Insight: your masterclass in product design and development

Our Insight video series will help you master digital manufacturing. Every Friday we’ll post a new video – each one giving you a deeper Insight into how to design better parts. We’ll cover specific topics such as choosing the right 3D printing material, optimising your design for CNC machining, surface finishes for moulded parts, and much more besides.

Below is a recap of our latest Insight videos, which you can also view alongside all of our previous videos on our website. Never want to miss an Insight video? Subscribe here!

Insight: 3D Printing Polypropylene

In this video we look at Polypropylene. Polypropylene is a thermoplastic addition polymer made by combining propylene monomers. One of the most commonly produced plastics in the world and its use is increasing rapidly. A recent breakthrough means it can now be 3D printed using selective laser sintering. This video explores what this means in terms of design and how it could substantially reduce your product development time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yCit53npyc

Insight: 3D Printing Inconel

In this video we look at Inconel. Inconel is a superalloy, it can cope in extreme environments where other metals would struggle or even not cope at all. This video looks at its properties, benefits, limitations and applications.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcHHKd2yw_8

Insight: Material Options for CNC

The amount of material options out there for CNC is pretty huge. So to narrow it down to the best material for your part you need to consider your part’s application, the service you will be using and whether it will be used for prototypes. This video will give you some considerations for narrowing down your material options when designing a machined part.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9l5ildoiHc

Insight: Choosing a Manufacturing Source

This can be one of the most important decisions you make on a project, and can easily make the difference between glowing success and not-so-glowing failure. You’ll need to be certain the option you pick fits your needs exactly, whether you want someone to handle your project as a one-off or plan to develop a long-term production relationship with them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmIilAVe878