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The Digital Thread

Your blog feed for manufacturing resources, in-depth features, and industry news.

Past 'manufacturing' posts

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3D printed rose dress for met gala
Industry Insight
13/03/2023

How Digital Manufacturing is more than Fad or Fashion

Digital manufacturing is fast; it provides excellent process transparency and design flexibility, but how exactly is that impacting the fashion industry daily? This blog takes a look at three trends built on the foundations of digital manufacturing.
By Protolabs
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sla part being finished

Secondary Services in a Race to Come First

When working in the Space industry, post-processing options are often the difference between a good idea and a successful project. Whilst most of your focus will be on primary production methods, this blog outlines how secondary services can greatly impact your final project.
By Protolabs
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aerospace part being taken out of delivery box
Tech Tips
13/02/2023

Production Methods for the new frontier

Driving innovation in any industry is difficult, but it’s particularly tricky in the space industry. Parts need to be reliable, withstand increasingly harsh conditions, function for extended periods without maintenance and remain lightweight yet tough enough to withstand the forces of launch and space travel. With these requirements in mind, it's important to select the right manufacturing method.
By Protolabs
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engineer in product design stage
Material Science
30/01/2023

Cutting edge materials for space

Material science constantly pushes the boundaries of what is possible in product development, but what materials are making an impact in the space industry? We've compiled a list of cutting edge materials used for space applications to help you make the right decision for your project.
By Protolabs
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3D printed plastic prototypes: What’s Next?
Industry Spotlight
26/01/2023

3D printed plastic prototypes: What’s Next?

3D printing is often a great entry route to prototyping plastic parts mainly because it is a quick, flexible, and cost-effective process. But what happens once you are ready to move forward with your product development plan?
By Alex Edwards
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ultem for CNC machining
Materials Science
23/01/2023

Using High-Performance PEEK, PEI Plastics for Machining, Moulding

Consider cost, part performance when choosing PEEK or PEI (Ultem) Plastics for CNC machining or injection moulding your parts.
By Steve Konick
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satellite being developed by engineers
Industry Trends
16/01/2023

Manufacturing’s role in the new space race

With analysts predicting a market value of $1 trillion by 2040, the space industry is thriving. But what are the key trends that need to be on your radar?
By Protolabs
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engineer working on satellite design file
Industry Insight
11/01/2023

The Next Frontier: Space and Digital Manufacturing

As the Space sector continues to innovate and develop, adoption of digital manufacturing technologies to support speed, repeatability, and consistency are key to the future success of the industry. In this panel discussion, three of our in-house experts answer your questions on key materials, options for meeting critical quality standards, the future technologies of the industry, and more.
By Protolabs
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manufacturing shop floor
Industry Trends
14/11/2022

Crisis, what crisis? Four years that shaped Manufacturing Change

In this blog we look back on the last four years of manufacturing - the challenges that were overcome, and how this has prepared the sector to meet new challenges head on in the future. Results are reflective of the yearly manufacturing survey sent out to the community in partnership with IMechE.
By Protolabs
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How digital manufacturing is making prosthetics more personal
Industry Insight
25/09/2022

How digital manufacturing is making prosthetics more personal

Digital manufacturing is shaping the future of prosthetics and orthotics by producing more personalised and comfortable solutions faster and at a lower cost. It is also accelerating the development of new ideas through rapid prototyping to test new solutions.
By Protolabs
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Surgical instruments, aids and models and the role of digital manufacturing
Industry Insight
18/09/2022

Surgical instruments, aids and models and the role of digital manufacturing

Digital manufacturing is revolutionising surgery. It provides both surgeons and instrument manufacturers with the information and equipment that they need to achieve better results faster and more cost effectively.
By Protolabs
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Moving 3D Printing into Mainstream Manufacturing
Industry Insight
14/09/2022

Moving 3D Printing into Mainstream Manufacturing

In this blog we explore how additive manufacturing is moving beyond prototyping into mainstream manufacturing and how it is solving issues in many industries that other production processes cannot.
By Protolabs
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