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Fictiv's Featured Manufacturing and Supply Chain Content
Article
Manufacturing is undergoing one of its most significant transformations in decades. Today, Fictiv released its 11th annual 2026 State of Manufacturing & Supply Chain Report, capturing insights from industry leaders across MedTech, Climate Tech, EV, and Robotics. The findings point to an industry moving decisively toward AI-enabled systems, regionally resilient production strategies, and more integrated […]
Article
In engineering, the term “fit” describes the relationship between two mating parts, such as a shaft and a hole. The way these parts interact—whether they fit snugly together, move freely, or press into one another—is crucial to the performance and functionality of the mechanical system. The correct fit ensures that parts function optimally, whether they […]
Article
Designing components with snap-fits can save you time and money in production by reducing material costs and part quantities, as well as making assembly easier. Typically in the past, injection molding was the most viable method for producing snap-fit joints in plastics. Today, however, CNC machining and 3D printing have opened up both new opportunities […]
Article
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming various industries, and mechanical engineering is no exception. When I started working as a mechanical engineer 13 years ago, I didn’t think much about AI someday replacing my job. Now, with the recent hype around AI, many of us in product development, engineering, and manufacturing have considered how AI affects […]
Article
Metal parts manufacturing is the process of shaping, cutting, and assembling metal materials into components used in countless industries. Its importance lies in its ability to produce durable, precise, and high-performance parts that meet the demanding requirements of modern technology and infrastructure. This article reviews key metal parts manufacturing processes for everything from large-scale components […]
Article
The Injection Molding Design Guide and all information in this article is available as a free e-book download. Download the Injection Molding Design Guide Injection molding design focuses on creating plastic parts that can be manufactured efficiently while maintaining strength, quality, and consistency. By following key design guidelines—such as proper wall thickness, draft angles, rib […]
Article
Looking for a high-precision, cost-effective solution for medical device manufacturing? Injection molding delivers accuracy, regulatory compliance, and scalability for healthcare innovations. It is a process used to manufacture a wide range of medical devices, from catheters and syringes to surgical instruments and implantable components. This highly precise and efficient method is essential for producing parts […]
Article
High-quality hole machining is critical for manufacturing parts with tight tolerances. Holes need to align with precision and accuracy, especially for functional assemblies and engineering fits. Drilling, boring, and reaming are distinct machining processes used to create or refine holes, each offering different levels of precision and surface finish. However, these terms are often mistakenly […]
Page
CNC Part Complexity Quiz Looking for a way to quickly and easily determine how complex your CNC machining part is? Look no further! Get started now. Request Free Trial DOWNLOAD NOW By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We may use the info you submit to contact you and […]
Article
Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T or GD and T) is a standardized system that uses symbolic language to define and communicate product geometry, design intent, and engineering dimensions and tolerances, ensuring precise control over manufacturing variations. Download the free eBook version and master the fundamentals of GD&T— including tips, terms, and best practices, all in […]
Article
Here at Fictiv, we’re all about speed and quality. We want you, the engineer, to get your parts on time—and to get the parts you need and were expecting. Fictiv provides more options and fewer constraints and gives you a system-level view of your design that offers a broad enough sense of how it will […]
Article
Aluminum Anodizing Overview The anodizing process (sometimes known as anodization) converts the surface of aluminum into a thicker, more uniform oxide layer through an electrolytic process. Electrochemically anodizing aluminum produces an aluminum oxide surface that has: Corrosion resistance A pleasing appearance Wear resistance Improved paint or adhesive bonding Improved lubricity Improved plating adhesion This article […]
Article
What could be more exciting than the development and launch of a new product? The rush of the experience – grounded in the hope of unprecedented success. Legendary products like Apple AirPods, which captured 60% of the market in record time and the Apple Watch, which made Apple the world’s biggest watch manufacturer in 2018, […]
THE LATEST FICTIV ARTICLES See More
Article
Export controls can feel complex, intimidating, and easy to get wrong—especially for teams building advanced hardware in aerospace and other regulated industries. But export control confusion doesn’t need to slow your program down. This article explains how export controls work and how Fictiv supports your export-controlled projects. It covers what’s supported under the EAR and […]
Article
Fictiv delivers classification confirmation and automated detection safeguards tosupport regulated production manufacturing that improves compliance andmitigates global regulatory risk. OAKLAND, Calif., March 3, 2026 — Fictiv, a global supply chain and manufacturing company, today announced enhancements to its export control services, embedding classification confirmation and automated safeguards directly into its digital manufacturing platform and services to deliver […]
Article
