Contract Manufacturing and Fabrication Reference Materials
Reference Articles 601 - 700 of 1331
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Surface Treatment for Aircraft Precision Machined Parts
Description: Impro explains surface treatment options for aircraft precision machined parts, which are performed to enhance the part appearance or functionality. ...
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Types of Quality Control Methods Used for Sand Casting Parts
Description: Impro reviews the types of quality control methods used at all points in the manufacturing process for sand casting parts to achieve a high quality level. ...
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Understanding the Shell Making of Investment Casting Process
Description: Careful shell-making is essential in investment casting to produce a shell mold strong and malleable enough to allow molten metal to take on the desired shape. ...
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Filled or Unfilled Wax Process, Which One to Choose For Your Investment Casting Parts?
Description: Choice of filled or unfilled wax is based on factors including flow property, recyclability, dimensional consistency, and surface finish of investment castings. ...
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Introduction to NDT (Non-Destructive Testing) for Castings
Description: Different NDT technologies have different capabilities to detect casting defects. Our blog post explains the options available to customers. ...
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Types of Heat Treatment for Sand Castings
Description: This blog explains the types of heat treatment for improving mechanical and physical properties, tensile strength, and reducing the ductility of sand castings. ...
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7 Interesting Facts About Turnkey Assembly
From: Advanced Assembly, LLC.Description: With a turnkey assembly service, the client simply submits the design files and the assembler handles the rest. ...
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Beast my Board!
From: Advanced Assembly, LLC.Description: 6 best design practices that are sure to speed up your next design. ...
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Breaking Out the BGAS
From: Advanced Assembly, LLC.Description: Break out or "fan out" is a process used for getting traces out from underneath the board when working with BGAs. There are a number of different methods for breaking out traces, so of which can ...
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eBook: Guide to Components
From: Advanced Assembly, LLC.Description: In this eBook, learn the importance of part selection, how to work with BGAs and small parts, and the pitfalls of component selection ...
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Amazon Astro. Not yet the robot anyone needs.
From: Critical Link, LLCDescription: I will not be applying for an Astro. I have better things to do with $1,000 $999.99. But I will say one thing. If I did get my hands on it, it would be a fun teardown to see what all cameras and ...
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Security issues throughout the IC manufacturing lifecycle
From: Critical Link, LLCDescription: Writing on EDN, Joshua Norem recently offered his thoughts on IC's vulnerability to security threats. ...
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eBook - Common Precision Machining Part Defects and the Remedies
Description: Preventing defects during machining helps ensure on-time delivery. Download "Common Precision Machining Part Defects and Their Remedies" to find out what can go wrong and how to prevent that ...
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Typical Sand Casting Lead Times
Description: Impro has provided an overview of key factors which may affect sand casting lead times in this blog so that customers can better project production time flows. ...
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Types of Grinding Machines
Description: Precision machining involves various machine tools to remove metal to achieve desired results. This blog discusses grinding machines used in the process. ...
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Introduction to Sand Casting Terminology
Description: Impro has provided in this blog post an overview of the key terms used in the sand casting process to assist in discussions of your needs for sand castings. ...
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Boring technology may be the energy answer the world is looking for
From: Critical Link, LLCDescription: Quaise Energy is using technology that produces fusion power to bore deep down into the earth to tap the vast store of geothermal energy that lies below. ...
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Electric chopsticks that reduce salt consumption? What'll they think of next?
From: Critical Link, LLCDescription: Overdoing it on salt can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. So researchers at Japan's Meiji University and Kirin, a major food and beverage company, have tackled this problem ...
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Water, water everywhere
From: Critical Link, LLCDescription: access to safe water isn't universal, and while estimates vary, there are likely well over a billion people who lack clean water. ...
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4 Considerations before Bending Stainless Steel Tubing
Description: Eagle Stainless Tubing & Fabrication utilizes the latest technology to create unparalleled, state-of-the-art solutions for our customers. You'll be amazed at what we can create together! Eagle ...
