The development of new products has always been a critical factor to achieve business success. If in the 1990s all efforts were focused on reducing the manufacturing cycle and implementing flexible production systems, the 2000s have been accompanied by a change of perspective and a concern for both the process of design and development of new products.  Designing and manufacturing a product may seem like a daunting task, but if you know the basic steps and the required phases, it will be much easier. This process involves the realization of a complex set of activities, in which most of the ..read more

The design and development of products require not only the management of basic concepts of conventional mechanical design but the proper selection of materials and manufacturing processes that allow obtaining items that meet the functional requirements of high quality and with the possibility of being acquired at low costs. For this reason, it is essential to work in multidisciplinary teams.  This involves both the client’s attributes and the engineering and process variables. It helps in idea generation and implementation of techniques that facilitate teamwork and guide designers to obtai ..read more

With 3D printing comes the possibility of obtaining digital copies of objects, or even create new objects digitally. A new field has been opened in the development and manufacture of products. This has been enhanced by a generation of machines operated by computers, which were initially known as computerized numerical control (CNC) technologies.  In the past years, 3D printing technology has expanded and has reached other classes of users. From small and medium-sized businesses to startup groups, and even to the garages of some citizens, 3D printers are helping make imagination a reality ..read more

CNC is a process by which machining parts are manufactured with the help of computers that control the machine tools. Thanks to CNC (Computerized Numerical Control) technology, the manufacturing process of almost all the machining parts has now being automated since it allows to use a set of instructions to control the machining through a program with the minimum human intervention. CNC technology can be applied to a wide range of operations such as processing, assembly, inspection, as well as work on metal sheets, and more. Other than this, numerical control is used more frequently in diff ..read more

Without a doubt, additive manufacturing is revolutionizing multiple sectors. More and more companies and users are joining the so-called 4th Industrial Revolution. Since its creation in the 80s, multiple 3D technologies have been developed, and new developments are emerging every year. All additive manufacturing processes have in common the fact that they can generate very complex geometries in a very fast way depositing layer upon layer. In all cases, the objects have a material texture of very thin, almost imperceptible layers. However, each of these technologies carries its benefits and it ..read more

3D printing materials, usually called by their traditional names such as ABS, polypropylene nylon, and more are available in the majority, but you have to be aware that many of the 3D printing materials only mimic true thermoplastics. Choosing the right material allows you to improve the shape, quality and function of your pieces.  Hence, selection of the correct 3D printing material is highly essential. To help you choose the right material for your product, we have developed a reference guide that describes the advantages and uses of some of the most commonly used materials for 3D prin ..read more

3D printing offers an ideal option to create products that are traditionally made with moulds without the need to use one. But this does not mean that the creation of moulds will be set aside forever. On the contrary, the technology of 3D printing has been taken to the construction of moulds quickly, effectively and economically. With the advances in the science and engineering of materials, you can already build 3D printed moulds with metallic or resin materials. One of the advantages of designing moulds that can be printed on a 3D printer is that you can quickly obtain finished moulds in le ..read more

The technology of Vacuum Casting or Silicone moulding has been known for a long time and very interestingly becomes a part of the prototype industry when we need to make short series of plastic pieces, mostly from 15 to 200 units.  What is Vacuum Casting and How does it work? Vacuum casting is specially used for small production series or to duplicate prototypes and models in a short space of time. Starting from a master part made by 3D printing, a silicone mould is crafted which later gets injected with a polyurethane into a vacuum chamber. These silicone moulds faithfully reproduce a s ..read more

Industries nowadays are looking for the freedom and flexibility to produce a wide range of parts quickly and competitively. Hence, injection moulding is one of the most used manufacturing processes today. Take a look at your home, office, or car and you will undoubtedly find a myriad of products and parts that have been injection moulded. Let’s look more closely at what injection moulding is all about and how is it beneficial: What is Injection Moulding and how does it work? A semi-continuous process that involves injecting a polymer or ceramic in a molten state (or rubberized) in a m ..read more

The possibility of printing three-dimensional solid objects is something long expected not only by those who are not very skilled in the use of the chisel and the hammer, but it is a technology sought for years by various manufacturers and researchers who tried to implement a method that allows the construction of the more varied objects such as medical implants, pieces of architecture and other elements in a simple and cheap way. Fortunately, they have found it in 3D printing. 3d printing is the beginning of how things will commonly be done in the future. The 3D printing to which we refer ..read more