Follow these tips for injection molding to get better parts faster. It wasn’t so long ago that most injection molds had to be cut manually by machinists who worked directly from drawings. Then CAD and CNC came along, enabling milling work from … [Read more...] about Design tips for injection molding
Rapid Injection Molding
Cut to the Bone–how to remove weight from designs
We’ve all seen cartoons of the caveman with his waist-high stone wheel. It literally weighs a ton and never seems to be attached to anything. We’ve seen images of chest-high, solid wood wheels on a peasant’s lumbering cart; better than nothing but … [Read more...] about Cut to the Bone–how to remove weight from designs
Proto Labs initiates public offering
Proto Labs, Inc. announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 4,300,000 shares of common stock at a price to the public of $16.00 per share. The shares are expected to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange on February 24, 2012 under … [Read more...] about Proto Labs initiates public offering
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 … [Read more...] about Bigger and Better
Use a smart phone to share digital microscope images
This is an innovative design—a plastic mount that connects smart phones to microscopes to digitally capture and share scientific images. This is such an innovative idea, that Proto Labs made the co-founders, Andy Miller and Tess Bakke, winners of the … [Read more...] about Use a smart phone to share digital microscope images
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 … [Read more...] about Tips on Clips Part 2: Make it Snappy
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 … [Read more...] about QuicKaddy Design is Latest Cool Idea! winner
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 … [Read more...] about Fast prototyping speeds development of breakthrough vision screening
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 … [Read more...] about A closer look at injection molding
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 … [Read more...] about Tips on Clips
