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Christine Evans

Sr. Director of Marketing at Fictiv. I'm passionate about sharing the stories of amazing hardware entrepreneurs and innovators.

All articles from the author

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35 Manufacturing Industry Statistics and Trends for 2024

The manufacturing industry plays a vital role in the global economy, driving innovation and providing millions of jobs. Tracking the evolution of this sector helps businesses anticipate market trends, enables policymakers to craft informed regulations, and empowers investors to identify emerging opportunities. At Fictiv, we have compiled key manufacturing industry statistics and trends that will […]

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Fictiv Honored as 2024 Great Supply Chain Partner by SupplyChainBrain

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, August 6, 2024 – Fictiv, a global manufacturing company, is proud to announce that it has been named a 2024 Great Supply Chain Partner by SupplyChainBrain. This prestigious industry award recognizes Fictiv’s outstanding supply chain services that help customers simplify sourcing for custom mechanical parts and assemblies from early stage prototyping […]

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Fictiv’s 2024 State of Manufacturing Report Reveals Industry at Critical Inflection Point Amid Economic Pressures and AI Integration

Following four years of unprecedented global disruptions, insights indicate manufacturing leaders are working to balance innovation, profitability, and AI implementation with many shifting regionalization strategies.  SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, May 29, 2024— Fictiv, a global manufacturing company, today announced the release of its ninth-annual State of Manufacturing Report—an industry-leading survey of manufacturing leaders that tracks […]

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Fictiv Launches Nearshoring Solution for Production Injection Molding

OEMs can now source economical steel tools manufactured overseas and shipped to Mexico for reliable, nearshore production—seamlessly through Fictiv’s global manufacturing network. SAN FRANCISCO, April 9, 2024 — Fictiv, a global manufacturing company, today announced a new hybrid injection molding solution for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) who need the best possible tooling craftsmanship for reliable […]

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Fictiv Launches ChatGPT-Powered Materials.AI™

Industry-first AI assistant helps engineers choose the right manufacturing material for their projects. SAN FRANCISCO, February 6, 2024 – Fictiv, a global manufacturing company, today announced the release of Materials.AI™, an industry-first AI assistant powered by ChatGPT that helps mechanical engineers quickly and easily navigate material options for their manufacturing needs. Materials.AI is powered by […]

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Introducing Materials.AI: Your AI Assistant for Material Selection

With advances in material science and manufacturing technologies like 3D printing, it can be overwhelming (not to mention time-consuming) to find the right material for your project needs. That’s why we created Materials.AI: a first-of-its-kind artificial intelligence assistant, powered by ChatGPT and Fictiv’s expansive manufacturing database, to help you navigate the complex landscape of plastic […]

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Fictiv Expands Global Manufacturing Network to Include Sheet Metal, Die Casting, Compression Molding

Customers can now access more capabilities and capacity for expanded production methods, simplifying custom mechanical sourcing. SAN FRANCISCO, January 16, 2024 – Fictiv, a global manufacturing company, announced today a significant expansion of its production manufacturing capabilities, adding Sheet Metal, Die Casting, and Compression Molding to its global network and AI-powered quote-to-order platform. With these […]

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Women in Engineering Statistics: 32 Notable Facts

While the presence of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields has been historically low, there’s a noticeable trend of growth in the number of women pursuing careers in engineering. This shift not only opens up new opportunities for women but also enriches the engineering domain with diverse perspectives and skills.  To illuminate […]

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Fictiv Adds Carbon DLS™ to 3D Printing Service

SAN FRANCISCO, November 15, 2023 – Fictiv, the operating system for custom manufacturing, today announced the addition of Carbon Digital Light Synthesis™ (DLS) technology to its catalog of on-demand 3D printing services in the USA. This new offering follows a major 3D printing service expansion giving customers access to industrial additive solutions fit for advanced […]

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Fictiv Expands Its Global Manufacturing Network into Mexico

Monterrey, Mexico, October 31, 2023 – Fictiv, the operating system for custom manufacturing, is proud to announce the addition of Mexico to its global network of manufacturing partners. This supply chain expansion provides customers with more production options in North America to mitigate the risk of supply chain disruption and deliver fast, on-demand manufacturing services […]

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37 Supply Chain Statistics, Trends, and Predictions for 2024

The global supply chain has experienced severe disruptions in recent years, due to shutdowns and restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, political changes, the wars in Ukraine and Israel, and an evolving business landscape. Slowdowns, rising prices, and logistical challenges have caused everyday supply chain processes and supplier relationships to change. But while leaders talk […]

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Fictiv Launches Major USA 3D Printing Service Expansion

Newly expanded capabilities, advanced configuration options, and a significant pricing reduction delivers full-suite additive manufacturing capabilities for prototyping & production in the USA. SAN FRANCISCO, October 17, 2023 – Fictiv, the operating system for custom manufacturing, today announced a series of exciting new updates to its 3D printing service in order to meet the needs […]

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Fictiv Names Andy Sherman as General Manager for USA Manufacturing

Sherman will lead Fictiv’s USA manufacturing operations, supporting demand for on-shoring and production-level capabilities. San Francisco, October 3, 2023 – Fictiv, the operating system for custom manufacturing,  today announced the appointment of Andy Sherman to General Manager, USA.  This appointment comes in response to customer demand for on-shore and hybrid manufacturing solutions to mitigate supply […]

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2023 Autumn Holidays Overseas: How to Mitigate Manufacturing Delays

The Mid-Autumn Festival is a widely celebrated holiday throughout Asia and is fast approaching. This festival celebrates the end of the autumn harvest and is similar to Thanksgiving in the US. This year, the festival falls on September 29th.   Additionally, October 2nd through the 6th in mainland China is National Day Golden Week, which celebrates […]

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Fictiv’s 2023 Sustainability in Manufacturing Survey Finds 36% of Leaders Face Barriers in Funding & Planning to Reach Sustainability Goals

Manufacturers increasingly agree sustainability is a priority but are still struggling to meet gaps in technology and measurement to meet new standards headed into 2024 SAN FRANCISCO, September 19, 2023 — Fictiv, the operating system for custom manufacturing, announced today the release of new survey data focused on sustainability in manufacturing, conducted in partnership with […]

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Fictiv Premium Membership Now Includes New Procure-to-Pay Integration

Available today, Fictiv Premium members can integrate directly with market-leading P2P suites including SAP Ariba, Coupa, and Microsoft Dynamics 365, further simplifying team-based procurement workflows.  SAN FRANCISCO, Sept 12, 2023 – Fictiv, the operating system for custom manufacturing, today announced a brand-new integration with market-leading Procure-to-Pay (P2P) Suites in order to simplify and accelerate procurement […]

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Fictiv’s 2023 State of Manufacturing Report Finds Leaders Grappling with AI Adoption, Workforce Productivity, and Innovation Speed

SAN FRANCISCO, June 21, 2023 —  Fictiv, the operating system for custom manufacturing, announced today the release of its eighth-annual State of Manufacturing Report, conducted in partnership with technology market research firm Dimensional Research. The report tracks decision-maker sentiment across hundreds of U.S. manufacturing companies and finds an industry marked by economic uncertainty and workforce […]

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Fictiv Session To Highlight How Automation Can Drive Productivity & Time-To-Market At Automate 2023