In mechanical and manufacturing design, tolerances are the unsung heroes (or villains) of product quality, cost, manufacturability, and design intent. Not the ability to tolerate scope creep, schedule changes, or miscommunication in DFM collaboration—though that helps too. We’re talking dimensional and geometric tolerances. Every part, whether a simple bracket or a complex aerospace component, is […]
Article
If you’ve ever managed a mechanical bill of materials (BOM), you know it can get complicated fast—especially when balancing custom vs. standard parts. Tracking parts is only a fraction of the challenge; BOM complexity also impacts both engineering and procurement. Each additional supplier, custom component, or interface increases risk, slows iteration, and complicates assembly. Early […]
Article
In product development, perfect upfront planning is nearly impossible. Product development is complex, creative, and unpredictable. This is why project development schedules are inherently fragile and must be managed closely to maintain forward momentum and avoid delays. A project timeline is set by making a long list of assumptions, many of which change as each […]
Article
Chefs create recipes. Hardware engineers create BOMs and SOPs. The bill of materials (BOM) acts as your product’s ingredient list—accounting for every part, material, and component—while standard operating procedures (SOP) are step-by-step build instructions. In this article, we’ll explain how to build a BOM that will help you clearly communicate your product’s material specifications to […]
Design for Manufacturability Guides (DFM) See More
eBook
Mastering die casting design is essential for producing high-quality, cost-effective metal parts at scale. A deeper understanding of the die casting process leads to improved part performance, reduced costs, and shorter production cycles. Download Fictiv’s Die Casting Design Guide to learn our best tips for designing die-cast parts. This comprehensive resource covers fundamental principles of […]
eBook
A Complete Guide to Sheet Metal Fabrication: Design, Manufacturing & Welding Taking your sheet metal projects from concept to production with Fictiv’s all-in-one resource bundle. Whether you’re optimizing manufacturability, perfecting design details, or improving weld integrity, this content stack brings together three expert-authored guides – each focused on a different critical phase of the process. […]
eBook
Skip the questions, eliminate redundant ordering, and get the finishing option that works best for your part. With Fictiv’s CNC finishing guide, learn everything you need to know about our surface finishing capabilities. We’ll give you in-depth information on the protective properties and aesthetic benefits of each finishing option. The guide will cover a variety […]
Article
Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T or GD and T) is a standardized system that uses symbolic language to define and communicate product geometry, design intent, and engineering dimensions and tolerances, ensuring precise control over manufacturing variations. Download the free eBook version and master the fundamentals of GD&T— including tips, terms, and best practices, all in […]
Article
A crucial part of sheet metal fabrication is planning how the assembly will be welded into a complete unit, known as a weldment. An optimized design makes the weldment process more efficient and cost-effective, while also improving structural strength, reducing the risk of rework, and preventing issues like weak welds or cracking. This guide will […]
eBook
Whether you’re an experienced manufacturing professional or just starting in the field, mastering sheet metal manufacturing is essential for the success of your projects. A lack of sheet metal manufacturing knowledge can lead to increased costs and production delays. In this guide, you will explore:
eBook
Best Practices for Urethane Casting Design Urethane casting, also known as RTV, or room temperature vulcanization, is a very flexible and forgiving process. Most parts that can be 3D printed or CNC machined can also be urethane cast. Different from 3D printing and CNC machining, urethane casting production-quality plastic parts with almost limitless complexity. In […]
Article
Not every design leads to a successful product, even if it theoretically looks flawless. The difference often comes down to Design for Manufacturing (DFM), aka Design for Manufacturability, which involves considering the manufacturing process from the start. A design that seems perfect in CAD can quickly run into real-world roadblocks once it’s time to start […]
Article
Are you ready to scale up from 3D printing to injection molding? Then it’s time to tailor your part design for a process that uses metal tooling and has its own unique design requirements. This article begins with some injection molding basics and then explains how to optimize your part design to reduce tooling costs […]
Article
Plastic injection molding can produce anywhere from a few hundred to a few million parts. To ensure that parts are produced consistently, with minimal defects, and at the lowest possible cost, designers should follow some established guidelines. Wall thickness is a key consideration critical to the success of your injection molding project. Download Fictiv’s Injection […]
Article
Sharp edges are beautiful: light glinting off these clean lines as a product rotates through space, music swelling dramatically in the background of a commercial. Edges are precise. Edges are distinct. Edges are horrible for injection molding. A general rule of injection molding is: Radius all edges. What do you do if your design calls […]
Article
Design for injection molding has clear rules: Add draft. No undercuts. Round edges. Clear parting lines. Uniform walls, not too thick. But learning about advanced plastic manufacturing is like visiting Morpheus’s dojo in The Matrix: Some rules can be bent. Others can be broken. But breaking these rules is costly. Sharp edges require additional machining […]
