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Tessa Axsom

Senior Product Marketing Manager – CNC, Fictiv

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About Tessa

Tessa Axsom is a mechanical engineer and Senior Product Marketing Manager – CNC at Fictiv, where she combines deep technical manufacturing expertise with clear, practical communication for engineers and product teams. A Purdue University mechanical engineering graduate, Tessa has experience across aerospace, metallurgy, quality, mechanical systems, and digital manufacturing, including aluminum plate-and-fin heat exchanger design, chemical analysis lab leadership, CNC machining, tolerances, surface finishes, and supplier capability. At Fictiv, she helps translate complex manufacturing realities into actionable resources, design guidance, and product messaging that support better, faster part development.

All Articles by Tessa Axsom

How to Design Snap Fit Components

October 17, 2025

GD&T Basics with Examples: A Guide to Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing

June 6, 2025

Large CNC Machining: Precision Manufacturing for Oversized Components​

May 30, 2025

CNC Machining Coolants and Cutting Fluids: Types, Benefits, and Best Practices

April 11, 2025

Copper in Manufacturing: Properties, Types, Processes, and Industry Applications

April 9, 2025

Die Casting: Overview, Materials, Process, & Applications

February 3, 2025

Anodizing Rack Marks: Guide to Cosmetic Quality

February 28, 2024

Prototyping for the 5 Stages of the Product Development Process

January 8, 2024

All About Sheet Metal: Materials, Geometries, Manufacturing Processes

December 21, 2023

DJI Mini 2 SE Drone Teardown

December 14, 2023

3D Printing Materials and Applications: A Comprehensive Guide

December 4, 2023

How to Make Prototypes and Custom Parts With Carbon Fiber

November 17, 2023

New Fictiv 3D Printing Material/Process: CarbonDLS

November 16, 2023

Finding the Right Secondary Operations after CNC machining, Part I: Heat Treatments

November 6, 2023

Top Trends in Clean Energy Manufacturing 2023

November 6, 2023

CNC Machining for Rapid Prototyping

October 30, 2023

What Is a CMM? Components, Uses, and Benefits

October 23, 2023

Plastic Joining Methods: A Guide to Mechanical Fastener Options From Snap Fits to Adhesives

October 18, 2023

Rake Angle Guide for Machining

October 10, 2023

Too Tight or Perfect Fit? When to Use Press Fits in Assemblies

October 10, 2023

Types of Reamer Tools Used in Machining

October 6, 2023

Teflon® (Polytetrafluoroethylene) PTFE and the Coefficient of Friction

September 29, 2023

Acrylic vs. Polycarbonate CNC Machining

September 28, 2023

9 Tips for Better Engineering Drawings that Save Time and Money

September 25, 2023

Hot Forging vs. Cold Forging

September 20, 2023

3D Printing Inserts: Types, Installation & Best Practices

September 20, 2023

Our Guide to Counterbore Holes

September 8, 2023

Precision Machined Parts: Fictiv’s Comprehensive Guide

August 25, 2023

Engineering Fundamentals Refresh: Compressive Stress

August 18, 2023

Solid Edge® vs. Solidworks® Comparison

August 16, 2023

10 Trends Shaping the Future of Supply Chain Management

August 4, 2023

Tool Balancing: Our Top 5 Tips

August 3, 2023

Rapid CNC Machining vs Traditional CNC Machining

July 20, 2023

What Is a Toolroom Mill?

July 17, 2023

3D Printing: It’s Time.

July 10, 2023

Our Top Three Tips for Reducing CNC Lead Time

June 27, 2023

Crumbling Down Brittleness

June 16, 2023

CNC Machine Coolant: Purpose, Types, and Management

June 12, 2023

CREO vs. SolidWorks® Comparison

June 6, 2023

5 Ways AI is Impacting 3D Printing

June 6, 2023

Preventing 3D Printing Heat Creep: Solutions and Causes

May 30, 2023

Engineering Fundamentals Refresh: Mechanical Creep (Deformation)