SAN FRANCISCO, May 22, 2023 – Fictiv, the operating system for custom manufacturing, today announced that Director of Product Marketing Riley Hall will be speaking at Automate 2023 in a session titled “How Automation Can Drive Speed to Market and Reduce Costs for Low-Volume Custom Manufacturing.” It will take place on Tuesday, May 23rd, at […]

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Fictiv and Heliospace Announce Partnership to Accelerate New Product Development for Cutting-Edge Space Technology

SAN FRANCISCO, May 10, 2023 — Fictiv, the operating system for custom manufacturing, today announced its partnership with Heliospace, harnessing the power of digital manufacturing to dramatically accelerate new product development for ground breaking space technology. Heliospace is an agile aerospace company that produces flight hardware, systems engineering, and mission formulation services to NASA, nonprofits, and commercial customers […]

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Fictiv To Participate In Robotics Summit & Expo 2023 

Chief Executive Officer Dave Evans to speak on supercharging new product development  SAN FRANCISCO, May 4, 2023 – Fictiv, the operating system for custom manufacturing, today announced that CEO Dave Evans will be speaking at the Robotics Summit & Expo 2023 in a session titled “How to Cut Build Cycles in Half and Supercharge New […]

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Fictiv & COO Jean Olivieri Named Finalists in the 2023 Manufacturing Leadership Awards

Fictiv and Olivieri are nominated for the Digital Supply Chain and Digital Transformation Leadership categories, recognizing operational and leadership excellence on the transformation journey to digital manufacturing. SAN FRANCISCO, April 6, 2023 — The Manufacturing Leadership Awards, awarded by the National Association of Manufacturers, today announced both Fictiv and Chief Operating Officer Jean Olivieri as finalists in the 2023 […]

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Fictiv’s Jose Manuel Del Angel Named One of Supply & Demand Chain Executive’s 2023 Pros to Know

This award recognizes outstanding executives whose accomplishments offer a roadmap for other leaders looking to leverage supply chains for competitive advantage. SAN FRANCISCO, CA —March 22, 2023 —Supply & Demand Chain Executive, the only publication covering the entire global supply chain, today announced Jose Manuel Del Angel, Fictiv’s Vice President of Development and Services Operations, […]

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Fictiv Appoints Former Twilio Executive Lynda Smith to Board of Directors

SAN FRANCISCO – March 10, 2023 – Fictiv, the operating system for custom manufacturing, today announced the appointment of Lynda Smith to its Board of Directors. Smith brings over 35 years of experience in product, marketing, sales, and general management across a diverse set of hardware and software industries and has spent over 25 years […]

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Predictable Quality in an Unpredictable World

Throughout my career in supply chain operations, I’ve staked my reputation on quality. From building iPods at Apple, where design precision was essential, to rockets at SpaceX, where functional reliability was absolutely critical, I’ve understood the importance of robust quality management systems when it comes to delivering world-class products. Having spent 27 years in the […]

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Fictiv’s Joanne Moretti Named Selling Power’s Digital Manufacturing CRO of the Year

SAN FRANCISCO, January 17, 2023 – Fictiv, the operating system for custom manufacturing, today announced that Joanne Moretti, Fictiv’s Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), has been recognized as Selling Power’s 2022 CRO of the year in the category of Digital Manufacturing. “I’m honored to work for a company that is trusted by well-known businesses, such as […]

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Fictiv Named to Inc.’s 2022 Best in Business List in Manufacturing

3rd annual list recognizes 241 private companies putting purpose ahead of profit  San Francisco, December 6, 2022 – Fictiv, the operating system for custom manufacturing, has been named to the Inc. 2022 Best in Business list in the Manufacturing category. The list recognizes the most dynamic companies of all sizes and industries that have had […]

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Fictiv Enhances its Injection Molding DFM System with 3D Visualization to Help Customers Go From Design to Production Faster

SAN FRANCISCO, October 18, 2022 – Fictiv, the operating system for custom manufacturing, announced today the addition of 3D visualization technology to its injection molding design for manufacturability (DFM) system, delivering end-to-end automation of injection molding workflows to help customers accelerate new product development and mitigate production risks and delays. The newly enhanced system combines […]

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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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Fictiv Named a 2022 Gartner® Cool Vendor™ in Manufacturing Operations

SAN FRANCISCO, September 8, 2022 – Fictiv, the operating system for custom manufacturing, announced today that it has been named a 2022 Gartner Cool Vendor in Manufacturing Operations. Each year, Gartner provides Cool Vendor reports which are designed to highlight interesting, new, and innovative vendors, products, and services. The report gives some recommendations to the […]

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Fictiv Strengthens Global Presence and Technology Talent with Opening of New Office in Pune, India

PUNE, INDIA & SAN FRANCISCO, August 22, 2022 – Fictiv, the operating system for custom manufacturing, recently announced the opening of its new office in Pune, India, which will serve to complement its U.S. headquarters as an additional engineering center and provide an anchor for further investment in Fictiv’s India manufacturing partner network. These investments […]

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Fictiv Promotes IT Infrastructure Leader Jim Ruga to Chief Information Officer

SAN FRANCISCO, August 18, 2022 – Fictiv, the operating system for custom manufacturing, has recently promoted Jim Ruga to chief information officer (CIO). In this role, Ruga is part of Fictiv’s C-Level executive leadership team, driving the maturation of the company and is directly responsible for the digital transformation of its technology.  Ruga joined Fictiv […]

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Fictiv Achieves SOC 2 Type II Compliance to Offer Customers Greater IP Protection

SAN FRANCISCO, August 11, 2022 – Fictiv, the operating system for custom manufacturing, today announced it has successfully completed its audit for System and Organization Controls (SOC) 2 Type II compliance, the only company in the digital manufacturing industry to meet this standard. This achievement reflects Fictiv’s commitment to the highest levels of confidentiality, data […]

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Fictiv Delivers U.S. Injection Molding Solutions to Address Industry’s Biggest Supply Chain Issues

SAN FRANCISCO, August 9, 2022 – Fictiv, the operating system for custom manufacturing, announced today that in response to customer demand, it is expanding its injection molding manufacturing partner network in the U.S. This will  increase capacity for domestic resources, offering customers more flexibility and reduced supply chain risks. “At Fictiv, our goal is to […]

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Fictiv Adds 16 New CNC Machining Materials to Auto-Quoting Platform

SAN FRANCISCO, July 27, 2022 – Fictiv, the operating system for custom manufacturing, today announced the addition of 16 new quality metal and plastic computerized numerical control (CNC) machining materials to its auto-quoting platform. In addition, six other new materials are now available on Fictiv’s platform with a one-hour quote turnaround time.  With the addition […]

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Fictiv Launches Online DFM for Injection Molding to Simplify a Traditionally Slow, Complex Process 

SAN FRANCISCO, July 20, 2022 – Fictiv, the operating system for custom manufacturing, announced today a significant enhancement to its online platform that enables users to easily receive, review, and respond to injection molding design for manufacturability (DFM) feedback. To manufacture an injection molding tool, engineers traditionally endure weeks of back-and-forth cycles with manufacturers to […]

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Fictiv Donates $10,000 in Tight-Tolerance, High-Quality CNC Parts for UC Berkeley’s Formula SAE Electric Race Vehicle

