly throughout a business like ...

blog article

Oct 25, 2018

Often in business, the question isn’t what you should be doing, but rather what you can get approval to do. Your rich study of new technology and advancements in your chosen discipline is often out of alignment with corporate expense objectives. Nowhere is this truer than when it comes to capi...

blog article

Oct 24, 2018

With a relatively new technology like additive manufacturing (AM), the path for adoption has been trail blazed by high value, low volume parts such as those required in aerospace and motorsports. To date, it has been the arsenal of larger manufacturers that have the money to invest in R&D, have ...

blog article

Oct 24, 2018

It is sure now, Artificial Intelligence is part of our future and already allowing to create really advanced devices. But do you know that the 3D printing technology can also make the most of AI? 3D printing is a game-changing technology, constantly evolving and finding new ways to improve itself. I...

blog article

Oct 23, 2018

There is a lot of new developments in the field of materials for Additive Manufacturing uses, from 3D printing with Glass or Cellulose to the world’s strongest material Graphene. We will actually talk about the latter one again as it’s not only the most sturdy component but also the ligh...

blog article

Oct 23, 2018

The manufacturing sector has long been at the forefront of innovation, with the cost of production a primary driver of profit margins. Ford Motor Co.’s assembly-line model was one the most significant advances in manufacturing over 100 years ago, making it possible for nearly every American fa...

blog article

Oct 22, 2018

U.S. manufacturing sector has been witnessing resurgence under the Trump administration since last year, shrugging off its lengthy spell of weak productivity and sluggish growth. Under Trump’s presidency, the manufacturing sector is flying high as manufacturers have increased capital spending ...

blog article

Oct 22, 2018

National Manufacturing Day is the nation’s largest, one-day celebration of the Manufacturing Industry.  It is designed to raise awareness about the modern dynamics and opportunities that a career in manufacturing present for the next generation of workforce talent. MFG DAY addresses commo...

blog article

Oct 22, 2018

One of the most important quotes in business management couldn’t be more important for Australian manufacturers today. With the right metrics, you can understand what’s working in your production line, and what’s not. You can find weak spots and barriers to efficient production. Yo...

blog article

Oct 22, 2018

The Internet of Things (IoT) is no longer just about smart, connected devices. Other megatrends, such as big data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning have put IoT on steroids and elevated to one of a few drivers of a new industrial revolution that promises to completely transform the way ...

blog article

Oct 19, 2018

The Internet of Things (IoT) is the network of physical objects embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and network connectivity enabling these objects to collect and exchange data, according to Forbes. Products with wireless connectivity (from light bulbs to thermostats to Alexa) are most pre...

blog article

Oct 19, 2018

Terry Iverson, president of Iverson and Company and founder of ChampionNow!, is working to change the perception of manufacturing in the United States by writing a book for parents, mentors, and educators. The goal is to highlight the quality manufacturing career opportunities that are available to ...

blog article

Oct 19, 2018

Do you remember the Kupol project? We already talked about this 3D printed helmet developed by Gabriel Boutin on our blog. We told you about the prototyping process of this great project using this 3D printing technology. Now, the Kickstarter campaign is launched and the 3D printed helmet is ready t...

blog article

Oct 19, 2018

I cover industry solutions for manufacturing and a few other industrial markets at AWS. My goal isn’t to work with customers on a specific technology, but rather on how customers can use technology to address business challenges. This role gives me an opportunity to work with global leaders on...

blog article

Oct 19, 2018

Regular readers will not be surprised to hear us say that the key to streamlining essential business functions and operations is efficiency. And that the secret to successfully using automation to improve efficiency in no small part lies in its security and visibility benefits.

blog article

Oct 18, 2018

The strategy has input from across the federal government. I know we say this a lot, but there’s a lot going on these days. So, we wouldn’t blame you if you missed this piece of news: Earlier this month, the Trump administration officially unveiled its strategy for strengthening American...

blog article

Oct 18, 2018

The Internet of Things is one type of technology which has found applications in almost every industry. The aviation industry is adopting it, especially in the manufacturing sector. It can be used to streamline operations with the help of a highly detailed record of information pertaining to the exp...

blog article

Oct 18, 2018

ZBrush is hands down the most popular and powerful digital sculpting software out there. That’s why this program is mainly used for designing figurines, sculptures, game characters, or any other design that needs an organic shape. Some users have trouble turning these 3D models into 3D prints ...

blog article

Oct 17, 2018

3D printing businesses offer 3D design and printing jobs at very affordable prices. Most are accessible on the web so you can easily compare their portfolio and prices and see who among them offer a high-quality 3D printing service. Where can I get something 3D printed? Where to get 3D printing done...

blog article

Oct 17, 2018

It this blog post we will talk about the most commonly used 3D printer file formats. As the choices are numerous it is essential for you to know what are your production needs. Are all the 3D file formats printable? And which 3D printer file format is the best for you? Let’s find out.

blog article

Oct 17, 2018

The world of manufacturing took a dramatic turn several years ago when a fuel nozzle was manufactured for GE’s Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion (LEAP) jet engine. An assembly that used to be built from 20 components was produced using additive manufacturing (industrial-grade 3D printing) in on...

blog article

Oct 16, 2018

Learning about the positive benefits of machine monitoring is a catalyst for many manufacturers digitalization efforts. This first step towards data-driven manufacturing is a significant stepping stone in a manufacturer’s journey into Industry 4.0 and the Smart Factory. While the positive impa...

blog article

Oct 16, 2018

Based in Stearns, Kentucky, with 250 employees, Outdoor Venture Corporation (OVC) develops, designs, and manufactures commercial tent systems, military tent systems, sleeping bags, and hunting products. In business since 1972, OVC was one of the first suppliers of automotive airbags in the United St...

