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Guide to Plastic Materials for Prototyping and Production

In the world of plastics, there are a lot of different options for a designer to choose from. There are so many plastic materials, in fact, that the process of selecting the proper 3D printing plastics for prototyping and subsequent manufacturing plastics for production may seem intimidating. This article seeks to clarify the main types of plastic materials […]

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PLA vs ABS-like: Getting the Edge on Appearance and Precision

With manufacturing processes evolving quite rapidly in today’s world, it can be difficult to keep up with so many groundbreaking discoveries. In an effort to learn more about the 3D printing world, in particular, I will be showcasing two identical designs composed of two different printing materials: PLA (polylactic acid) and ABS-like (also known as […]

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Finding Flexibility: Results of a 3D Printed Strain Wave Gear

One of the most advantageous mechanical gearing systems is the strain wave gear, also known as a harmonic drive. It has high gear reduction ratios (ranging from 30:1 to 320:1), which allow for high speed reduction, no backlash, and high torque, all in a compact and lightweight system. Because of these abilities, the system is […]

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How to Build Physical Products in the Virtual New World: Webinar Recap

Fictiv’s June 17 webinar on best practices for engineering teams who are working remotely to build physical products was hosted by Hiro Shimozato, Fictiv’s Director of Product Management. Hiro talked with Ann Torres, Senior Vice President of Engineering at Synapse, and Chris Evans, Director of Engineering at Cooper Perkins, about their companies’ strategies for helping […]

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How to Accelerate Your Engineering Builds (and Ensure You Get Parts That Fit)

There are very few parts that function on their own—almost every design requires multiple pieces to be joined in some way to create a final product. When was the last time you had something other than a bottle opener that was a single, functional part?  When designing for a multi-part engineering build, there are extra […]

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Finite Element Analysis: How to Use Hooke’s Law to Dial in Simple FEAs

Any professional mechanical engineer knows that Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is an essential tool used to analyze stress (deflection, FOS, and more) in a design based on different loading conditions. A huge part of conducting FEA centers around research. When you start the process, you don’t yet know what you don’t know. You need to […]

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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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Fictiv Donates Tool to Make Millions of Face Shields

Today, Fictiv announced that hospitals and healthcare providers can begin ordering protective face shields in batches of up to 10,000 per order at cost for shipment as fast as one (1) day: https://www.fictiv.com/covid-19-face-shields. We’re leveraging our global manufacturing network and a newly designed tool to produce millions of face shields to help healthcare workers in […]

eBook

Product Guide: Fictiv CNC Finishing Capabilities

Skip the questions, eliminate redundant ordering, and get the finishing option that works best for your part. With Fictiv’s CNC finishing guide, learn everything you need to know about our surface finishing capabilities. We’ll give you in-depth information on the protective properties and aesthetic benefits of each finishing option. The guide will cover a variety […]

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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 […]