Donation enabled UC Berkeley engineering students access to highly complex, machined parts at a fraction of the standard amount of time and cost   SAN FRANCISCO, June 27, 2022 – Fictiv, the leader in high-quality, on-demand manufacturing recently congratulated Formula Electric at Berkeley, the electric vehicle team at the University of California, Berkeley, for successfully participating […]

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Fictiv’s 2022 State of Manufacturing Report Finds an Industry Focused on Organizational Transformation in Order to Shore Up Future Growth

In response to rampant supply chain disruptions and rising customer demands, leaders are fortifying business foundations to improve manufacturing and supply chain visibility, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiency. SAN FRANCISCO, June 6, 2022 – Fictiv, the leader in on-demand, high-quality digital manufacturing, announced today the release of its annual State of Manufacturing report. The findings […]

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Fictiv Announces Inaugural Participation in Gartner Supply Chain Symposium/Xpo™ 2022

CEO & Co-Founder, Dave Evans, to hold session highlighting two customer case studies that demonstrate the economic impact of utilizing digital manufacturing to deliver increased productivity, reduced risk and true agility in today’s volatile supply chain environment SAN FRANCISCO, May 11, 2022 – Fictiv, known for operating the leading Digital Manufacturing Ecosystem that delivers hardware […]

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Fictiv Secures $100 Million in Funding to Solve Urgent Supply Chain Risks and Accelerate Time to Market for Product Companies

Series E funding will advance digital manufacturing adoption throughout enterprise organizations SAN FRANCISCO, May 5, 2022 – Fictiv, the leader in high-quality, on-demand manufacturing, today announced the closing of a $100 million Series E funding round. The investment will advance Fictiv’s mission to accelerate product innovation with an expanded focus on decreasing supply chain risk […]

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Fictiv’s David Woodward Named one of Supply & Demand Chain Executive’s 2022 Pros to Know 

Supply & Demand Chain Executive, the only publication covering the entire global supply chain, today announced David Woodward, Fictiv Director of Quality, as a winner of its 2022 Pros to Know award.  Woodward was recognized for his leadership and achievements in advancing speed, quality and cost savings initiatives on behalf of companies using Fictiv’s Digital […]

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Fictiv Appoints Alpana Kapoor to Vice President of Software Engineering

SAN FRANCISCO – March 24, 2022 – Fictiv, a leader in fast, high-quality manufacturing on-demand, has announced the appointment of Alpana Kapoor to Vice President of Software Engineering. In her new role, Kapoor will be responsible for driving the growth and evolution of Fictiv’s world-class software engineering team while expanding the capabilities of Fictiv’s digital manufacturing […]

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Fictiv Responds to Shenzhen Lockdown

SAN FRANCISCO, March 22, 2022 — Fictiv is a manufacturing solutions company that operates a globally connected digital manufacturing ecosystem (DME) – which helps ensure high-speed delivery of on-demand custom mechanical parts to organizations looking to accelerate new product development efforts. This past week, in response to a COVID-19 related temporary lockdown in Shenzhen, China, […]

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Celebrating Women at Fictiv: Erin Kenney

In celebration of Women’s History Month, we want to honor the incredible and inspiring female leaders at Fictiv, each having a significant impact in the run of our business. This week, we’re putting a spotlight on Erin Kenney, Fictiv’s Director of Sales Strategy and Enablement. Since joining us, she has been an integral leader to her […]

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Fictiv COO and CRO Discuss Why Women In Leadership are Good for Business

For International Women's Day, Fictiv CRO, Joanne Moretti, and COO, Jean Olivieri, discuss their experience as female leaders in the manufacturing industry.

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Fictiv Launches New Business Solutions Portfolio With Offerings That Solve Current-Day Manufacturing and Supply Chain Challenges

Three new solutions give customers digitally-enabled workflows to drive speed & efficiency across new product development, engineer-to-order, and maintenance, repair, and operations— without compromising quality SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 17, 2022 — Digital Manufacturing Ecosystem Fictiv today launched its Enterprise Business Solutions portfolio, aimed at addressing the most pressing challenges facing product manufacturing leaders. This, the […]

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Fictiv Announces Go-To-Market Trifecta to Accelerate Growth of its Digital Manufacturing Ecosystem

Manufacturing and technology executives from Jabil, Stratasys, and Markforged join Fictiv as the digital manufacturer eclipses 100% year-over-year growth. SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — October 4, 2021 — Fictiv today announced the addition of three senior manufacturing and technology leaders with decades of combined experience to its management team. Joanne Moretti has been named Chief Revenue […]

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Engineering Tips from the Director of Program Management at Igor Institute

In this edition of Engineering Heroes, we sat down with Kathy Fedirchuk, Director of Program Management at Igor Institute. During our conversation, we talked about overcoming the challenges of new product introduction during COVID, the importance of setting clear expectations with internal teams and suppliers, and the advantages of using a form template to facilitate […]

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SOC 2 Security Explained: How it Protects Your Design IP

Your company’s design IP is the lifeblood of your company and gives you a competitive edge, so protecting that information is a priority. Keeping critical information confidential and secure is a challenge for every organization, in part because there’s no single, professional standard for assessing cybersecurity. Not only that, information security, or infosec, is a […]

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Fictiv Launches New Auto-Generated 2D Drawings to Improve Quality in Early Stage Development

Fictiv is the first on-demand manufacturing platform to automatically generate drawings from 3D models, providing a solution for engineers that want higher quality parts, faster. SAN FRANCISCO, July 28, 2021 — Fictiv, the leader in high-quality manufacturing on-demand through its Digital Manufacturing Ecosystem, today unveiled an industry-first feature that enables engineers to create and edit 2D […]

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Introduction to On-Demand Manufacturing

The Rise of On-Demand Manufacturing It’s no surprise that the manufacturing industry felt the same pressure as other industries in a post-Amazon world. Customers expect companies to provide them with what they need when they want it, with very little tolerance for delays. The growth of ecommerce and the rapid rate of change in various […]

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Fictiv Announces Agile 3D Printing Collaboration with Jabil

SAN FRANCISCO, July 07, 2020 – Digital manufacturing ecosystem company Fictiv today announced a new industry-first collaboration that makes Jabil Inc. a key part of its global manufacturing network to connect and streamline 3D-print prototyping through to mass-scale production using an innovative digital thread. Designed to de-risk and streamline the supply chain through quality, speed, transparency, and […]

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Introducing Fictiv Enterprise: An Industry-First Solution Fulfilling Quality and Security Requirements for the Most Demanding Teams Launching New Products

Fictiv Enterprise delivers trusted on-demand manufacturing for large or complex organizations seeking faster, more agile supply chains with a reduced physical footprint. San Francisco, June 15, 2021 — Fictiv, the leader in high-quality manufacturing on-demand through its Digital Manufacturing Ecosystem, today unveiled Fictiv Enterprise, an industry-first digital manufacturing solution to meet the robust quality and security requirements of […]

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Fictiv Launches a New and Improved Injection Molding Quote Experience

We’re excited to share some great new updates to our Injection Molding quote experience on the Fictiv platform!

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2021 State of Manufacturing Finds an Industry Rapidly Accelerating Past Recovery and Towards a Digital Future

Manufacturing leaders overwhelmingly report a focus on resilience, sustainability, and speed through digital transformation.