May 23, 2023

The 4 Phases of IoT Product Development Made Easy

May 23, 2023

Guide to Foamcore Joining Techniques

May 17, 2023

Corrosion vs Oxidation vs Rust

May 17, 2023

Our Favorite Mechanical Inventions Helping the World Right Now

May 11, 2023

CNC Machining: Macros, Subprograms, and Parametric Programming

May 11, 2023

How to Finish 3D Printed Parts – Get the Ultimate Guide

May 2, 2023

Plasma Cutting: Everything You Need to Know

April 28, 2023

The Best CAD Software Programs in 2023

April 27, 2023

An Introduction to Surface Modeling in Solidworks

April 14, 2023

How to Start Designing 3D Models

April 12, 2023

Your Guide to Nickel Plating

April 10, 2023

CNC Machining Complex Parts

April 6, 2023

How to Prepare Rhino Files for 3D Printing

March 31, 2023

The Bimetallic Strip Explained

March 30, 2023

10 New 3D Printing Materials

March 29, 2023

How Digital Manufacturing Reduces Supply Chain Disruptions

March 24, 2023

8 Creative Ways to Recruit Skilled Mechanical Engineers

March 24, 2023

5 Ways to Combat the Machinist Shortage in 2023

March 23, 2023

Heat Exchanger Material Selection

March 23, 2023

Using Robotics for CNC Machine Tending

March 9, 2023

Consumer Electronics Certifications: FCC Regulations, EMC Testing, and More

February 28, 2023

What are Complex Parts: A Geometry Perspective

February 28, 2023

10 Tips to Improve Your CAD Designs for CNC Machining

February 28, 2023

Engineering Fundamentals Refresh: Strength vs. Stiffness vs. Hardness

February 17, 2023

Engineering Fundamentals Refresh: Bernoulli’s Equation

February 16, 2023

Types of Springs and their Applications: An Overview

February 8, 2023

5 Tips for Developing People Skills as an Engineer

February 8, 2023

Top-Performing Corrosion-Resistant Materials

February 7, 2023

Fillets: When to Use ‘Em, When to Lose ‘Em

February 1, 2023

A Guide to Rivet Types and Their Common Uses

January 31, 2023

5 Career Paths for Mechanical Engineers

January 25, 2023

Methods for Manufacturing and Calling Out Threaded Holes

January 24, 2023

CNC Milling Explained

January 17, 2023

CNC Acrylic: A Simple Guide to Understanding PMMA Machining

January 16, 2023

The 3 Essential Methods for Gear Machining

January 10, 2023

How to Select & Source the Right Materials

January 9, 2023

Our Best Tips for Designing Your Injection Mold

December 30, 2022

The Best CAD & CAM Software for CNC

December 29, 2022

The Advantages of Distributed Manufacturing

December 21, 2022

How to Communicate Color, Material, and Finish Effectively

December 15, 2022

 Guide to CNC Machining Tolerances

December 15, 2022

Top 5 Heat-Resistant Plastics

December 14, 2022

Stainless Steel: Why Do We Call it Stainless?

December 8, 2022

3 Career Paths for Design Engineers in 2023

November 30, 2022

What is Vapor Smoothing of MJF 3D Printed Parts?

November 16, 2022

Everything You Need to Know About STEP Files

November 7, 2022

 Jigs vs Fixtures: An Overview

November 4, 2022

Tapped Holes vs. Threaded Holes – Dispelling the Confusion

October 24, 2022

Hard Metals vs. Soft Metals for CNC Machining

October 21, 2022

Let It Slide: Self-Lubrication in Mechanical Assemblies

October 21, 2022

Industrial Part Marking: Engraving for Prototype and Custom CNC Parts

October 14, 2022

Calculating the Cost of CNC Machining Custom Parts

October 13, 2022

316 vs 304 Steel: Choosing Between Two Great Metals

October 11, 2022

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

October 7, 2022

Supplier Selection Process Best Practices

October 5, 2022

Casting vs. CNC Machining: How to Choose the Right Process for Your Part?

September 29, 2022

CNC Materials Series: Pros and Cons of Different Aluminum Alloys

September 28, 2022

What is metrology?

September 26, 2022

3D Printing to CNC Machining: When to Make the Switch

September 26, 2022

The Engineer’s Guide to AC vs DC Motors

September 21, 2022

3 Career Paths for Industrial Designers

September 20, 2022

How To Make a Great Engineering Drawing Manufacturers Will Understand

September 19, 2022

How to Choose the Best Fasteners for 3D Printed Parts

September 16, 2022

Best CNC Machining Robotics Components

September 15, 2022

CNC Materials Series: Best Methods for Cleaning CNC Machined Parts (An Overview)

September 9, 2022

CAD File Formats and How to Export Them for 3D Printing

September 1, 2022

GD&T: A Step-By-Step Guide

August 31, 2022

How to Prepare Files for Uploading to Fictiv

August 30, 2022

O-Ring Groove (Gland) Design Guide

August 30, 2022

Overview of Types of Vertical Mills

August 24, 2022

How to Conduct a Tolerance Analysis for 3D Printed Parts

August 19, 2022

Aluminum Anodizing: All You Need to Know

August 18, 2022

Which Type of CNC Cutting is Best for Your Parts?

