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Past 'plastics' posts

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A person inspecting a high-precision aluminum mold
Tech Tips
September 6, 2024

Aluminum Mold Tooling for Injection Molding

Understand the benefits and applications of aluminum mold tooling.
By Ben Wilson
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A person inspecting a high-precision aluminum mold in a workshop
Tech Tips
January 17, 2024

What is Short Run Injection Molding? Benefits and Use Cases

Understand what benefits short run injection molding can provide to product teams, such as reducing time to market and development costs.
By Lucas Tofteland
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Black and green injection molded parts
Materials Science
August 18, 2023

ABS vs. Polypropylene (PP): Deciding Between Two Popular Plastics

ABS and polypropylene (PP) are strong contenders for many projects, but what are the differences?
By Protolabs
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Green plastic part
Tech Tips
February 7, 2023

Understanding Injection Molding Tolerances

Why is tolerancing critical in the molding process? It ensures your parts are made accurately and function properly.
By Protolabs
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Green plastic part
Tech Tips
January 23, 2023

How to Avoid Flash on Injection-Molded Parts

Flash in never desirable in injection-molded parts. Find out how to design to avoid it.
By Protolabs
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Sample of swirling effect from a nylon material with yellow colorant.
Tech Tips
September 22, 2022

Avoiding Flow Lines in Molded Parts

For most molded parts, visible flow lines are undesirable. The good news is there are ways to avoid them, both in design and the way that the parts are manufactured.
By Protolabs
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HDPE resin pellets closeup
Materials Science
September 7, 2022

Translucent and Clear Plastic Injection-Molded Parts

Choosing the best translucent material for your molded parts isn’t always crystal clear. There are quite a few things to think about before making your final choice of materials and design.
By Protolabs
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Clear ABS resin pellets
Materials Science
August 4, 2022

ABS vs. PC: Comparing Two Common Thermoplastics

Choosing to use ABS, polycarbonate (PC), or combining them is a popular way to get strong machined, printed, or molded parts. There are a lot of similarities, but also some significant differences that might help you find just the right one for your parts.
By Protolabs
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Recommended wall thickness in injection molding design
Tech Tips
June 8, 2022

Thin Wall Injection Molding Tips and Considerations

Thin walls in injection-molded parts can present a variety of issues. Dive into these considerations to ensure optimal part molding and performance.
By Protolabs
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Consultative Design Analysis
MFG 360
October 22, 2020

Consultative Design Analysis Prepares Parts for Production

Our new consultative design service addresses design feedback and gets your parts ready for manufacturability within our automated system.
By Nicole Hopper
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Fluid handling microfluidics part
Materials Science
June 24, 2020

VALOX 357 Boasts Strong Chemical, Heat Resistance for Plastic Parts

The Polybutylene Terephthalate’s strong resistance, stability, and processability make it a versatile plastic useful in a variety industries.
By Nicole Hopper
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Glass-filled thermoplastic part
Materials Science
April 27, 2020

Fortron 1140L4 PPS Offers High Strength, Resistance for Molded Parts

Fortron’s heat and chemical resistance, electrical properties, and rigidity make it an ideal plastic for the automotive or electronic industries.
By Nicole Hopper
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