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Fictiv’s Andy Sherman Named one of Supply & Demand Chain Executive’s 2021 Pros to Know

Sherman recognized among outstanding executives whose accomplishments leverage supply chains for competitive advantage. SAN FRANCISCO, March 17, 2021 — Supply & Demand Chain Executive, the only publication covering the entire global supply chain, today announced Andy Sherman, Fictiv VP of Manufacturing Operations, as a winner of its 2021 Pros to Know award. The award recognizes outstanding […]

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

Unique integration of quality services into Fictiv digital thread allows customers to realize the promise of quality, transparency, and speed for complete reliability standards SAN FRANCISCO, March 16, 2021 – Fictiv today announced the integration of a number of new quality inspection and certification services directly into its self-service digital manufacturing platform. These new additions make it […]

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New: Easily Add Quality Inspections & Certifications to Your Fictiv Order

When you’re moving 100 miles-an-hour, juggling orders for ten critical parts to meet an important production milestone, the last thing you need is parts that don’t meet your spec.  With the latest updates to the Fictiv platform, you can now remove guesswork from the quality equation and easily add specific quality inspections and certifications to […]

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

Evans was an early visionary and driving force in industry’s move to digital transformation, pioneer behind Fictiv’s Digital Manufacturing Ecosystem SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., March 15, 2021 – Fictiv today announced that company founder and CEO Dave Evans has been recognized as a Manufacturing Leadership Awards winner for his contribution to digital transformation within the industry. Designed by […]

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Industry and Career Resources for Promoting Diversity in Engineering

Advantages Gained from Diversity Innovation Profitability Shifting Demographics Demographics of the Engineering Industry Challenges and Barriers to Minorities in Engineering Different Types of Engineering Careers Training, Education, and Skill Development Financial Resources Scholarships and Grants Engineering Competitions Engineering Internships Associations, Networking, and Mentorship Additional Resources for Minorities and Women Interested in Engineering In the US […]

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Engineering Tips from a Sr. Mechanical Engineer at Peloton

Welcome to Engineering Heroes: a series where we interview the mechanical engineers behind innovative products to uncover actionable tips, advice, and best practices to help you optimize your own mechanical design workflows. For this edition we sat down with Heidi Farrell, Sr. Mechanical Engineer at Peloton to learn about an impressive tip for collaborating on […]

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Fictiv Adds Jabil Alumni to Board and Management Team for Expansion of its Digital Manufacturing Ecosystem

Veteran enterprise executives to increase Fictiv’s wealth of experience in enterprise markets and new product introduction SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. —February 23, 2021— Fictiv today announced the addition of two senior technology leaders with decades of combined experience to its management team and the appointment of former Jabil Chief Marketing Officer Joanne Moretti to its Board […]

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Engineering Tips from a Sr. Mechatronics Engineer at Dusty Robotics

Welcome to our first edition of Engineering Heroes: a series where we interview the mechanical engineers behind innovative products to uncover actionable tips, advice, and best practices to help you optimize your own mechanical design workflows. For this edition we zoomed in with Peter Lee, Sr. Mechatronics Engineer at Dusty Robotics to learn about his […]

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Fictiv Raises $35M from 40 North Ventures and Honeywell

This latest funding round will fuel continued growth to meet demand for Fictiv’s quality-driven approach to on-demand manufacturing. San Francisco – February 17, 2021 – As the pace of digital transformation in manufacturing continues to accelerate, Fictiv today announced a new $35M round of funding led by 40 North Ventures to aggressively expand Fictiv’s groundbreaking […]

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Fictiv Named to Wealthfront’s 2021 Career-Launching Companies List

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. —January 25, 2021— Fictiv today announced that it has been named to the 2021 Wealthfront Career-Launching Companies List. The ninth annual list features compelling technology companies that provide young people with a strong start to their careers. Each year, Wealthfront gathers input from 19 of the industry’s premier venture capital firms to […]

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[New]: Instant Pricing for Tight Tolerances and Streamlined Hardware Installation Quotes

We have some great new updates to Fictiv’s quoting technology to share with you!  We know many of you are working on cutting edge products across industries including aerospace, robotics, automotive, and medical devices, iterating on parts with complex, tight tolerance features. This means feature-specific tolerance callouts on technical drawings are the norm, not the […]

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The Digital Transformation of Wellness and Healthcare: Lessons Learned in the Pandemic

There is no doubt that healthcare has been center stage in 2020, and for good reason, but what has the role of technology been and how can technology help to manage the current crisis and improve health and wellness in the future?

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CES 2021: Top 6 Tech Trends to Watch This Year

Learn about the top tech trends to look out for in 2021, from the CES opening keynote, "Tech Trends to Watch" with CTA Vice President of Research Steve Koenig.

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3 Ways AI Will Transform Innovation and Make Businesses Smarter in 2021 and Beyond

Artificial Intelligence is perhaps the most powerful General Purpose Technology underlying many of the exciting new developments and products unveiled at CES 2021. Bridget Karlin, IBM’s CTO and VP, talks about the “new possible” of AI, and promises that “AI changes everything”. The dedicated session on “The Power of AI” was packed with insights applicable […]

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Ability Now Bay Area Partners with Fictiv to Supply Key Protective Equipment

Ability Now Bay Area provides education, health and wellness, and technology support to adults with disabilities.  When the COVID crisis hit, Ability Now Bay Area (ANBA) faced a daunting challenge adapting to the new reality since most of their classes were in-person. Essential to any plans was the need to provide PPE (personal protective equipment) […]

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Fictiv Named a Global Leader in Cloud Computing

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 08, 2020 – The Business Intelligence Group today announced that it has awarded Fictiv a 2020 Stratus Award in its annual business award program, which highlights the companies, products and people offering unique solutions using cloud technologies. Fictiv was recognized as a Cloud Disruptor for delivering rapid digital transformation to the decades old status quo within […]

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Fictiv Launches Carbon Neutral Shipping Program

Digital Manufacturing Ecosystem will leverage carbon offsets to reduce environmental impact and fight climate change SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 01, 2020 – As part of a concerted effort to standardize sustainability measures within global manufacturing, Fictiv today unveiled a new carbon neutral shipping program to offset the environmental footprint of transportation-generated carbon emissions.  Fictiv has partnered with Dot Neutral to […]

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Fictiv Debuts Design for Manufacturability (DfM) Masterclass

Three-part engineering Masterclass series shows engineers how to minimize CNC machining challenges and design parts for optimal production quality, speed, and cost SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 12, 2020 – Designing products for optimal user experiences, minimum manufacturing effort, and potential regulatory compliance is a difficult balancing act, especially within a COVID-19 work-from-home environment and amidst trade […]

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Sourcing High-Quality Parts from Overseas, Without the Risk

Our most recent webinar focused on how to source high-quality parts from overseas, without the risk. Fictiv team members Jeanette Zhang, Head of Overseas Fulfillment; Andy Sherman, Director of Global Supply Chain; Ricardo Ortiz, International Logistics Lead; and David Woodward, Director of Quality, answered questions and shared their insights and advice on overseas manufacturing advantages […]

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Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month at Fictiv

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re profiling a few of our Fictiv team members of Hispanic origin. Learn more about these amazing employees–where they began their careers; what drew them to Fictiv and what they value most about working here; what motivates them professionally; and how they spend their free time. Ricardo Ortiz, International Logistics […]

