Whitepapers

Manufacturing Tool Kit for Consumer Electronics

Published: 11/22

Every January, CES in Las Vegas showcases the latest innovations in consumer electronics. As the largest annual consumer electronics show in the world, it is an over-the-top display of gadgets and gizmos and dramatically illustrates how various electronic chips, boards, circuitry, and connections ...

Selecting a Manufacturing Method for Electronic Enclosures

Published: 10/22

Electronic devices are everywhere, from smartphones and laptops for consumers to sophisticated medical devices, critical aircraft flight controls, as well as safety, performance, and entertainment systems in electronic and other vehicles.

Speeding up product development for medical devices

Published: 10/22

Getting a new medical device from concept through approval and to manufacture to the deadlines that you and your team expect is a real challenge. Yet something that the recent pandemic has taught us is that it is possible to innovate and achieve production quickly when it is really needed.

Common Impact-Resistant Plastics

Published: 10/22

Tough. Fracture-proof. Able to withstand punctures and cracks when struck. That’s how some people describe impact-resistant plastic. As you’ll see, however, that term is ambiguous. Just because a piece of chewing gum doesn’t break in two when hit with a hammer doesn’t mean it’s impact-resistant. ...

3D printing and customised medical implants

Published: 09/22

3D printing is making major inroads into customising medical implants for individuals. It allows implant manufacturers and sometimes even hospitals to create complex geometries and patient specific solutions that saves the surgeon time and improves a patient’s outcome.

Selecting a Material for Stereolithography (SLA) 3D Printing

Published: 09/22

Many factors come into play when comparing the material properties of thermoplastics found in injection moulding versus “thermoplastic-like” materials used in an industrial-grade 3D printing technology like stereolithography (SLA).

Digital manufacturing and the future of dentistry

Published: 08/22

Major dental work traditionally takes days of time and effort but as technology evolves even complex treatment is possible in just a few hours thanks to digital technology.

Evaluating UV-Resistant Plastic Options

Published: 08/22

Everyone knows they should apply sunscreen when lying on the beach or spending a lazy Saturday afternoon fishing. That’s because the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can wreak havoc on unprotected skin, causing a painful sunburn or worse. Polymers suffer similar damage from UV radiation, albeit more ...

Life-cycle Analysis (LCA): Challenges and Solutions

Published: 07/22

What is Life-cycle Analysis (LCA)? Life-cycle Analysis (LCA) is the comprehensive analysis of a product’s entire life cycle system in terms of sustainability.

Glass Transition Temperature of Polymers

Published: 07/22

There’s an important but often overlooked material consideration when designing parts for plastic injection moulding. It’s called Tg, short for glass transition temperature. We’ll get into the science behind it all later, but for now, just know that there is a temperature where amorphous materials ...

General Drones: Saving lives at sea with support from Protolabs

Published: 06/22

Reduced rescue times with Protolabs' MJF and SLS technology.

Challenges on the Horizon

Published: 06/22

The Aerospace industry is no stranger to innovation, but the twin challenges of the pandemic and the ongoing needs to address carbon emissions has left it with some difficult challenges on the horizon. These were clearly recognised from a Protolabs research project two years ago, Horizon Shift, but ...

Understanding Powder Bed Fusion Technology

Published: 06/22

Powder bed fusion (PBF) is an additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, technology that uses a heat source—typically a laser—to sinter or fuse atomised powder particles together. Like other additive processes this is done one layer at a time until the part is completed.

Choosing a Heat-resistant Plastic

Published: 05/22

If you’ve ever left a food container in the microwave a bit too long, you’re aware that some plastics don’t handle high temperatures too well. Depending on the vintage and type of container, you might be storing last night’s dinner in polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), or polyethylene (PE), ...

Advantages of Aluminium for CNC machined parts

Published: 04/22

Aluminium is one of the most popular materials for CNC machined parts – here are six reasons why.

3D Printing in New Industries

Published: 03/22

When we usually think of 3D printing our minds turn to a handful of familiar areas, such as intricate medical devices, hi-tech automotive parts or rapidly prototyping products that are going to go into mass production. However, over recent years we’ve seen the advantages offered by this technology ...

Picking the best material for CNC

Published: 02/22

If the sheer amount of choice between the different materials for CNC machining leaves you confused, then find out how you can hone the number down to a more manageable shortlist in this blog.

Why 3D Print?

Published: 01/22

Over the handful of years that it’s been in use, 3D printing technology has come from a fringe technique to a process used by countless businesses across the world. If you aren’t familiar with the technology yet, it might be difficult to understand this rapid rise in both uptake and success.

MJF vs SLS 3D printing – A head-to-head comparison

Published: 12/21

At first glance the relatively new 3D printing technology Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) may appear to be a replacement for selective laser sintering (SLS) after all both build parts from thermoplastic nylon but MJF is faster, more precise and produces more consistent mechanical properties throughout the ...

How to Design STL Files for 3D Printing in Your CAD Program

Published: 11/21

We know you have a range of CAD programs and file format options to choose from when designing and sharing your part designs. The STL file, short for stereolithography, is the primary CAD file format that’s used for additive manufacturing (3D printing) design projects. This tip covers how to ...

Protolabs’ One-stop Guide to Digital Manufacturing

Published: 11/21

?What is Digital Manufacturing? It’s the complete digital integration of automation and advanced technology throughout the manufacturing process – from the moment you upload a 3D CAD model to when we ship your physical parts out the door.

Fine-Tuning Tolerances for CNC Machined Parts

Published: 10/21

Over stringent tolerances may require secondary processes, which drive up costs. Tolerances that are too loose can foul on assembly. Understanding when and when not to use tolerances will optimise your designs: as standardised tolerances can improve quality, iterate quickly and reduce manufacturing ...

Oilfield Services Sector Already Committing To ‘Green’ Energy, According To New Protolabs Report

Published: 09/21

The oilfield services sector is radically restructuring to survive in a world moving towards net-zero carbon emissions, according to a new industry report.

How to create greener parts

Published: 09/21

?Creating more sustainable or greener parts is a complex area that depends on a number of factors which sometime contradict each other. The first step is to understand these different elements and then you need to make a judgement call.

How to Use Multi Jet Fusion for Functional 3D-Printed Parts

Published: 07/21

Technology giant HP has developed and launched Multi Jet Fusion (MJF), an industrial-grade 3D printing technology that quickly and accurately produces functional prototypes and end-use parts for a variety of applications. Protolabs served as one of several test sites for this additive manufacturing ...