August 17, 2022

Precision CNC Machining: How Can You Make Your Parts More Precise?

August 16, 2022

What is ISO 2768? A Guide to Tolerance Standards for CNC Machining

August 10, 2022

10 Macro Trends in Manufacturing for 2022

August 10, 2022

3-Axis to 12-Axis: CNC Milling Machine Capabilities Compared

August 9, 2022

Our Best Tips for Sustainable CNC Machining

July 30, 2022

Slip Fit Tolerances and Geometry

July 20, 2022

CNC Machining with Robotics – Outlook and Manufacturing of Cobots in CNC Machining

July 12, 2022

EDM – Electrical Discharge Machining – Choosing the Best Materials

July 5, 2022

How to Write an Engineering Requirements Document

June 28, 2022

Creating Involute Gears in CAD

June 27, 2022

Pressure Testing CNC Machined, Cast Parts: Our Best Tips

June 14, 2022

How to Cut CNC Machining Costs

June 10, 2022

CNC Materials Series: Tips for CNC Machining Titanium for Medical and Aerospace Industries

June 9, 2022

How is Agile Manufacturing Impacting CNC Machining?

May 13, 2022

Recommended Wall Thickness for 3D Printing

May 5, 2022

CNC Materials Series: Common Materials Used in CNC Projects

April 28, 2022

CNC Plastics Selection Guide

April 27, 2022

Hardware Testing 101

April 7, 2022

Best Practices for Fixing Solidworks Import Errors

April 7, 2022

Best Methods for Cleaning 3D Printed Parts

March 31, 2022

Design Methods to Improve Torsional Rigidity

March 28, 2022

Heat Sink Design Guide & Considerations

March 23, 2022

3 Tips for Stronger 3D Printed Parts

March 8, 2022

Stress Concentrations: How to Identify and Reduce Them in Your Designs

March 7, 2022

Your Guide to New Product Introduction (NPI)

January 7, 2022

Fiat 500 EV Conversion: Prototyping and Sourcing Parts

December 14, 2021

Fiat 500 EV Conversion: Electrical System

December 14, 2021

Fiat 500 EV Conversion: Mechanical Design

December 14, 2021

Fiat 500 EV Conversion: Project Butterball

December 14, 2021

Manufacturing Costs of 3D Printing vs Urethane Casting vs Injection Molding

December 1, 2021

Working with Copper: Design, Machining, and Finish Requirements

November 19, 2021

CNC Machining Copper Alloy EDM Electrodes

October 20, 2021

Solving 7 Common Problems in CNC Machining Aerospace Components

October 14, 2021

Rising Up to Design and Manufacturability Challenges in Aerospace

October 1, 2021

Scaling Up from Prototype to Production using 3D Printing, Urethane Casting and Injection Molding

September 30, 2021

CNC Machining vs. Manual Machining

September 24, 2021

Finding the Right Secondary Operations After CNC Machining, Part III: Hardware Installation

September 17, 2021

Finding the Right Secondary Operations After CNC Machining, Part II: Finishes

September 17, 2021

What You Need to Know About CNC Machining Aluminum

August 31, 2021

How to Select CNC Machining Tolerances When You Have Complex Requirements

August 23, 2021

The Many Types of Steel, and What You Should Know About CNC Machining Them

August 16, 2021

How to Perfom a Hypothesis Test, an Essential Element of Good Engineering

July 30, 2021

When, Why and How You Should Switch from Die Casting Parts to CNC Machining Them

July 16, 2021

Fictiv Announces Agile 3D Printing Collaboration with Jabil

July 7, 2021

5 Reasons You Need to Use 2D Drawings

July 1, 2021

G-code Knowledge is Key to Mastering Any CNC Machine

June 25, 2021

Cutting Tools Used in CNC Machining – Choose the Right Tool for the Job

May 27, 2021

Introduction to Workholding Options for CNC Machining

May 26, 2021

Fictiv Delivers Speed and Quality With Integration of New Quality Services into Its Digital Manufacturing Platform

March 16, 2021

Fictiv Founder and CEO Dave Evans Honored with 2021 Manufacturing Leadership Award for Role in Digital Transformation

March 15, 2021

Fictiv Named a Global Leader in Cloud Computing

December 8, 2020

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