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Fictiv Overseas Shipping Is Now More Streamlined And Reliable Than Ever

Through conventional paths, ordering parts from overseas can often be a complex, risky process. In addition to quality risks inherent in working with unknown suppliers, the logistics involved to import goods from overseas can be confusing and overwhelming. And if importation documentation is mismanaged, you may be held liable for fines or even jail time.  […]

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Fictiv COO Jean Olivieri Honored with Inaugural Women in Supply Chain Award by Supply & Demand Chain Executive

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 23, 2020 – Supply & Demand Chain Executive, the only magazine in the supply chain industry covering the entire global supply chain that focuses on ROI, professional development and change management, has selected Fictiv COO Jean Olivieri as a winner of its first-ever Women in Supply Chain award. The Women in Supply Chain award […]

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Introducing Fictiv Radical Transparency: An Industry-First Solution for Production Visibility

Conventional manufacturing can be frustratingly opaque. To get visibility into production status, engineers and supply chain managers typically spend countless hours chasing down information. And when a critical build schedule is at risk, that’s the last thing you need. We’re thrilled to share our new radical transparency features that deliver unprecedented visibility, traceability, speed and […]

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Fictiv’s Digital Manufacturing Ecosystem Now Delivers Industry-First Radical Transparency Features

Radical transparency provides unprecedented visibility and traceability into manufacturing processes to ensure quality and mitigate risk for mechanical engineers and supply chain managers unable to visit factory floors during COVID-19 SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 01, 2020 – Fictiv today unveiled industry-first features that deliver unprecedented visibility, traceability, speed, and quality benefits for customers leveraging its Digital Manufacturing Ecosystem […]

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2020 State of Manufacturing Report Finds Severe Levels of COVID-19 Disruption, Clear Industry Commitment to Digital Transformation

Hundreds of senior decision makers in healthcare, robotics, and other industries report damaging COVID-19 impact, focus on digital transformation, and emphasis on building supply chain resilience through agility SAN FRANCISCO, July 21, 2020 – The global manufacturing and supply chain ecosystems have been among the hardest hit sectors by the COVID-19 pandemic. Fictiv’s newly released 2020 State […]

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Dave Evans Named to 2021 Constellation Research Business Transformation 150

Recognized for Leadership in Transforming Manufacturing as a Digital Future SAN FRANCISCO, June 23, 2020– Fictiv today announced that co-founder and CEO Dave Evans has been named by Constellation Research to its 2021 Business Transformation 150, an elite list of executives leading business transformation efforts around the globe. As part of its determination process, BT150 acknowledged that […]

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New Feature: Add Your Company Shipping Account to Fictiv

You can now use your company UPS or Fedex shipping account with Fictiv, which may reduce your shipping prices. To add a new shipping account, simply navigate to the checkout page after configuring your quote and add your account information, including: account number, carrier, country, and zip code. ‍Your shipping account will be automatically saved […]

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Fictiv Named SDCE 100 Top Supply Chain Projects for 2020 by Supply & Demand Chain Executive

SAN FRANCISCO, June 17, 2020 – Supply & Demand Chain Executive, the executive’s user manual for successful supply and demand chain transformation, has selected Fictiv as a 2020 recipient of its prestigious SDCE 100 Award for its ability to deliver speed and agility via digital transformation of supply chains. Fictiv was specifically chosen for its demonstrated success […]

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New Quality Inspection Capabilities for GD&T, Tight Tolerances, and Production Quantities

At Fictiv, we’re constantly looking for ways to make the manufacturing process more streamlined for our customers. In addition to our standard inspections using hand metrology for CNC machined parts, we’re happy to now offer advanced inspections using coordinate measuring machines (CMM) or laser scanners, for more accurate, consistent, and scalable quality verification. ‍Customers can […]

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23 New Materials Now Available on the Fictiv Platform

Our aim at Fictiv is to give customers access to a wide range of manufacturing choices through a single streamlined destination, for maximum speed and flexibility. We’re thrilled to share we’ve supercharged our portfolio of capabilities with 20 new CNC materials and 3 new 3D printing materials for Stereolithography (SLA) and Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) […]

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Fictiv Donates Tool to Make Millions of Face Shields Available to Hospitals at Cost

New tool and injection molding process can produce millions of face shields a month with lead times as fast as 1 day SAN FRANCISCO, April 06, 2020 – Global manufacturing ecosystem Fictiv today announced that hospitals and healthcare providers can begin ordering the protective face shields in batches of up to 10,000 per order at cost for […]

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Fictiv Names Enterprise & Operations Veteran Jean Olivieri Chief Operating Officer to Expand Its Global Manufacturing Ecosystem

Hardware manufacturing expert to supercharge customer experience as Fictiv builds automated, self-driving supply chains for enterprise-class customers SAN FRANCISCO, March 17, 2020 – Today, Fictiv, a global manufacturing company, introduced veteran hardware executive Jean Olivieri as Chief Operating Officer. Over the course of her career, Olivieri has held a number of operations and supply chain-related roles […]

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Supply Chain Safety in the COVID-19 World

Here at Fictiv, we care deeply about our community – especially in times of crisis.  With the recent declaration of a national state of emergency in the United States and with many other countries on lockdown, we’ve taken extra precautions to ensure that all Fictiv customers, employees, and partners are not at risk of COVID-19.  […]

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India, Taiwan, and United States Emerge as Manufacturing Alternatives to China

Fictiv shifts capacity to these markets to mitigate risk for customers, avoiding product delays and added landed costs in the wake of the coronavirus slowdowns SAN FRANCISCO, March 09, 2020 – As COVID-19 continues to impact businesses globally, India, Taiwan, and the United States have all added capacity to accommodate production slowdowns in China. Fictiv […]

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Fictiv Earns Best CEO and Best Companies for Women Awards in Comparably’s 2019 Best Places to Work Rankings

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 12, 2019 – Fictiv, an on-demand manufacturing platform based in San Francisco, today announced that it is among the top 50 mid-sized companies honored in Comparably’s 2019 Best Places to Work Awards. Selected by 10 million ratings from amongst 50,000 U.S. companies, Fictiv earned a top spot on the two distinct lists due […]

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Welcome to our Next Generation Quotes Experience

We’re excited to announce the launch of our next generation Quotes experience with new functionality to help teams quickly collaborate and develop products faster. We’ve listened to feedback from our customers and spoken to countless hardware developers over the years. With our newest update to Quotes on the Fictiv platform, it’s easier than ever to […]

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Fictiv’s 2019 State of Hardware Report Finds Tariffs Add Cost and Complexity for Product Teams Already Struggling to Get to Market

To overcome these added challenges, the survey shows teams have instituted tariff engineering measures such as a reliance on local manufacturers for product assembly and new manufacturing platforms SAN FRANCISCO, May 07, 2019 – Fictiv today released their fourth annual State of Hardware Report, exposing the added burden of tariffs on an industry already struggling to quickly and […]

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Fictiv Secures $33M Series C to Scale Cloud-Based Contract Manufacturing Platform and Transform Global Supply Chains

Funding to accelerate Fictiv’s vision to help teams build hardware products at the speed of software through platform investments, customer growth, and expansion of its global manufacturing network SAN FRANCISCO, March 05, 2019 – Fictiv today announced that it closed a $33 million Series C funding round to accelerate its transformation of contract manufacturing into […]