Manufacturing Material Guides See More
Article
When it comes to injection molding, selecting the appropriate material is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make. The material you choose affects not only the performance and durability of the finished product but also cost, manufacturability, and sustainability. To help you make informed decisions, we’ve developed a comprehensive Injection Molding Material Comparison Chart, […]
Article
The advent of CAD systems, additive manufacturing, and CNC machining have made the design and manufacture of complex part designs almost routine. Engineers today are tasked with designing components that may be subjected to a variety of factors, including extreme weather conditions, chemicals, bodily fluids, high stress or loads, impacts, and other elements that could […]
Article
In product design, many situations call for soft or flexible materials. Whether it’s a waterproof seal or a compliant mechanism, these types of materials prove indispensable in many use cases. The right material choice can mean the difference between a product that merely meets basic requirements and one that excels in comfort, durability, and performance. […]
Article
As additive manufacturing expands beyond rigid plastics, flexible materials are redefining what’s possible—from soft robotic joints to wearable tech. Flexible filaments or source materials enable the printing of functional parts that require flexibility and shock absorption, conformability, and durability under repetitive strain. For mechanical engineers and product designers involved in applications such as robotics, consumer […]
Article
To most people, plastics might seem all the same, but to an engineer, plastics come in families, have cousin materials, and have other materials that are as different as cats are from dogs. Of course, our clients expect us to worry about these details, and as nerds, the minute differences between materials, including considerations for […]
Article
The first step in designing a part is to determine what material it should be made out of. If you decide the part should be plastic, and it should be CNC machined, the selection does not simply stop there. There is a plethora of machinable plastic to choose from for plastic machining in 2022, each […]
Article
Filler materials or compounds can be added to thermoplastics to improve their mechanical properties, lower material costs, or achieve a combination of both. The properties of filled thermoplastics can vary depending on the type of base plastic, the type of filler used, and the filler concentration. These improved characteristics make filled thermoplastics valuable across various […]
Article
Aluminum Anodizing Overview The anodizing process (sometimes known as anodization) converts the surface of aluminum into a thicker, more uniform oxide layer through an electrolytic process. Electrochemically anodizing aluminum produces an aluminum oxide surface that has: Corrosion resistance A pleasing appearance Wear resistance Improved paint or adhesive bonding Improved lubricity Improved plating adhesion This article […]
Article
In the world of plastics, there are a lot of different options for a designer to choose from. There are so many plastic materials, in fact, that the process of selecting the proper 3D printing plastics for prototyping and subsequent manufacturing plastics for production may seem intimidating. This article seeks to clarify the main types of plastic materials […]
Article
Incorrect material selection can be detrimental to the success of a project and even result in financial loss or, more significantly, loss of life. Material selection is often one of the first and most important decisions you will make in new product development or component design. I have found few design engineers are well-versed in […]
Article
As additive manufacturing expands beyond rigid plastics, flexible materials are redefining what’s possible—from soft robotic joints to wearable tech. Flexible filaments or source materials enable the printing of functional parts that require flexibility and shock absorption, conformability, and durability under repetitive strain. For mechanical engineers and product designers involved in applications such as robotics, consumer […]
Article
Thermoplastics and thermoset plastics are classes of polymers used in injection molding, CNC machining, 3D printing, and urethane casting. Like elastomers, another class of polymer, thermoplastics and thermosets both consist of long, repeating chains of molecules. Under a microscope, the structure of a thermoplastic resembles a railroad track while a thermoset material looks like a […]
Engineering Workflow Tips See More
Article
Introducing a new product to the market comes with many challenges and unexpected turns. It’s never as easy as it sounds, but having a structured plan for team alignment goes a long way. The New Product Introduction (NPI) process follows a structured approach to ensure a product moves efficiently from concept to market launch. Each […]
Article
This article was revised by Tessa Axsom in September 2023 Even in 2023, with the rising popularity of model-based definitions, engineering drawings are still a great way to communicate design intent for CNC machined parts that require tight tolerances, material specifications, or other special requirements. That’s why many Fictiv customers in the robotics, aerospace, automotive, […]
Article
Before the invention of CNC (Computer Numerical Control), machinists relied solely on 2D engineering drawings to determine machining steps and parameters. Manufacturing has come a long way since then, thanks to precise 3D modeling and CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) programs. In 2022, we’re fortunate to be able to import solid 3D models into a CNC […]
Article
Here at Fictiv, we’re all about speed and quality. We want you, the engineer, to get your parts on time—and to get the parts you need and were expecting. Fictiv provides more options and fewer constraints and gives you a system-level view of your design that offers a broad enough sense of how it will […]
