3D Print Plastic Parts Quickly After Selecting Your MaterialThe beauty of working with a custom manufacturer is access to a full range of materials and production methods that allow you to bring your unique design to life exactly as imagined. But when time is of the essence, fast decision making for

Urethanes Casting Benefits from Prototypes to ProductionDetermining the path to production is a significant challenge for designers, engineers and product development teams. The long-leads, costs and design limits of traditional manufacturing methods can stifle creative, cutting-edge concepts, budge

How design affects cost: CNC machining Stratasys Direct Manufacturing utilizes more than 20 state-of-the-art 3-axis and 5-axis milling CNC (computer numeric controlled) machines and lathes. Our CNC machining centers also utilize cutting edge 5-axis machines, which substantiall

CNC machining vs 3D printing for production: explained & compared Stratasys Direct Manufacturing offers a range of manufacturing solutions to help you achieve efficient production and perfect parts you need. When pursuing low-volume production projects, two manufacturing metho

FDM 3D Printing: Top Benefits of Sparse Fill vs. Solid FDM Parts FDM® (Fused Deposition Modeling) is one of the original 3D printing processes, utilized across industries for production of manufacturing aids, rapid prototyping and production parts. FDM 3D printing technology builds parts with st

At Stratasys Direct Manufacturing, our project engineers often receive the question: What affects the costs of 3D printed metal orders? Part size and geometry understandably affect price, but there are other details that can alter the cost of 3D printing services. Sometimes there are misconceptions

Let’s start with the basics - what is Powder Bed Fusion (PBF)? 3D printing methods are generally grouped into types depending on how the technology operates. Powder bed fusion is a type of 3D printing where a laser or electron beam melts and fuses a layer of powdered material. The process begi

Superior Performance Leveraged Through 3D PrintingOn February 2nd, friends and family across the country will gather together to watch the biggest televised event of the year, the Super Bowl.  Zealous fans in every corner of the nation (and their less enthusiastic counterparts) will ride the ro

One of our favorite aspects of machining is how many processes are out there for manufacturers and enthusiasts to master. We’ve discussed a number of these processes in the past and in this post we’re going to take a closer look at one that always garners a ton of interest: hard tu

When we talk about different types of machining processes, we know that the unsung heroes of such processes are the machine tools used to craft the parts we use in everyday life. One of the key tools used for machining (and one of our favorites) is the lathe! CNC lathes are exceptionally versa

When the last Ice Age carved the Great Lakes and a mighty system of rivers in what would become “the American Midwest,” the groundwork was laid for a manufacturing powerhouse to build upon. Millions of years later, this system of rivers would provide transportation for travelers, b

Broaching is one of the most common machining processes. It’s used to removed selected material from a workpiece to create specific and unique features. How does broaching differ from other machining processes though? And when should you use broaching tools over other tools to get the job done

In recent years, developments in manufacturing have led to so many solutions that when manufacturers are identifying which is best for them, the sheer number of solutions can be immediately overwhelming. While these developments have led to increased efficiency, productivity, and therefore pro

CNC metalworking and machining is a precision craft requiring exacting quality control. When the time comes to assembling parts into a cohesive system, even a fraction of an inch can make the difference between a perfectly working system and a useless one. To ensure the quality of the final pa

If you’re new to the machining world and you find yourself intimidated by all the technical terms you’re suddenly asked to know, we certainly understand this stress. There’s a lot to know and if you need to make a purchase or a sale, then an error can be a costly one—both lit

Milling is one of the most common machining processes found in the metalworking and manufacturing industry. It may be surprising to know that milling itself is not just one procedure, rather, there are numerous types of milling processes, each with different intricacies which make them more su

For expert manufacturers, understanding every metalworking process and implementing them into the shop’s workflow can be an exercise in frustration. After all, there are numerous genres of metalworking and within those categories, there are exceptionally specific tasks: each designed to

With any precision crafting, knowing the materials that will make up the final project before work even begins is important for planning and cost. Precision machining is no different. Knowing what mat

Precision machining is complex. There are many operations and processes which require us to understand and master them in order to provide the best results for our clients. In the past, we’ve discussed milling, turning, and form milling, but today, we want to discuss the facing operation

By reaping the benefits of new technologies, the machining world is constantly evolving to address new manufacturing challenges. Machine shops are facing global competition for faster production and t