Manufacturing knowledge.
Written from the work.
What happens at the machine matters at the drawing board. We share practical thinking on how parts are made, what they are made from, and how to make them repeat.
Follow the thinking.
Know the byline.
Explore each author’s published topics and recent writing. Start with the question closest to your part.
Our guides use short bylines. For a question about a specific article, include its title or link when you contact us.
From the drawing to the finished part.
The route changes
the result.
Tool access, setup, geometry and production volume shape the manufacturing choice. Our guides explain the trade-offs.
- CNC milling, turning & EDM
- Sheet metal, bending & laser cutting
- Injection molding & die casting
- 3D printing & rapid prototyping
A grade is more
than a name.
Machinability, strength, heat and corrosion resistance all matter. See how material choices affect the finished part.
- Aluminium, stainless & alloy steel
- Brass, copper & titanium
- ABS, nylon, polycarbonate & Delrin
- PEEK, PEI & PTFE
The surface has
a job to do.
Appearance is only part of the decision. Read about corrosion protection, wear, coating thickness and dimensional fit.
- Anodizing & conversion coatings
- Electroplating & electroless nickel
- Powder coating & PTFE coating
- Passivation & polishing
Connecting it all: design and inspection. Tolerances, manufacturability and measurement turn process knowledge into requirements you can put on a drawing.
Read the design guides ↗One good part is a start.
Consistency is the goal.
Quoting, programming, fixturing and inspection all reveal something the drawing alone cannot. We write about those decisions so the next part can be better than the last.
Join the engineering conversation ↗Make the reasoning useful.
Explain the process, the material and the trade-off. Give readers something they can use when designing, sourcing or making a part.
Keep the discussion open.
A different setup or application can change the answer. Questions and disagreements help make the engineering clearer.
Bring a specific question.
Found a detail that needs a second look? Send the article link, the passage and the context. That is where a useful conversation starts.
Reading with a real part in mind?
Bring your drawing or your question to the engineering team.