Article
What could be more exciting than the development and launch of a new product? The rush of the experience – grounded in the hope of unprecedented success. Legendary products like Apple AirPods, which captured 60% of the market in record time and the Apple Watch, which made Apple the world’s biggest watch manufacturer in 2018, […]
Article
Go, Go, Go—we’ve all heard the inspirational and aspirational desire of upper management to get it done, get it done right, and as always, get it done faster. One way to be more efficient as an engineer is to learn to code. In this blog post, I hope to help convince you to start coding […]
Article
There are very few parts that function on their own—almost every design requires multiple pieces to be joined in some way to create a final product. When was the last time you had something other than a bottle opener that was a single, functional part? When designing for a multi-part engineering build, there are extra […]
Article
You just finished the initial design of your product, and it looks great! Well, it looks great on your computer screen. So, you decide to make a prototype and see if your design looks and works as intended in real life. Odds are that the first prototype won’t meet all of your expectations. In fact, […]
Article
More than 3.2 million product designers and engineers use SOLIDWORKS worldwide. Fun fact: SOLIDWORKS crashed on me during a final exam once and my professor was not sympathetic — instead he decided to teach me a lesson in saving files more frequently. That lesson still haunts me over a decade later. Pro-tip: Always follow SOLIDWORKS […]
Article
The Product Requirements Document (PRD aka Product Requirement Document) is a familiar term to most engineers. Typically, we get the PRD from a product manager; it tells us what to build but not how to build it. But let’s face it, it’s probably better that way. Engineers hate being told how to implement an idea — that’s the fun […]
Article
Note: This article is based on a previously published version by Sylvia Wu and has been updated to reflect Fictiv’s current capabilities, as well as 2022 innovations. When designing a product for the consumer market, industrial usage, or aerospace industry, how the product looks, feels, and functions is critical. Color, material and finish (CMF) are […]
Article
In the product design world, it’s common to use a tool called a Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) to improve a design or process. FMEAs are commonly separated into two different categories, depending on their application: A Design FMEA (D-FMEA) is used in product design to identify possible design weaknesses and failure modes. A […]
Article
Any professional mechanical engineer knows that Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is an essential tool used to analyze stress (deflection, FOS, and more) in a design based on different loading conditions. A huge part of conducting FEA centers around research. When you start the process, you don’t yet know what you don’t know. You need to […]
Article
Steve Jobs once said, “Innovation is not about saying yes to everything. It’s about saying no to all but the most crucial features.” As part of the I.D. product development team at Apple, I had the remarkable experience of observing this philosophy firsthand. I sat in on many design team meetings where new and innovative […]
Engineering Tools See More
Tool
Designing products for load bearing applications can pose a multitude of challenges, so it’s important for a designer to have a “toolbox” of techniques that improve design quality. Designing for stiffness through geometric controls is a top tool in that box. In order to solve engineering problems related to stiffness, you need to know a […]
Tool
Press fits adapt to many situations, hold parts in perfect alignment, and are easily introduced and form a lasting bond. Press fits are the perfect choice for designs like machined parts of similar materials with tight tolerances requiring close-tolerance alignment. How do you know if the parts can be assembled and if the interference in […]
Tool
See how supplier mix, inventory buffers (safety stock), and operational choices impact supply chain resilience and risk—so you can prioritize actions that strengthen your supply chain. Who this supply chain calculator is for What you’ll get to support your supply chain management How the supply chain calculator works Enter whole-number inputs for the factors you […]
Tool
Injection molding is a complex process. You have to not only design your mold and tooling, but also manage all the moving pieces, hit your deadline, and ensure the parts are manufactured to spec within budget. It’s a lot, right? Leveraging years of injection molding production experience, we created this Gantt chart template to help […]
Tool
In the product design world, it’s common to use a tool called a Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) to improve a design or process. FMEAs are commonly separated into two different categories, depending on their application: A Design FMEA (D-FMEA) is used in product design to identify possible design weaknesses and failure modes. A […]
Tool
In the world of mechanical product design, engineers and designers complete what is known as a tolerance analysis, or tolerance stack up analysis, on an assembly as they prepare to send the components out for manufacturing. This is done to ensure that when you order parts, they are manufactured to dimensions that guarantee the components within an […]
Tool
How can you make your designs easier for your friends on the manufacturing floor and, well, more elegant? This handy checklist summarizes 10 essential design for assembly (DFA) rules that will help you simplify designs as much as possible, to save your company in a big way, both in manufacturing time and in reducing defects.