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Sand Casting Applications For The Automotive Market
Description: This blog details the beneficial characteristics and potential downsides of sand casting. You will learn when to use this process for automotive applications. ...
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Heat Treatment of Precision Machined Parts
Description: Heat treatment is a controlled process of heating and cooling precision machined parts to alter their physical properties. Read our blog to learn more... ...
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Types of Inconel for Investment Casting
Description: This blog post discusses the various types and compositions of Inconel and explains the benefits of making Inconel parts by the investment casting process. ...
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Common Sand Casting Defects and Their Remedies
Description: Want to know how to maximize yield from sand casting? Our eBook, "Common Sand Casting Defects and Their Remedies", explains what can go wrong and how to avoid producing defective parts. ...
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Traceability Practices for Precision Machining Parts Production
Description: In a CNC precision machining shop traceability can be implemented in many ways. This blog takes a closer look at the options and practices often used. ...
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Guitar Manufacturer Utilizes UV Curing for Coatings on Wood Parts
Description: Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, one of the world's leading electric guitar manufacturers, needed to decrease the cycle time on their guitar body undercoat line in their Corona, CA facility. ...
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Understanding FAI, PPAP, Pilot Run and Serial Production in Custom Component Manufacturing
Description: Custom component manufacturers use FAI, PPAPs and pilot run to verify the processes are robust and under control. This blog takes a closer look at each of them. ...
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Cutting Tools for Precision Machining
Description: Our new blog "Cutting Tools for Precision Machining" explains how these tools influence precision and discusses options for ensuring accuracy and repeatability. ...
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eBook - Hong Long does Sand Casting Take - Lead Times for Sand Castings
Description: Sand casting lead time is often an issue in procurement, production scheduling and project management. Our eBook, "Lead Times for Sand Castings", will help you decide how much lead time to include in ...
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JBC Adds Waterjet Cutting Services
From: JBC Technologies, Inc.Description: Waterjet, abrasive jet cutting, water jet; however, you know it, we now have it. Waterjet cutting means we can offer even more fast-turnaround prototyping and converting services. Our CNC-controlled ...
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Filling 'Er Up Gets the Faraday Treatment
From: Critical Link, LLCDescription: At one point or another during our driving lives, most of us have had the dreaded experience of noticing that we're pretty much running on empty, and we make it into the gas station on fumes. Gas ...
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Trends in Embedded Development: a Critical Link Perspective on a Mouser Perspective
From: Critical Link, LLCDescription: The other day, I was browsing Embedded.com and came across Trends in embedded development: a Mouser perspective by Mark Patrick, who's a UK-based technical marketing manager for Mouser, a major ...
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eBook - Superalloy Investment Casting- Process Capabilities and Limitations
Description: The superalloys needed for components going into high temperature and corrosive atmosphere environments are expensive and difficult to machine. This can put engineers off specifying them despite their ...
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Embedded Computing for High Performance: Architectures
From: Critical Link, LLCDescription: Spurred on by the explosion of interest in the Internet of Things, there's been an explosion of interest in embedded systems. Because of this, Embedded.com is running excerpts from Embedded Computing ...
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Embedded Computing for High Performance: Enhancements & Accelerators
From: Critical Link, LLCDescription: Embedded.com is running excerpts from Embedded Computing for High Performance, the highly informative (and, yes, educational) book by João Cardoso, José Gabriel Coutinho, and Pedro ...
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5 Steps to Better Problem Solving
From: Advanced Assembly, LLC.Description: Not all problems are created equal. Some problems are easy to solve, and some are impossible. Figure out which category your problems fall in, prioritize them, and tackle them in a logical order. ...
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Types of Sand Casting Equipment
Description: To achieve sand casting efficiency and flexibility, foundries rely on a variety of equipment from core making and molding to pouring and heat treatment. ...