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Fictiv Process Video: Anodizing

Anodizing increases corrosion resistance and enhances your product’s aesthetic appearance. Watch our video to see the anodizing process in action! Anodizing Materials Aluminum is the most ideal material for anodizing. ‍ The Anodizing Process Anodizing is an electrolytic passivation process that grows the natural oxide layer on cnc machining aluminum parts to protect them from […]

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Fictiv Opens 2019 State of Hardware Survey

Virtual manufacturer calls for hardware product creators to participate in definitive report on hardware development SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 23, 2019 – Today Fictiv issued a public invitation for hardware development stakeholders to participate in its State of Hardware Survey on hardware development and manufacturing. The insights gained from this survey will form the foundation for Fictiv’s fourth annual State […]

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Save Time on Large or Complex Quote Requests with Custom Quotes

At Fictiv, we strive to provide as much flexibility as possible when it comes to manufacturing, so you can get what you need on any budget, timeline, or stage of development. Since launching our Agile Manufacturing Solution this summer, we’ve expanded our manufacturing services offerings to include high volume production work for CNC machining services […]

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Fictiv Launches New Agile Manufacturing Solution to Unlock Overseas Manufacturing

San Francisco, CA – June 19th, 2018 – Fictiv today announced its new landmark Agile Manufacturing Solution (AMS), a suite of production manufacturing services for supply chain and engineering teams who need fast, quality end-use parts at high volumes of 100 – 500,000 units. AMS is available today at fictiv.com/agile. Fictiv’s AMS is designed to […]

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Fictiv Releases 2018 State of Hardware Report

More than 1,000 stakeholders across 72 industries say outdated manufacturing standards and technologies constrain domestic production and delay time to market ‍ San Francisco, CA – June 5, 2018 – Fictiv today released their third annual State of Hardware Report. This year’s survey polled 1,136 developers and manufacturers spanning 72 industries to provide detailed data-driven […]

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Introducing Online Order Tracking for Predictable Manufacturing Timelines

There’s nothing more anxiety-inducing than waiting on a critical part order and having zero visibility into its production status. When there’s a deadline to hit, manufacturing predictability is crucial. That’s why we’re excited to announce a significant improvement to online order tracking through the Fictiv platform, so engineers and procurement teams can track and manage […]

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Fictiv Achieves ISO Quality Management Certification

At Fictiv, we take quality management very seriously and have maintained strict quality standards since our founding in 2013. Today, we’re proud to announce that Fictiv is officially ISO 9001:2015 certified, in accordance with this set of internationally recognized quality management standards. Consistently Fast, Quality Manufacturing at Scale As we continue to help more and […]

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How to Prepare Your Request for Quote Package

Seven hundred years ago, Marco Polo returned from the Far East with tales of wonder and exotic goods, like silks, fine porcelains, and spices, which would set the trends for the upper classes of Europe for centuries to come. These days, importing products comes with less fame, but it has also never been easier: Manufacturers […]

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Sphero on the Engineering Behind their New Star Wars Products

Star Wars enthusiasts around the galaxy were captivated by the debut of the new, spherical droid BB-8™ in 2015’s The Force Awakens and subsequently rushed to purchase their own little droids, made by Boulder-based Sphero. Now, fans are eagerly snapping up the new BB-9E droid and the beloved classic, R2-D2. We teamed up with Sphero’s […]

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Introducing: The Fictiv Capabilities Guide and Help Center

As an engineer or designer, it can be tough to know which manufacturing process or material will best translate your designs in a physical prototype. To help teams deepen their understanding of the different technologies and materials available to them on the Fictiv platform, we launched our new Capabilities Guide: an online resource to explore […]

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Fictiv Launches 6 New CNC Materials

We’re happy to announce that the Fictiv platform now includes six new CNC machining materials: four metals and two plastics. In addition to Aluminum, 3 Stainless Steel alloys, ABS, Nylon, Delrin, and Polycarbonate, you can now order 3-day CNC machined parts in: Read on for an overview of each material. For further information on these new […]

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Advanced Technologies Exploration: Direct Metal Laser Sintering

There are lots of different exciting advances in prototyping and machining technologies on the horizon. For this article we’re going to take a deeper look at one advanced technology we hear a lot of buzz around: Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS). Read on for an overview of the method, the technical specs, and our views […]

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Fictiv Hardware Sessions with Sam Hickmann of Joy

One of the best parts about working at Fictiv is being surrounded by a community of amazing engineers and designers, building the next generation of hardware products. To shine some light on who those creators are and their best kept product development secrets, we’re launching a new video series called Hardware Sessions. Hardware Sessions is […]

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2017 State of Hardware Survey

Last year we created and shared our first Fictiv State of Hardware Survey with our community of engineers and designers. Your responses culminated in our inaugural 2016 State of Hardware Report, where we shared information on: How much time you allocate to build a functional prototype Most popular CAD software programs Top-of-mind challenges in bringing […]

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Uplevel Your Team with 4 Amazing New Fictiv Features

Fictiv is a platform built by engineers, for engineers. So every feature we build—from our quick-turn CNC service to our knowledge-rich Hardware Guide—is the product of listening to our customers and learning about the tools they need to work as effectively as the products they build. Over the past few months, we’ve been hard at […]

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The CNC Periodic Table of Elements Poster Giveaway Contest is Back!

We received so much great feedback on our CNC Periodic Table of Elements the first time around, so we’re giving away more posters! And this time around, we’re not just giving away a few posters… we’re doling out 10 posters every day for the next 2 weeks. Enter to win a free CNC Periodic Table […]

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Getting Intimate with Your Prototype: Lioness Spotlight

All startups have challenges. Funding. Staffing. Marketing. Sales. Customer service. If they’re hardware startups, they need to add supply chain, prototyping, and manufacturing to the mix. That’s all assuming their product or service is rated G. Lioness, a startup in the hardware manufacturing space, has an extra challenge—they  design and manufacture vibrators for women. This […]

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Hardware Weekly Vol 99

The week’s top hardware news. March 25, 2016 Products Test Your DNA at Home London-based Bento takes the expensive technologies used in molecular biology and pushes them to a wider audience with Bento DNA Laboratory. The portable lab is equipped with a centrifuge, a PCR thermocycler, and a gel electrophoresis to extract, copy and visualize […]

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Hardware Weekly | Vol 98

The week’s top hardware news. March 18th, 2016 Products Music Packed with Dopamine One of the most anticipated wearables at CES this year is now on IndieGogo and it promises divine pleasure. Here’s how it works: by sending a gentle electrical wave through the left ear canal, it stimulates the body’s Vagus nerve, while syncing […]

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Hardware Weekly | Vol 97

The week’s top hardware news. March 11th, 2016 Products Zero Screen Time PrimoToys has returned to Kickstarter to launch a new Cubetto Playset. If you haven’t seen this Montessori approved wooden robot yet, you’re in for a treat. Cubetto is designed to teach kids ages three and up the basics of computer programming, along with […]

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Moddler Brings Star Wars Holochess to Life with 3D Printing

Ever wonder how the fantastical creatures you see in Star Wars are brought to life? There are some incredible tools at the hands of filmmakers, animators and producers these days, one of which is 3D printing. So when Lucasfilm wanted to re-animate the lovable holochess game in The Force Awakens, they worked with Academy Award […]