Mechanical Design Tips See More
Article
A living hinge is a thin, flexible strip made from the same material as the connected parts, designed to let them bend or rotate without additional hardware. They are low-cost, easy to manufacture, and have little wear or friction involved in operation. But while the idea is simple, the execution can be more complicated. Living […]
Article
Designing components with snap-fits can save you time and money in production by reducing material costs and part quantities, as well as making assembly easier. Typically in the past, injection molding was the most viable method for producing snap-fit joints in plastics. Today, however, CNC machining and 3D printing have opened up both new opportunities […]
Article
When designing a product, consider all factors that will contribute to its success throughout the development process. For most companies, this involves making the best quality product at the lowest possible cost. Design for Excellence (DFX) is a modern product development approach and an umbrella term encompassing several design strategies focused on optimizing design and […]
Article
This article was originally published in February 2017 by Humberto Villasenor. The content has been updated. Understanding the differences between the mechanical properties of strength vs. stiffness vs. hardness is foundational in mechanical engineering, yet these properties are often confused. These properties are related, but they have important differences: For this article, we’ll review the […]
Article
Have you recently assembled Ikea furniture? If so, I apologize. I send my condolences for the frustration you experienced when the holes did not line up with the pins you put in other holes or when you realized you were missing a fastener. The good news is that you did gain something from the experience […]
Article
We get a lot of questions about the best methods for fastening different 3D printed components. When prototyping hardware products — like electronics enclosures or robotic assemblies — you often need to design mating structures that are more complex than a single 3D printed component. Other times, you may need to print components larger than […]
Article
When designing plastic components, it’s often necessary to add ribs and gussets to improve the stiffness and strength of load-bearing features. This reduces material volume and optimizes print time for 3D printed parts, since it takes longer to make these features solid structures (print time is largely driven by the volume of material for a […]
Article
In a world of ever-increasing electronics, our lives are continuously impacted by devices that incorporate some sort of heat-generating circuitry. When it comes to electronics that dissipate power in the form of heat during normal operation, it is often necessary to manage this heat, to ensure the components don’t exceed their maximum allowable temperatures. One […]
Article
Light plays an important role in the design of many hardware products. Often, they are both decorative and functional. Indicator lights are the most minimal user interface: They tell you whether the device is turned on, low on battery, or “thinking” really hard. On modern electronics, the light’s source is almost always an LED. However, […]
Article
Fillets are one of those mysterious design features for which there seem to be no clearly defined rules. Either a part is entirely devoid of fillets, and most or all edges are well-defined, or the part’s designer decided to take the opposite route, and every single edge and corner is rounded with some size of […]
Article
Improving part stiffness is critical for load bearing applications, and can be accomplished through both design geometry and material properties. In this article, we’ll employ many of the same formulas we discussed in our previous article about leveraging geometric structures to improve stiffness. However, here we’ll focus on material selection, altering the properties of materials […]
Article
There’s a reason kids love Lego. When I was a kid, nothing was more valuable to me than my big blue bucket of the multi-colored bricks. Even when my parents encouraged my interest in engineering with more complex Fischer Technics, nothing replaced the joy of quickly snapping pieces together in increasingly complex shapes. Wouldn’t it […]
Article
While the power of a hardware product comes from its internal components, a product is typically recognized by its enclosure, the outer shell that encloses electronic products, making them appealing and user-friendly. In this post, I’m going to walk you through the steps for designing a basic enclosure, using the design of a IoT plant […]
Teardowns See More
Teardown
In 2006, Nintendo took the world of interactive gaming by storm. The launch of the Wii welcomed gamers and, more importantly, non-gamers alike to physically interact with a virtual world. Whether the user was playing a competitive round of Wii Tennis or customizing their Mii, the Wii remote (otherwise known as the Wiimote) invited users […]
Teardown
