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How to Design for Cost (And Avoid Costly Mistakes)

Bad cost decisions don’t happen at the quote stage—they happen at the design stage. Join Tessa Axsom (Sr. PMM – CNC, Fictiv), and John Williams (Technical Training Manager, MISUMI USA) as they walk you through the most common cost drivers in custom manufactured parts, the hidden costs that blindside teams, and practical strategies to cut BOM […]

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Aerospace Materials and Finishes: Component Design for Spacecraft and Satellites

Engineering for Vacuum, Thermal Extremes, and Reliability Aerospace materials and finishes for spacecraft must be selected to withstand vacuum, radiation, thermal cycling, and outgassing. These conditions introduce failure modes such as cold welding, material degradation, and contamination of sensitive components, requiring material and surface finish selection to be evaluated together to ensure reliable performance in […]

Teardown

Teardown: The Breville Bambino Plus

High-Pressure Engineering in a Small Form Factor The Breville Bambino Plus compresses key espresso machine architectures—thermal management, pump-driven pressure control, and automated milk texturing—into a compact footprint. At the $500 price point, it occupies the middle ground between entry-level (home) and professional-grade (fancy bistro). After unboxing, we did what any sane engineering team would do: […]

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How to Build a BOM Strategically and Cost Down Your Part List

Chefs create recipes. Hardware engineers create BOMs and SOPs.  The bill of materials (BOM) acts as your product’s ingredient list—accounting for every part, material, and component—while standard operating procedures (SOP) are step-by-step build instructions. In this article, we’ll explain how to build a BOM that will help you clearly communicate your product’s material specifications to […]

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Living Hinge Design: How to Design a Living Hinge

A living hinge is a thin, flexible strip made from the same material as the connected parts, designed to let them bend or rotate without additional hardware. They are low-cost, easy to manufacture, and have little wear or friction involved in operation. But while the idea is simple, the execution can be more complicated. Living […]

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How to Design Snap Fit Components

Designing components with snap-fits can save you time and money in production by reducing material costs and part quantities, as well as making assembly easier. Typically in the past, injection molding was the most viable method for producing snap-fit joints in plastics. Today, however, CNC machining and 3D printing have opened up both new opportunities […]

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Injection Molding Design Guide: Best Practices for Molded Plastic Parts

The Injection Molding Design Guide and all information in this article is available as a free e-book download. Download the Injection Molding Design Guide  Injection molding design focuses on creating plastic parts that can be manufactured efficiently while maintaining strength, quality, and consistency. By following key design guidelines—such as proper wall thickness, draft angles, rib […]

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

Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) is a standardized system for defining and communicating engineering tolerances using symbols, datums, and feature controls. It enables engineers to precisely specify allowable variation in part geometry—ensuring proper fit, function, and manufacturability. By replacing ambiguous coordinate tolerancing with a clear, rules-based framework, GD&T improves communication between design, manufacturing, and quality […]

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Understanding the Types of Fit in Engineering: Clearance, Transition, and Interference

In engineering, the term “fit” describes the relationship between two mating parts, such as a shaft and a hole. The way these parts interact—whether they fit snugly together, move freely, or press into one another—is crucial to the performance and functionality of the mechanical system.  The correct fit ensures that parts function optimally, whether they […]

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

There are many ways to join or fasten plastic parts, and the right method depends on your design goals, materials, and production needs. Options range from simple mechanical fasteners like screws or inserts, to molded-in features such as snap-fits, to adhesives, welding, and other specialty techniques. Each comes with its own strengths in terms of […]