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What is DMLS, and Why is it Taking over Aerospace?

Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS), a fancy way of 3D printing metal, is the new trend in aerospace engineering. DMLS uses a Ytterbium fiber laser to fire into a bed of powdered metal, welding the material together to create a solid structure. It’s great for complex metal parts that you can’t build with conventional manufacturing […]

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Prototyping Showdown: 3D Printing vs. CNC Machining [VIDEO]

There are so many different ways to prototype and manufacture physical products, and at times, the list of materials and processes can feel daunting even for the most experienced engineers. At Fictiv, we’re working to give people more streamlined access to the best fabrication technology available. We’re also dedicated to helping engineers learn which fabrication […]

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How to Get the Right Finish for VeroWhite 3D Printing Material

Depending on your visual model needs, you can choose from different finishing options for 3D printed parts. To make life easier, Fictiv always recommends printing parts that need any type of finishing work in a high resolution material, like VeroWhite or VeroBlack. People often try to cut costs by printing in a low resolution, hard, […]

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3 Ways to Prototype for NVH with 3D Printing

In prototyping automotive parts, it’s common for NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) to be placed on the back burner in the early product design phases, as there are often bigger challenges at play (like not breaking parts). NVH studies, often difficult and elusive, are not exactly a low-hanging fruit in the prototype phase. However, a gram […]

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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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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 […]