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Hardware Weekly | Vol 96

The week’s top hardware news. March 4th, 2016. Products Kiddie STEM Kit If these are the toys children play with these days, can’t help but wonder what rockets they’ll be building by 7th grade. Take $100 Tio, a STEM kit available on Kickstarter, that features loose tech parts (wheels, pulleys, adaptors) to encourage mini makers […]

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Hardware Weekly | Vol 95

The week’s top hardware news. February 26th, 2016 Products The Planet is Your Playground If the thought of laser tag still gets you excited (we know it does; us, too!), then you’ll probably sense the potential of this $18 gadget that can turn your surroundings into an Augmented Reality first person shooter game. Just think […]

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Hardware Weekly | Vol 94

The week’s top hardware news. February 19th, 2016 Products Music You Can Swallow Audiopill is an experimental device for enjoying music, one that you need to, well, swallow. “It will make you feel like you are standing in the middle of a concert hall with a powerful audio system inside your body,” so says conceptual artist […]

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Hardware Weekly | Vol 93

The week’s top hardware news. February 12th, 2016 Products The Vibrator That Knows You A team of techies from companies like Google X and Amazon Lab126 are pushing the boundaries of sex research to create Lionness, a smart vibrator that uses sensors to learn your pleasure triggers. The more you use it, the more personal […]

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5 Rules to Help You Run Better Meetings

Ineffective meetings are a major time-suck.  People straggle in late, not exactly knowing what the purpose of the meeting is. A quick review turns into a length discussion.. which turns into a debate, which ends in no-one-really-knowing-what-the-point-of-the-meeting-was-or-what-to-do-next. Sound familiar? When run properly, meetings can provide clarity, alignment, and keep projects on schedule. Thankfully, we had […]

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Hardware Weekly | Vol 92

The week’s top hardware news. February 5th, 2016 Products TAPP Fingerprint Padlock There are so many online tutorials on how to pick a padlock that someone had to come up with a better solution for securing stuff. It comes in the form of a $29 seamless padlock called TAPP that unlocks when touched with a […]

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The DACI Framework: A Tool for Better Decision Making

We had the pleasure of welcoming accomplished and exceptional leader Kate Purmal to Fictiv to lead us in a workshop on teamwork. Kate launched her career as a member of the founding management team at Palm and has since worked in CEO, CFO, and COO roles at multiple startups and as a strategic consultant for Hewlett-Packard, […]

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Best Posts of 2015

Hellooo 2016! Is it seriously February already? Well, in the spirit of nostalgia, we’re takin’ a drive down memory lane, looking back at our most popular posts from 2015. 1.  Ultimate Guide to Surface Finishing 3D Printed Parts First up: our popular Ultimate Guide to Surface Finishing 3D Printed Parts. The guide covers different finishing […]

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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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Hardware Weekly | Vol 91

The week’s top hardware news. January 27th, 2016. Products Like FitBit for Food This product is for those cooks who can take advice in their own kitchen. It’s the “world’s first smart cooking pan,” the $200 SmartyPans. What can it do? It measures weight, temperature and ingredients, integrates with nutrition and fitness apps and guides […]

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Hardware Weekly | Vol 90

The week’s top hardware news. January 20, 2016. Products The Most Normal-Looking Smart Glasses Another product that stirred some wonderment at CES was a pair of seemingly regular prescription glasses from Zeiss. They look normal, but perform as fully functional smart lenses. Who knew smart glasses didn’t have to look creepy? + further improvements on […]

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Hardware Weekly | Vol 89

The week’s top hardware news. January 14th, 2016 Products Programmable Drone There are so many gadgets that teach people how to code these days, it’s a miracle if there’s anyone left uninitiated. Robolink uses a drone, though. That’s new! CoDrone is the first drone that can be programmed to do whatever tricks you want. Like […]

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Hardware Weekly | Vol 88

The weeks top hardware news. January 7th, 2016 Products dokiWatch Born from a developer’s need to find his nephew at the mall, this 3G enabled smartwatch for kids has some appeal for kids and grownups alike. It’s got video calling, GPS tracking and a hard-to-miss red SOS button connected to the parent’s smartphone. + The […]

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Hardware Weekly | Vol 87

The week’s top hardware news. December 30th, 2015 Products The Sound Reactive Mask Just in time for New Years, Canadian startup Outline Montréal launched their first Kickstarter campaign for a wild party animal mask. Harnessing the potential of sound reactive technology, they created a luminous jaguar mask that translates musical beats into light. Translation: a […]

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Hardware Weekly | Vol 86

The week’s top hardware news. December 17th, 2015 Products Like Headphones for Your Eyes Funded on Kickstarter in 2014, Avegant’s Glyph video headset is ready to go into mass production. We’re mentioning it because, for $699, it’s a device that gets close to the VR experience by projecting images directly to your retina by using […]

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How Entrepreneurial Are You?

If you’ve ever watched ABC’s Shark Tank, you may have heard one of the investors say something like, “I think you’re really smart and have a great idea, but you’re an inventor — not an entrepreneur.” Whether you like Shark Tank as a form of entertainment or not, I think the seperation of these two […]

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Hardware Weekly | Vol 85

The week’s top hardware news. December 11th, 2015 Products World’s Safest Drone Still don’t know how to tackle drone safety? A Belgian startup just came up with the solution: make a drone like a giant flying marshmallow! Fleye can hover and fly about a room all on its own without injuring anyone while taking their […]

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Industrial Design vs Mechanical Engineering [VIDEO]

We recently hosted experts from 3 of the top product design firms in the country, Whipsaw, Mindtribe, and Synapse as well as over a hundred San Francisco designers and engineers to explore the give and take between design and engineering in the development of hardware products. We captured the discussion on video and look forward to continuing the conversation!

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Tips for 3D Printing Jewelery Designs

Modern jewelry design can greatly benefit from advances in 3D printing technology. 3D printing can help you reduce material costs, iterate on your jewelry designs more quickly, and assess more accurate models to ultimately make more better pieces. The two main ways we recommend jewelery designers leverage 3D printing technology are: 3D print models of […]

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Hardware and Pancakes with Nebia

At our recent Pancakes + Hardware event, Gabe Parisi-Amon, CTO at Nebia, shared product development insights on the wildly popular shower head that caught fire on Kickstarter. The pancakes were also a hit (but thankfully not on fire) and engineers had a great opportunity to connect with Gabe and his Co-founder Phil since Nebia is hiring. Read on for […]

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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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Compensation Guidelines for Industrial Design Consultants

Industrial Design consulting work is a great way to maintain personal flexibility and build a wide variety of skills, but it can be hard to know how to get started. Of the many things to learn along the way, figuring out how much to charge for your work is a good place to start. Here’s a […]

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Defining Lean Hardware Development [VIDEO]

We hear the terms “lean product development” and “hardware revolution” thrown around as descriptors for the future of hardware, but what do those ambitious labels really mean? We asked four hardware startups, in the midst of it all, to define exactly what “lean” means to them and how it influences the way they develop hardware […]

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10 Steps for a Smooth Transition to High Volume Manufacturing

Scaling up a new product from the prototype or low-volume production stage into a high-volume manufacturing environment can be one of the most exciting and stressful stages of the hardware development life cycle. The decisions made during this transition will have significant implications for all aspects of a product, from tooling and manufacturing process control […]

