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Spotfacing and Spotfaced Holes

One of the challenges with rapid prototyping is making sure that everything fits together properly. If the design team isn’t careful with its high-fidelity models, parts assembly may involve the use of a hammer – and sometimes in frustration. With proper callouts, however, the secondary machining of 3D-printed and injection-molded parts gives designers a better […]

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Five Key Factors to Consider When Performing a Supplier Evaluation

A supplier evaluation uses both quantitative and qualitative data to assess a manufacturing partner. Quantitative data is numbers-based, or measurable, while qualitative data is descriptive, or language-based instead. For example, the percentage of on-time deliveries is quantitative, but testimonials about a supplier’s ability to fill orders with short lead times is qualitative — make sense? […]

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Crumbling Down Brittleness

What do you call a brittle superhero? Fragile-man! When you think of brittleness, what comes to mind? Maybe a piece of fine porcelain that shatters when you drop it, or perhaps a window pane that shattered from an errant golf shot.  Brittleness is defined not only as the tendency of a material to fracture when […]

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CREO vs. SolidWorks® Comparison

Creo and SolidWorks® are considered powerful CAD packages that can generate 3D models, shop drawings, and G-code for CNC machining. Both programs can simulate designs to ensure they can handle the applied loads. Each is available in various tiers of functionality and price with different features. SolidWorks® has more flexible licensing options when compared to […]

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Plastic Extrusion Explained

Plastic products have gained widespread popularity because of their versatility, durability, and ease of manufacturing. Like plastic injection molding, plastic extrusion stands out as one of the most widely used processes for high-volume parts production — it’s particularly suitable for creating continuous profiles such as pipes and tubes. Industrial applications for plastic extrusion have a […]

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Engineering Fundamentals Refresh: Mechanical Creep (Deformation)

In mechanical engineering, creep is a metallurgical phenomenon where a metal slowly deforms due to prolonged exposure to stress below its yield strength. Read on to learn more about creep and how it works, then see some visual creep depictions and examples.  What is Mechanical Creep? In Engineering Fundamentals Refresh: Strength vs. Stiffness vs. Hardness, […]

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The 4 Phases of IoT Product Development Made Easy

This article is based on Breadware’s IoT Product Development in 4 Smart Steps, which outlines the four phases of IoT Product Development. The Internet of Things (IoT) market has exploded in recent years, and now IoT-connected devices outnumber non-connected devices. Thus far in 2023, 3.22 billion new IoT devices have come online, so now the […]

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Our Guide to Aluminum Casting

Humans have always produced tools and parts in various ways, and some of the oldest methods leverage the flexibility of metal at or near its melting temperature, such as casting and forging. Aluminum casting is a centuries-old manufacturing process that produces aluminum parts by pouring molten aluminum into a mold, then allowing it to cool […]

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Corrosion vs Oxidation vs Rust

It really grinds my gears when people use the word rust incorrectly. I spent years working as a metallurgist and design engineer analyzing material samples for failure. I love chemistry and have an obsession with relaying factual information. That’s why I dream of the day when all humans understand the difference between corrosion, oxidation, and […]

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Our Favorite Mechanical Inventions Helping the World Right Now

As an engineer, the peak in excitement and job satisfaction is the opportunity to create something that improves the lives of people around the world. While the field of biomedical engineering may be the most obvious area that directly helps people (which is why I began my studies in college in biomedical engineering) there are […]