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The Ultimate Guide to Compression Molding

Compression molding produces parts by placing a pre-measured amount of material into a mold, closing the tool, and applying heat and pressure. This pre-measured material is called a charge or load, and the mold is usually pre-heated so that the material flows more readily and fills the tool as it’s compressed. When molding is complete, […]

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Fictiv’s Injection Molding Sample

Fictiv’s injection molding sample lets you see and feel the most popular polishes and textures for injection molded parts. This thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) sample also contains features common to all molded parts, regardless of their material or finish. Why settle for a printed catalog when you see and feel polishes, textures, and more? SPI Finishes […]

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Abrasive Vs Pure Waterjet Sheet Metal Cutting: Which Is Better?

Many processes may be utilized to cut sheet metal or other metal stock material. Among the most popular processes include pure and abrasive waterjet sheet metal cutting. Waterjet cutting offers g exact and proficient material-cutting capacities for industries such as aerospace. Waterjet cutting utilizes the force of a high-pressure stream of water or a combination […]

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3D Printing Materials and Applications: A Comprehensive Guide

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 […]

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Polyamide vs. Nylon: A Comparison Guide

Polyamide and nylon are frequently utilized interchangeably, as they belong to the same class of engineered polymers. These materials are increasingly utilized due to their excellent mechanical properties, toughness, and adaptability. Nylon is a type of polyamide polymer (polyamides encompass a large group of materials), so they cannot be utilized interchangeably. This comparison guide will […]

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The Ultimate Guide to Low-Volume Injection Molding

Low-volume injection molding is a fast and efficient way to produce plastic parts in volumes from 100 to 10,000 pieces. It’s sometimes used for prototyping mature part designs that require real-world testing. Yet low-volume injection molding can also bridge the gap between pre-production prototyping and the full-scale production of hundreds of thousands of parts. Fictiv […]

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PVC Injection Molding

PVC injection molding is a manufacturing process for producing parts from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), one of the world’s most commonly used plastics. PVC does not absorb moisture and has good chemical resistance. Although it’s not recommended for high-temperature applications, PVC is considered to be flame-resistant because it’s self-extinguishing.  There are two main types of PVC: […]

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Parting Line Injection Molding

Parting line injection molding isn’t a special type of plastic injection molding or liquid silicone rubber injection molding. Instead, it’s used to minimize the appearance of witness lines—unavoidable marks on the surface of a part that show where the two halves of an injection mold come together.  Parting line injection molding is about minimizing flash—excess […]

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How to Make Prototypes and Custom Parts With Carbon Fiber

Carbon fiber has an excellent strength-to-weight ratio and can achieve high stiffness levels with thin walls. It’s especially effective for aerospace, robotics, and sports equipment. Additionally, it can be relatively easy to create complex prototypes or one-off parts with carbon fiber, provided the right tools and techniques are used. This article will cover the basics […]

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New Fictiv 3D Printing Material/Process: CarbonDLS

Fictiv, the operating system for custom manufacturing, today announced Carbon Digital Light Synthesis (DLS) 3D printing technology as part of our robust, production-level 3D printing capabilities. Carbon DLS printing offers injection molding level repeatability alongside the ability to manufacture complex geometries, similar to our stereolithography (SLA) and fused deposition modeling (FDM) options. Within this new […]