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Guide to IoT Product Development

Introduction: A Brief History of IoT In 1926, inventor and futurist Nikola Tesla remarked upon the potential power of wireless technology to eliminate social problems arising out of the natural distance that exists between individuals and groups of people: “When wireless is perfectly applied the whole earth will be converted into a huge brain, which […]

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5 Amazing Uses of 3D Printing to Further Medical Advancements

Now that 3D printing is a more developed technology, the advantages it offers in the mechanical world are vast. But the power of 3D printing isn’t limited to building car parts and iPhone cases. When its vast capabilities of personalization and customization are applied to the medical field, the results are continuously pushing boundaries. From […]

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This is How an Aerospace Engineer Designs Hardware Products

For almost 5 years, James Olander worked as Senior Systems Engineer for Lockheed Martin, a large aerospace company, leveraging his degrees in Aerospace and Space Systems Engineering to develop innovative satellite technology and launch vehicles. But to be a small piece of a massive organization like Lockheed Martin, no matter how great the company or […]

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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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Industrial Design vs Mechanical Engineering — How Endless Manages the Give and Take

Beauty and function encompass two critical elements of a hardware product: one tangible and the other intangible. For Endless Mobile, these two elements encapsulate the overarching vision for the product they sought to create: an affordable, yet delightful and luxurious computer for the developing world. For hardware companies, mechanical engineering and industrial design can sometimes appear […]

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Financing Hardware Products: Kickstarter vs Indiegogo vs Pre-Orders

You’ve ran your tests and iterated until you can iterate no more (well, you could but you won’t). Now finally, (finally!) you’re ready to bring your product to the masses. But what’s the best way to get it out there? Kickstarter and Indiegogo have brought some real success stories to market over the past few years and […]

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Why Process Trumps Relationships in China

When it comes to manufacturing in China, there’s one idea that seems to dominate the conversation: relationships are everything. Success seems to revolve around your ability to build strong relationships with the right people who will introduce you to the right factories. Moreover, continued success depends on maintaining a strong relationship with that factory so […]

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Building Dreams: Insights on Becoming a Hardware CEO

Each startup begins with a dream, an idea. But to discover the courage, strategy, and means to actually move toward realizing that idea is a exceptional task and for most Founders that period of transition is both challenging and transformative. Clifton Roozeboom is in the midst of such a transition as he moves from completing […]

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Petcube’s CTO on How to Work with Vendors in China

For this week’s Hardware Spotlight, we’re chatting with Alex Neskin, the CTO at Petcube, an innovative product that connects owners with their pets using remote wireless camera streaming, 2-way audio, and a built-in laser pointer. Often the greatest lessons are born out of challenges encountered and Alex Neskin, CTO at Petcube, relates to this sentiment all too […]

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Luna on Best Practices for Manufacturing Your First Hardware Product

If you’re developing your first product, the process to take a prototype and transform it into a commercially viable product may seem overwhelming. Should you find a contract manufacturer or use several independent manufacturers? Should you work with local vendors or consider overseas? How finished should your prototype be before you start talking to a […]

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4 Strategies to Build the Community Your Product Needs

WeIn this Spotlight we’re lucky to share our conversation with Lisa Fetterman, CEO and Co-founder of Nomiku, the company behind an at-home sous vide machine. Lisa is a dedicated entrepreneur included in this 2015’s Forbes Food and Wine 30 under 30 and a young hardware veteran with hard-earned product development and manufacturing experience, having lived 2 years next to her factory […]

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Hardware Lessons From Anymote

In this week’s Hardware Spotlight, we had the chance to sit down with Sergiu Dogaru, co-founder at AnyMote. Sergiu Dogaru, Alina Dogaru and their co-founder, Michal Simkovic, created the AnyMote Smart Remote to give us the truly universal remote we’ve all dreamed of. We chatted with Sergiu about manufacturing in China, prepping for a successful Kickstarter, […]

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PLA Color Comparison: Color vs. Strength

We recently took a look at a study which measures the material properties of ABS and PLA printed on RepRap printers in comparison to parts printed on commercial machines. The study showed that PLA and ABS parts printed on RepRap printers are relatively comparable to parts printed on commercial machines in terms of tensile strength and elastic […]

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The Exciting Possibilities of DIY Virtual Reality

We’re seeking out the best hardware companies and engineers to help uncover the many challenges, lessons, and philosophies behind hardware product development. In this week’s Hardware Spotlight, we’re learning about the exciting possibilities of Virtual Reality with Patrick Buckley from DODOcase. He’s launched a Kickstarter to raise funds for the development of open web-based Virtual Reality software tools to support […]

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Behind the Scenes Look at a Design Project for Menlo Ventures

This week we’re spotlighting the development of a product we created for Menlo Ventures with industrial designer Mark Kelley. We took the opportunity to ask Mark a few questions about the industrial design process and how his skills fit into this collaborative project with Fictiv co-founder and engineer Dave Evans. Mark, can you describe where your design skills […]

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An Inside Look at the Development of the Zuli Smartplug

We’re seeking out the most amazing hardware companies and engineers to help uncover the many challenges, lessons, and philosophies behind what makes them so awesome and how they develop their products. In this week’s Hardware Spotlight, we had the chance to sit down with Taylor Umphreys co-founder and CEO at Zuli. Taylor and his co-founders, Sid […]

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Stop Making Negative Progress — How to Build Stronger, More Reliable Hardware Products

Successful product development involves a rigorous and detailed process of testing, breaking, and fixing. However without the right system in place, it can be difficult to parse out the details of effective changes versus ineffective ones. Nathan Hall-Snyder, VP of Engineering at Kespry, a commercial drone technology company that recently raised $10M in Series A funding, knows […]

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The Unique Design Behind Boombotix, a Rugged and Portable Speaker

We’re seeking out the most amazing hardware companies and engineers to help uncover the many challenges, lessons, and philosophies behind what makes them so awesome and how they develop their products. In this week’s Hardware Spotlight we had the chance to chat with Chris McKleroy, Co-founder and Product Designer at Boombotix. He shared with us his […]

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Iterative Product Development Philosophy from SoundFocus

We’re seeking out the best hardware companies and engineers to help uncover the many challenges, lessons, and philosophies behind hardware product development. In this Hardware Spotlight, we had the chance to sit down with Alex Selig, co-founder at SoundFocus. Alex, and his co-founder Varun Srinivasan, founded the company with the goal of building revolutionary audio processing technologies […]

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How Inscopix is Developing a Revolutionary Microscope System

In this Hardware Spotlight, we’re learning a lot about neurons and photons from Sam Malanowski, Product Engineer at Inscopix. Inscopix makes a miniaturized microscope system that allows for researchers to view large-scale neural circuit dynamics in freely behaving rodents.  Sam shares with us his experience working as an engineer amongst a majority group of PhD researchers, […]

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The Product Evolution Behind Drumpants, a Wearable Musical Instrument

We’re seeking out the best hardware companies to help uncover the many challenges, lessons, and philosophies behind hardware product development.  In this week’s Hardware Spotlight, we had the chance to sit down with Tyler and Lei, co-founders at DrumPants. They founded the company with the vision to pioneer a more natural way for humans to interact with their […]