During pandemic lockdown, I noticed several issues with my home, including the broken sprinkler head, dog stains on the carpet, and my mother’s spice cabinet. My mother has a metric ton of spices that used to have labels that have rubbed off after constant use. I bought a portable label maker to replenish the labels […]
Teardown
One of the coolest things about Fictiv’s San Francisco HQ office is that it’s dog-friendly! Our furry friends can work alongside us everyday, getting their daily dose of head scratches and belly rubs, and we get a daily dose of adorableness. For National Dog Day, we thought it would be fitting to test out and […]
Teardown
For our teardown of the Anki Vector Robot, we were joined in the studio by Leanne Cushing, captain of Team Valkyrie on Battlebots. Anki’s Vector Robot, released in late 2018, was designed to listen and respond to its user, interact with its surroundings, recognize people and objects, and avoid obstacles. When released, the robot sold […]
Teardown
In this clean-shaven teardown, we’re celebrating Father’s Day and looking at two different electric shavers—the Philips Norelco S9311 and the Braun series 7. We put the two shavers head to head, with our first Fictiv employee to become a dad volunteering his face to see which one left the best shave. Then we put them […]
Manufacturing Industry Reports See More
eBook
Manufacturing organizations worldwide have faced and overcome incredible challenges in recent years. Yet the bullwhip effect of those issues remains in 2023. The present is marked by economic uncertainty and workforce challenges, but access to manufacturing technologies — especially those powered by artificial intelligence — is opening new pathways to success. Responding to macroeconomic forces […]
eBook
Introduction The world is forever changed. The past two years have been exceptional in many ways, but workplaces and businesses have adapted and moved forward. The rise of remote work isn’t receding, and the need to invest in more resilient supply chains is greater than ever. And even as constraints have loosened, leaders know that […]
eBook
Conducted with Dimensional Research, the fifth annual manufacturing industry report polled hundreds of senior manufacturing and supply chain decision makers at companies producing medical device, robotics, automotive, aerospace, and consumer electronics products. Key themes from the 30-page report found: COVID-19 Has Negatively Harmed Most Businesses (89%) and Industries Digital and AI Advances are Important, But […]
eBook
2018 was full of challenges (old and new) for product developers bringing new products to market. Agility is key in the midst of trade tensions 62% say tariffs have increased their material/component costs More teams are turning to local options for prototyping and production manufacturing Bridging the production gap is still high risk 30% of respondents don’t […]
Webinar
On Demand
How Product Innovation is Demanding More from Traditional Manufacturing As hardware developers compete to bring advanced technologies like augmented reality and autonomous mobility to market, development speeds are increasing — yet too often, manufacturing is a source of limiting friction. In a special webinar, Jay Rogers and Mike Geyer discuss the themes uncovered in Fictiv’s […]
eBook
To transform an idea into a commercially-viable hardware product requires vast reserves of curiosity, creativity, and grit. But there are so many valuable learnings along the way that can make the process of hardware development more seamless and efficient. Things like: part symmetry is your friend. And you should never underestimate the value of strategic […]
eBook
The hardware industry is growing at an exhilarating pace. More companies are developing innovative products, we have better tools for prototyping and manufacturing, and access to these tools—and the knowledge around how to use them—is becoming more universally available. But we still have a ways to go before hardware development can be truly accessible to […]
Supply Chain Optimization See More
Article
Manufacturing supply chain management (SCM) is critical in ensuring that design, materials, processes, and logistics are seamlessly coordinated to deliver high-quality products efficiently. Effective SCM optimizes resource allocation, minimizes waste, enhances production efficiency, and strengthens supplier relationships. By incorporating lean manufacturing principles, companies can refine their operations further to reduce inefficiencies and maximize value creation. […]
Article
It’s important for every new product introduction team to consider how to manage against risk in their supply chain, in order to avoid disruption. After you identify your high-level business objectives, I recommend four actionable strategies for supply chain risk mitigation: Dual/triple source for components where applicable Plan proactively against future scenarios Maintain visibility through […]
Webinar
On Demand
