Bigger and Better
We’ve posted tips in the past regarding maximum part size, but since our moldable dimensions have continued to increase, we thought it was time for an update. Some of the figures that follow are simple and absolute; others may vary based on multiple factors. If your design seems to be approaching the limits, the best way to determine whether Proto Labs can mold it is to submit... Read More
Tips on Clips Part 2: Make it Snappy
Plastic’s ability to flex without permanently deforming allows molded parts to incorporate a variety of snap fasteners other than the common hooked cantilever clip. These include: • annular (round) snaps • torsional snaps, which store return force by twisting rather than bending • compressive snaps, which work by compressing and then returning to hold the fastener in place. Annular... Read More
QuicKaddy Design is Latest Cool Idea! winner
A patent-pending hex key case design by mechanical engineer Matt Nestor is the latest recipient of the Proto Labs Cool Idea! Award. Proto Labs will provide Nestor with prototype parts he can use for demonstrations to major tool companies. The part will be used in the new magnetic QuicKaddy Hex Key case that Nestor designed, with slots in the front and back that allow the user to... Read More
Fast prototyping speeds development of breakthrough vision screening
PediaVision® is a medical device company that provides comprehensive vision assessment technology for use on adults and children as young as 6 months old. Their latest innovation, Spot, is a patent-pending device that can assess a child’s vision quickly (in less than 1 sec) and objectively, eliminating the subjective analysis that results from many of today’s vision screening... Read More
A closer look at injection molding
Periodically we will be showing you potential service providers and resources for your rapid prototyping and rapid manufacturing needs. Here’s an interesting video from a Michigan company, PTI Engineered Plastics. PTI is a full-service thermoplastic injection molder supplying industry with products for prototype, short runs as well as low and high volume production. For... Read More
Tips on Clips
One of the many benefits of plastic resin is the ease with which it can be molded into complex shapes. This often allows a single part to replace two or more parts made of other materials. Among the complex features that can be molded into a plastic part are a variety of integrated snap connectors, which can also eliminate the need for still more parts, such as screws, or for secondary... Read More
Latest Cool Idea! Winner: RoughRider® Wheelchair
Proto Labs has chosen Whirlwind Wheelchair International as the latest recipient of its Cool Idea! Award. Proto Labs – a leading online and technology-enabled manufacturer of quick-turn prototype and short-run parts – will help the company launch its innovative RoughRider wheelchair to the U.S. market. The RoughRider was originally designed for those with disabilities in developing... Read More
What you need to know about Subtractive Prototyping
Not everyone thinks that subtractive prototyping has a place in the Additive Manufacturing arena. After all, subtractive is really CNC machining—a process that removes material from a larger piece of material through standard machining processes such as milling, turning/lathing or drilling until the prototype part is created. Subtractive prototyping gives you the opportunity to... Read More
Proto Labs Names Cool Idea! Honorable Mentions
Proto Labs, a leading quick-turn manufacturer of CNC machined and injection molded custom parts for prototyping and short-run production, has announced two Honorable Mention award recipients as part of its Cool Idea! award program. The d-TSSU™, created by Inclined Biomedical Technologies in Minneapolis, Minn., and the EZ Vac Sander®, created by Richard Brunner of Coatesville,... Read More
Round like a Wheel, Not Like an Egg
When making round parts—gears, pistons, plugs, and anything else that needs to fit, seal, or spin—start by asking just how round does it need to be? If the answer is “as round as possible,” you probably need a center gate. In injection molding, resin fans out into the mold from the gate. With a center gate, that means an expanding flow front that stops at the outside edge... Read More
Now that the open source concept has migrated from software to hardware, it's the right time for a hackable robot that can make "
Here I'm 3D printing a chess piece. This is the second chess piece I've been printing. Here it is in a picture:http://reprap.erik
Dr Adrian Bowyer of the RepRap project http://reprap.org shows us around his lab at Bath University.
From CAD to prototype
RedEye, a business unit of Stratasys, unveiled the world's first full scale custom motorcycle, created entirely from using rapid proto