blog article

Oct 16, 2018

In the initial days of industry revolution, when the organizations were just shaping up, there was no information system to support their activities. Most of the decisions were impulsive, a lack of teamwork, and no means for information exchange. This can be classified as multiple dysfunction enterp...

blog article

Oct 16, 2018

Our largest attendance for a Manufacturing Alliance event to date listened in on what’s new and what’s working in the on-going quest to provide skilled workers for the needs of local manufacturers. Once again highlighting just how important this topic is to all of us. Lisa Christman, Mas...

blog article

Oct 15, 2018

Today’s manufacturing environment is highly dynamic & complex and consists of various stakeholders like multiple suppliers & partners, multiple distribution channels, multiple fulfillment partners, multiple customer types etc. Decisions have to be taken on business performance and over...

blog article

Oct 15, 2018

Data is all grown up, with new multidimensional capabilities and broader horizons to offer the manufacturing community. Large data pools have turned manufacturers attention to Big Data solutions for an altogether new dimension of research and trend analysis.

blog article

Oct 15, 2018

In 2005, the Council of Logistics Management changed its name to the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals to add differentiation between logistics and supply chain management. Why? Because logistics is a component of supply chain management (SCM). While SCM is focused on the big picture,...

blog article

Oct 15, 2018

Being a data-driven manufacturer is all the rage. We engage daily with global manufacturers looking to better use production data to predict machine failure, optimize processes, or increase output. Yet many of these manufacturing analytics projects stumble out of the gate.  Here’s why.

blog article

Oct 12, 2018

In mathematics, the idea of bounded value generally refers to the notion that there’s a limit to the value of x. Conversely, unbounded value means there’s no maximum or minimum value of x. In automation, a similar notion carries through - there’s no minimum value you can extract by...

blog article

Oct 12, 2018

3D printing is more and more used in the medical sector, and it is clearly helping to save lives. We are often hearing stories about the 3D technology improving the lives of the patients, and 3D printing in pediatrics can obviously change some kids lives. This life-saving use of technology is partic...

blog article

Oct 11, 2018

American manufacturers risk losing their competitive edge without clean energy advances. The United Nations climate change report issued on Monday is nothing short of terrifying. But as scientists consistently exhort, we can stabilize our climate future - and another report finds that manufacturing ...

blog article

Oct 11, 2018

They say study the past to know the future. In the migration from subtractive manufacturing to additive, we may be following the existing paradigm too closely. Both subtractive and additive manufacturing span a three-step process: part design, part build and the post-processing of the part to make i...

blog article

Oct 11, 2018

Brace Yourself Games is an indie video game studio based in Vancouver, Canada. For the upcoming launch of their new city building simulation game, Industries of Titan, they wanted to present their concept in a more original way – and used 3D printing to bring the game to life! We spoke to Anto...

blog article

Oct 10, 2018

Karen Leavitt from Locust Robotics believes robots can be used to help combat the labor shortage.  Learn about the ways in which humans and robots can flourish in the warehouse in this video from theCUBE.

blog article

Oct 10, 2018

How do electronic work instructions factor into Industry 4.0 and your digital transformation strategy? With advancements in technology, it’s time to reevaluate how these digital systems can improve your manufacturing operations. The capabilities of electronic work instructions (EWI) have evolv...

blog article

Oct 10, 2018

3D printing is well used for architecture. We can see that 3D printed houses are becoming a reality and that 3D printing could become a common manufacturing technique in architecture. Additive manufacturing can also be used for other application in this sector, and that is precisely what we can see ...

blog article

Oct 10, 2018

With 3D printing technologies, design freedom is just endless. Additive Manufacturing allows for the absolutely new use of design tools, such as interlocking tools. Thanks to 3D printing you are not able to combine different technologies and materials. Discover the benefits of 3D printed interlockin...

blog article

Oct 09, 2018

Open doors, open minds was the theme of this year’s Manufacturing Day which took place on October 5th. Manufacturing Day isn’t about us and we surely don’t need to tell manufacturers about the importance of nurturing the future workforce. For us, Manufacturing Day is about students...

blog article

Oct 05, 2018

3D printing is constantly evolving, new 3D printers, new 3D printing materials are unveiled regularly. Today, we chose to talk about a brand new 3D printing material that might surprise you: a vegetal 3D printing material. Discoveries made in the additive manufacturing industry are always more and m...

blog article

Oct 05, 2018

Happy Manufacturing Day! It’s not a federal holiday quite yet; rather, it’s a moment to appreciate our fellow Americans who work with their hands for a living. But we owe them some help. America can do a better job at recruiting and preparing people for middle-skill jobs that require mor...

blog article

Oct 05, 2018

Every manufacturing job creates another 2.5 new jobs in local goods and services. From another perspective, for every $1 invested in manufacturing, another $1.37 in additional value is created in other sectors. Because of this rippling effect, investing in the manufacturing sector is one of the most...

blog article

Oct 04, 2018

Cybersecurity is - and always will be - of the utmost importance to businesses around the world. The onset of advanced technologies and Industry 4.0 has ushered in a new age of security in the cloud, and with it a growing list of potential threats. For manufacturers, these threats are becoming more ...

blog article

Oct 03, 2018

Additive Manufacturing is a cutting-edge technology already, producing 3d printed hearts and turning light into electricity, but there is always room for improvement. And what if we can improve both the materials and the impact we have on our environment? This is the future of 3D printing as the res...

blog article

Oct 03, 2018

The challenges of the architecture field are numerous. For instance, building architectural models in tight deadlines is very demanding. Luckily, using 3D printing for architecture is a great way to make the life of architects easier, helping them to get great models for their contests! As a 3D prin...

blog article

Oct 02, 2018