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What Are the Differences Between Centerless and Cylindrical Grinding?
Description: The quality and cost of precision cylindrical parts depend on whether they go through centerless or cylindrical grinding. Our blog explains the differences. ...
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What's So Hard About Deep Hole Drilling?
Description: Our blog discusses the challenges of deep hole drilling and best practices that a machine shop must follow to be successful. ...
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How Cutting Fluids Impact Machining Processes
Description: Cutting fluids play a big part in dimensional accuracy, surface finish, and even the cost of a precision machining part. Learn more by reading our blog post. ...
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Typical Precision Machining Part Lead Times
Description: Lead times vary based on customer's specifications and requirements. This blog elaborates on factors that impact lead times of precision machining parts. ...
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Secure IP When Outsourcing: ITAR, ISO 27001 and ISO 9001
From: Empire GroupDescription: This blog explains three important credentials that help ensure manufacturing vendors will keep your IP secure. ...
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eBook - Investment Casting vs Permanent Mold Casting
Description: Permanent Mold Casting, also commonly referred to as PMC for short, offers little scrap, solid surface quality, excellent mechanical properties and more - making it ideal for specific types of ...
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Sand Casting Applications in Medical Devices
Description: Sand casting is a process well-suited to the medical industry. It produces strong, precise, smooth, intricate items quickly and affordably. ...
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What is Optical Design? And Why is Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) so Important?
From: Shanghai OpticsDescription: Optical design is the process of studying application requirements and designing optical systems to meet specific needs of optical instruments. The entire system may include optics, light source, ...
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Keeping Cool with the Embr Wave
From: Critical Link, LLCDescription: I'm always on the lookout for novel and interesting gadgets, so I was happy when a friend in Boston pointed the Wave from Embr Labs my way. ...
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See Spot Run!
From: Critical Link, LLCDescription: I'm a dog person. I was going to say that I'm also a robot person, but that would sound like I'm saying I'm a robot. So not true! But I have been interested in robotics for a long time, dating back to ...
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What You Missed if you missed CES 2022
From: Critical Link, LLCDescription: When you've been blogging as long as we have - and we're coming up on nine years now - you tend to develop a few traditions. One of ours is doing holiday tech toy shopping for kids and grownups. ...
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Applications of Investment Castings in New Energy Cars
Description: Investment casting is a process that uses a disposable wax mold to create a permanent ceramic mold which is used to shape an object. After the ceramic mold has hardened, it is heated, causing the wax ...
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The State of the Window & Window Shades Industry During a Pandemic
From: Vulcan Spring & Mfg. Co.Description: Picture this, you’re at your home office desk near a window. It’s early in the morning, a few minutes before your workday will begin. You hit a small switch on the wall allowing the blinds ...
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Traceability Practices for Casting Production
Description: Casting component production process ranges from tooling design and manufacturing to casting, secondary machining, heat treatment, surface treatment, testing, and assembly. These capabilities enable ...
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What's up? Upfeed Displays Are What's Up: The Next Generation of Retail Displays
From: Vulcan Spring & Mfg. Co.Description: Vulcan Spring is proud to showcase their variable force springs designed for vertical upfeed displays. Upfeeds are a fairly new concept in the Point-Of-Purchase display industry. Over the past several ...
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Qualification Method for Powder Injection Molded Components
Description: The PIM process produces net-shape or near netshape parts at a reduced manufacturing cost; however, significant process and product qualification is required to ensure that the final product is ...
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eBook - Avoiding Defects in Investment Casting
Description: Do you know how to avoid defects in investment casting? Defects in complex parts cast in high-value alloys can be costly and could lead to in-service failure. Our eBook, "Avoiding Defects in ...
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A Full Metal Doctor's Jacket
From: Critical Link, LLCDescription: Of the great pleasures of being part of the wonderful world of technology is seeing the many brilliant uses that people make of it. When I look at the types of applications our clients are working on, ...
