Manufacturing

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What to Ask a Thermoforming Supplier Before Partnering with Them

Choosing a thermoforming supplier affects more than the quality of your finished part. Your supplier influences lead times, material decisions, manufacturability, and how smoothly the component moves into the next stage of production. That’s why it’s so important to select a thermoforming supplier ...

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What Are You Getting From Your Manufacturing Partner Beyond Just the Line Price?

Price will always be a huge part of the conversation when choosing a thermoforming or vacuum forming manufacturing partner. But the quoted price doesn’t tell you the whole story about what it will actually take to manufacture your part, and maintain quality over time.

a banner of different types of tooling: Water Cooled Cast Aluminum, Billet Aluminum, 3D-Printed, Polyurethane Board, and Wood Protoype.

Comparing Thermoforming Tooling Options for Plastic Parts

When looking at a completed plastic part, it can be hard to see all of the decisions that led to this final form. From design to material selection to the actual manufacturing process - dozens of decisions at each stage culminate in a superior completed project.

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Why Thermoforming Is a Better Fit Than Injection Molding for Low to Medium-Volume Parts

When teams evaluate manufacturing processes for plastic parts, both injection molding and thermoforming are often considered. But which one is the best choice for low-volume production?

chart comparing ABS, HDPE, and TPO plastic properties

How to Choose Between ABS, HDPE, and TPO for Your Part

When engineers and procurement teams evaluate thermoplastics for manufactured parts, three materials come up as common options: ABS, HDPE, and TPO. Each of these are strong plastic choices in different ways. Each material offers different advantages depending on the environment, performance ...

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How Early DFM Input Reduces Risk in Material Changes

Material changes look simple on paper. The reality is a lot more complex. What seems like a minor change early on can lead to redesigns, delays, and misalignment later. Timing is what makes the biggest impact on how successful a material change will be.

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When Does It Make Sense to Replace Metal Parts with Plastic?

For many parts, metal has been the default for decades. It’s strong, familiar, and widely used across industries. But just because it’s the default, doesn’t mean it’s always the best option.

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What to Review Before Sending a Plastic Part Out for Quote

Engineers often send designs out for quote assuming the CAD model contains everything a manufacturer needs. In reality, manufacturers need additional details to produce the most accurate quote.

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Material Substitution Without Redesigning the Entire Part

Material substitution usually enters the conversation at an inconvenient time. Current material costs have jumped. A part is underperforming in the real world. Onshoring becomes a priority. Suddenly a design that has been “good enough” for years is back under scrutiny. Engineers may be open to ...

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5 Signs You've Outgrown Your Current Plastic Fabrication Partner

Working with a plastic fabrication partner should be a smooth, easy process. When you first started working with your current partner, you might have thought that they were the one—the plastic fabricator to end your search for good.

plastic color swatches

Proper Material Selection in the Vacuum Forming Process

Thermoforming is a plastic production process that combines heat and vacuum to carefully form custom plastic parts. Though the process can seem simple on the surface, it still requires much expertise and some significant know-how to consistently create a result that satisfies both you and your ...

a 5-axis cnc machine

5-Axis CNC Trimming vs Hand Trimming Thermoformed Plastics

A key step in any plastic part production is cutting the part to size and removing any unnecessary material to create grooves and other shapes. For 3 dimensional parts, there are two common trimming methods: hand trimming and 5-axis CNC trimming. Between the two options, which one is best? Our team ...

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Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Selection Guide

When affixing two different materials together or adding a layer of lamination or other finishing options, pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs) are the most effective method. However, there are a great number of options to choose from – so how do you know which one is the best for your application?

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