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316 vs 304 Steel: Choosing Between Two Great Metals

Steel is an alloy composed primarily of iron and carbon that’s rigid and sturdy, so it’s used for heavy-duty applications like infrastructure, industrial equipment, and tooling for CNC machining. Unalloyed iron is soft and has limited uses, but the addition of carbon makes a much stronger and harder material.   Stainless steel (SS) is an alloy […]

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Tips for 3D Scanning to CNC Machine Repair and Overhaul Parts

If you’re involved in the operation and maintenance of a manufacturing facility, chances are that you need to procure Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul Parts (MRO) from time to time. In the past, you may have spent hours measuring minute details to create a drawing or solid model of the component you are hoping to replace.  […]

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Threaded Locking Methods for Secure Connections

Threaded fasteners, such as bolts and nuts, are used in many applications, ranging from plastic toys to massive bridges. And all threaded fastener connections need to stay together when we want them to, but also come apart when needed. For example, the valve covers on an engine must remain in place while driving, but we […]

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Supplier Selection Process Best Practices

If you are to the point in the design process where you can begin conversations with potential suppliers, congratulations! Ideally, you will begin this conversation sooner rather than later so you can get critical design for manufacturability (DFM) feedback, and reduce the number of design iterations required. But finding a supplier who can turn your […]

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Fictiv Launches Fictiv Premium to Help Teams Collaborate and Simplify Custom Manufacturing with High Visibility and Control

New paid annual membership program enables Fictiv customers to unify cross-functional sourcing activities, control access to information, optimize orders for target delivery dates, and access exclusive discounts. SAN FRANCISCO, October 4, 2022 – Fictiv, the operating system for custom manufacturing, announced today the commercial availability of Fictiv Premium, a first-of-its-kind paid annual membership program that […]

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How to Design for Part Stiffness Using a Geometric Approach

Designing products for load bearing applications is a complex and multifaceted task, so it’s important for a designer to have a “toolbox” of techniques that improve design quality. Designing for part stiffness through geometric controls is one of these important tools. While part stiffness can be modified with geometry, material stiffness is a property of […]

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Casting vs. CNC Machining: Which Process Is Best for Your Part?

We’re no longer in the Bronze Age, but some manufacturing techniques stand the test of time. Casting, a process where molten metal is poured into a mold, has been around for over 6,000 years and is still widely used and prominent in manufacturing to this day Advances in casting technology enable the casting of high-quality […]

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Case Study: How Fictiv’s Injection Molding Services Can Help the Energy Sector Produce Parts for Demanding Applications

The Challenge: Growing Energy and Operational Demands As industry advances and populations grow, the demand for energy increases. This places a tremendous amount of pressure on energy companies to scale up their operations, which increases the need for equipment parts. However, extreme environmental conditions, stringent industry standards and keeping operational costs low while meeting economic […]

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High-Strength Parts for Demanding Energy Operations

How Fictiv’s Injection Molding Services Can Help Power the Energy Sector From fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas to renewable sources like solar, wind and hydro, many facets of our daily lives are powered by consumable energy. And as industry advances and populations grow, the demand for energy increases. This places a tremendous amount […]

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CNC Materials Series: Pros and Cons of Different Aluminum Alloys

Aluminum, or aluminium if you’re from the UK, is my favorite metal because of its high strength to weight ratio and suitability for a wide range of manufacturing applications. Aluminum is a commonly utilized material in many industries, and there are many aluminum alloys for CNC machining, CNC milling, CNC turning, welding, brazing, casting, stamping, […]