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The Importance of Supply Chain Management
From: Critical Link, LLCDescription: We don't often do crime-related posts, but this story is an important one, and underscores how vital supply chain management is to us and our customers. ...
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Sand Casting vs. Centrifugal Casting
Description: Checking out the metal parts casting processes, there are several different types of techniques that may be used. Two particular ones are sand casting vs. centrifugal casting. Each process has its ...
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Sand Casting vs. Die Casting: What are the Differences?
Description: Sand casting and die casting are two manufacturing techniques widely used to make automotive parts. They are the enablers of innovation across the industry. But while sand casting and die casting ...
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Sand Casting vs. Shell Mold Casting
Description: Sand casting is an economical way to produce parts in a variety of metals. Shell mold casting can be an alternative process to consider given specific part design needs. This blog post introduces the ...
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Why 3D Product Models Are So Valuable for Product (and Business) Development
From: Empire GroupDescription: If prototypes help bridge the gap between product ideation and physical production, digital product models extend this bridge to business development scenarios where physical prototypes aren't ...
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Custom Die-Cut Components for EV Battery Thermal Management
From: JBC Technologies, Inc.Description: Help prevent thermal runaway in electric vehicle batteries with custom die-cut solutions from JBC. Learn how converted performance materials into lightweight heat management components for use ...
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A Semi-Autonomous Race Car? Yes, it pretty much exists!
From: Critical Link, LLCDescription: Anyone who knows me well knows that I'm a car guy and an electronics guy. So I've developed a keen interest in autonomous vehicles, and have posted on them a number of times over the past few years. I ...
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Looking for Breakthroughs in the Fight Against Neurodegenerative Disorders
From: Critical Link, LLCDescription: There was a recent article in the EE Times on some research funding that's been awarded to a team Belgian researchers who are developing "a new chip to study the mechanisms of Parkinson's disease." ...
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Tech Predictions for 2022
From: Critical Link, LLCDescription: As a new year begins, I'm always interested in seeing what the prognosticators are prognosticating will happen over the next twelve months. So I was more than happy to wander around seeing what ...
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7 Cost-Saving Steps for Your Next Design
From: Advanced Assembly, LLC.Description: Accurately assembling PCBs is not an easy task; it takes experience, technology, and, above all, dedicated people to ensure your projects are done right. ...
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Autonomous Vehicles: Myths according to Philip Koopman
From: Critical Link, LLCDescription: EE Times recently had a provocative article by Carnegie Mellon associate professor Philip Koopman, whose specialty is AV safety. While Koopman definitely sees the potential benefits of AVs, he argues ...
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Because Grownups Like Tech Toys, too!
From: Critical Link, LLCDescription: In order to stop my head from spinning, I decided to focus on the roundup in USA Today, which took a look at Amazon's hottest tech gifts. ...
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Critical Considerations for Embedded Vision Design
From: Critical Link, LLCDescription: Embedded Vision is a hot topic in many industrial spaces. The integration of data processing on board a camera without the need for a back-end PC, server, or other costly system has system developers ...
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Design Guidelines for Effective Automated PCB Assembly.
From: Advanced Assembly, LLC.Description: The design stage of a product's life cycle is arguably one of the most crucial decision-making periods, as 70 to 80 percent of the overall manufacturing cost can be projected at this stage. Engineers ...
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Laminates Lay the Foundation
From: Advanced Assembly, LLC.Description: Laminates form the foundation of printed circuit boards. Even the best designed boards can be ruined by the wrong laminate. In this article, learn the different variables to consider when selecting ...
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Optimizing Industrial Embedded Imaging Development
From: Critical Link, LLCDescription: Machine vision systems have traditionally consisted of stand-alone cameras tethered to PC-based boards or frame grabbers using highspeed interfaces such as Camera Link, CoaXPress and Gigabit Ethernet. ...