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a major disruptive force for robotics companies of all sizes and sectors. With shelter-in-place regulations established first in China, then Europe, and now sweeping across North America, robotics manufacturers and OEMs alike are forced to navigate mandatory closures, material shortages, importation road blocks, and remote work scenarios. These roadblocks can […]
eBook
Healthcare’s digital evolution is real. It’s happening at every stage of the value chain in every segment of this critical space. Tightened development cycles, resilient supply chains that support rapid change while diminishing risk, and vigorous controls, certifications, and traceability models to ensure patient safety are important steps on a path to a viable healthcare […]
Article
Recently I sat down with MacroFab CEO Misha Govshteyn to talk about building supply chain resilience, during a webinar hosted by industry journalist Philip Stoten. We looked at supply chains in the COVID-19 era and explored how we got here, then discussed the digitally connected supply chain of the future. How we got here: a perfect […]
Article
This week we brought together two guests who have not just spent years in the manufacturing and supply chain industries, but who are regularly published as experts in their field. First up was Sarah Barnes-Humphrey, founder and host of podcast and blog “Let’s Talk Supply Chain” (LTSC). With 20 years in logistics and supply chain, Sarah […]
Article
Unpredictability and disruption in the supply chain world are often thought about, yet rarely prepared for. With the global spread of COVID-19, manufacturing has changed dramatically over the last few months, and it seems as if there’s no end in sight. Last week, we hosted a webinar on the Hidden Costs of Supply Chain Unpredictability, […]
Case Studies See More
Article
The Challenge: First-to-Market Wins From sporting goods and electronics to product packaging and in-store displays, plastic is used in a wide array of consumer goods applications. But regardless of the shape, size or complexity of the consumer good that’s being manufactured, the challenge is still the same: getting high-quality goods on shelves fast to meet […]
Article
The Challenge: Speed to Market In the rapidly advancing and highly competitive medical industry, there is considerable value in being not only fast to market but also first to market with a new medical device or component. Medical companies spend substantial resources to increase the chances of beating their competitors to market and avoid the […]
Fictiv Updates See More
Article
Fictiv is the first on-demand manufacturing platform to automatically generate drawings from 3D models, providing a solution for engineers that want higher quality parts, faster. SAN FRANCISCO, July 28, 2021 — Fictiv, the leader in high-quality manufacturing on-demand through its Digital Manufacturing Ecosystem, today unveiled an industry-first feature that enables engineers to create and edit 2D […]
Article
Fictiv Enterprise delivers trusted on-demand manufacturing for large or complex organizations seeking faster, more agile supply chains with a reduced physical footprint. San Francisco, June 15, 2021 — Fictiv, the leader in high-quality manufacturing on-demand through its Digital Manufacturing Ecosystem, today unveiled Fictiv Enterprise, an industry-first digital manufacturing solution to meet the robust quality and security requirements of […]
Article
Sherman recognized among outstanding executives whose accomplishments leverage supply chains for competitive advantage. SAN FRANCISCO, March 17, 2021 — Supply & Demand Chain Executive, the only publication covering the entire global supply chain, today announced Andy Sherman, Fictiv VP of Manufacturing Operations, as a winner of its 2021 Pros to Know award. The award recognizes outstanding […]
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When you’re moving 100 miles-an-hour, juggling orders for ten critical parts to meet an important production milestone, the last thing you need is parts that don’t meet your spec. With the latest updates to the Fictiv platform, you can now remove guesswork from the quality equation and easily add specific quality inspections and certifications to […]
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Veteran enterprise executives to increase Fictiv’s wealth of experience in enterprise markets and new product introduction SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. —February 23, 2021— Fictiv today announced the addition of two senior technology leaders with decades of combined experience to its management team and the appointment of former Jabil Chief Marketing Officer Joanne Moretti to its Board […]
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This latest funding round will fuel continued growth to meet demand for Fictiv’s quality-driven approach to on-demand manufacturing. San Francisco – February 17, 2021 – As the pace of digital transformation in manufacturing continues to accelerate, Fictiv today announced a new $35M round of funding led by 40 North Ventures to aggressively expand Fictiv’s groundbreaking […]
