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A Closer Look: 3D Printing Materials Comparison

The most popular question we get at Fictiv is around 3D printing material choice: “Which material is best for my project?” Each material has its own benefits and drawbacks, and it can be hard to make a decision without holding and seeing the material for yourself. You’re always welcome to come by the Fictiv office […]

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How to Clean PolyJet Parts

A lot of hard work goes into making 3D printed parts shine once they come off the build bed. As revolutionary as 3D printing has been for hardware development, there’s still some manual labor that goes into every part. Here’s a quick tutorial that shows how we clean PolyJet parts fresh off the build bed […]

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The True Cost of Machine Ownership

One of the most popular questions I get from hardware companies concerns the pros and cons of 3D printer ownership. The question generally goes something like, if i’m iterating all the time, doesn’t it make sense for me to buy my own machine that I can access whenever I need it? That’s precisely the question I […]

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3D TLC: Best Practices at One of the Bay Area’s Top 3D Print Shops

Moddler is widely known as one of the top boutique 3D print shops in the Bay Area. Founded by vfx veteran and Emmy Award winner John Vegher, the company enjoys a glittering line-up of clients and a solid reputation for quality, care, and customer service. Moddler’s focus on producing the highest quality parts for their customers, regardless […]

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How to Use 3D Printing to Design Furniture

Additive manufacturing has revolutionized the way we prototype products—new ideas can take shape in a matter of hours. While large-scale 3D printing is becomingly increasingly possible, the technology is still most commonly used to develop consumer products on a smaller scale. However, this shouldn’t stop you from thinking big when it comes to using additive […]

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Options for 3D Printing Clear Parts

When it comes to 3D printing clear parts, it’s important to understand the clarity options available to you. Depending on your design requirements, the clarity level can play an integral role in your design review. Here are 3 options for 3D printing clear parts to help you make the best material choice for your part. […]

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How to Spray Paint 3D Models

Painting your 3D models has always been an elusive subject. What kind of paint do you use? Will it stick to the 3D printed material? How will the quality look? These are just some of the questions floating around the heads of many designers and engineers. Over years of trial and error, one method we’ve […]

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4 Considerations to Help You Choose Between Additive and Subtractive Manufacturing Methods

Methods Overview There’s a telling quote attributed to the great Renaissance artist, poet, and subtractive manufacturer, Michelangelo. When asked how he created his masterpiece David from a large chunk of marble, he remarked that he simply “chipped away at all of the stone that doesn’t look like David.” As engineers and artists, before we can […]

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Tips for Prototyping Food-Safe Products

So you’re thinking of making a food-related product that needs to be food-safe — great! This article will help guide you toward the right materials, necessary regulations and approvals, best production processes, and design considerations. Which Products and Components Need to be Food-Safe? It’s easy to remember that packaging and tableware need to be food-safe, but […]

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An Overview of RTV Molds

Injection molding has long been the best method of bulk production, while 3D printing has recently become the best choice for early stage prototyping. But when and how should you make the switch from single volume production with 3D prints to high volume production? With small run production it can be hard to find the […]

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