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PCB Finishes
From: Advanced Assembly, LLC.Description: To the untrained eye, there is not much variation in how different finishes look or perform on a circuit board, but, with time and experience, subtle and not-so-subtle differences emerge. ...
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PCB Reliability: Via Design
From: Advanced Assembly, LLC.Description: When considering the long term reliability of a PCB, you must take into account the vias that you have on your board. While an invaluable and essential part of board design, vias introduce weaknesses ...
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Tech Toys for the Tech Kids on Your Holiday Shopping List
From: Critical Link, LLCDescription: Even though my kids are grown, and there are as yet no little tech grandkids running around, as the holiday season approaches each year, the kid in me still likes to take a look at what's hot when it ...
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The Top Emerging Technologies of the Past Decade - Part One
From: Critical Link, LLCDescription: It's that time of year when many of us take a look back on what's happened in our lives, in society, and - in my case - in technology during the past twelve months. I was taking just such a look when ...
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Metal Injection Molding Showdown
Description: Defining or determining the most efficient processing methodology for precision metal components, within the 5-300-gram mass weight range, requires a thorough examination of the most prevalent and ...
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Metal Molding - It's Not Just a Theory
Description: Increasingly, the medical device industry is turning to metal injection molding to manufacture small complex components. The past 18 months have revealed just how important the technology has become. ...
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Printalloy® 3-D Metal Powder Printing - Initial Capabilities
Description: APP has developed a 3-D metal powder printing technology and is able to produce low cost metal components that meet the metallurgical properties of MPIF Standard 35 for metal injection molding. We can ...
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Types of Sand in the Sand Casting Process
Description: Sand casting has remained relatively unchanged for centuries, but it's still popular today. Green sand and dry sand are two basic types of modern process sand. ...
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Sand Casting Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI) - Process Capabilities and Limitations
Description: Compacted graphite iron (CGI), also known overseas as vermicular graphite iron, is a metal commonly used when cast iron is too heavy and not strong enough. CGI is approximately 75 percent stronger and ...
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Sand Casting Ductile Iron - Process Capabilities and Limitations
Description: Carbon steel is not easy to sand cast due to its high melting point. Ductile cast iron is an alternative. Its lower melting point provides a way of achieving similar metallurgical properties to those ...
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Sand Casting vs Forging
Description: Both sand casting and forging are techniques used to create engineered metal parts. However, the similarity pretty much ends there. The two methods are very different. The method that's best for you ...
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Sand Casting with Cores and Core Technologies
Description: Sand casting is a cost-effective manufacturing option for customers who seek parts using a wide variety of metals. This versatility allows customers to obtain simple and complex parts in a range of ...
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Designing with Metal Injection Molding in Mind
Description: Medical device manufacturers are constantly looking for ways to innovate to provide life-saving solutions to compete in a global marketplace. As pressures constantly drive the need for innovation, the ...
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The Five Pillars of a Great Automotive MIM Part Supplier
Description: The automotive supply chain is as broad as it is demanding, especially for tier two and tier three component providers. The constituents that go into truck and automobile construction range from ...
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Sand Casting Advantages and Disadvantages, Why Sand Casting is Preferred
Description: What is the sand casting? What are sand casting advantages and disadvantages? ...
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Sand Casting Applications: Common Use for This Process
Description: Sand casting versatility in material selection and size limit brings great benefits to design engineers, making it a common technique to create quality parts with desired functions and features. ...
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What is Automotive Precision Machining Technology and Why Is It So Important?
Description: Automotive precision machining technology is a way of using computers and automation to make auto parts. The major benefit is it can be precisely designed on a computer ...
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6 Ways to Accelerate New Product Development
From: Empire GroupDescription: Accelerating your product development process can drive faster time to market, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Faster product development means more time to iterate, more refined products, and ...
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Beam Splitter Coatings
From: Abrisa TechnologiesDescription: The technical notes describes what a beam splitter is and what beam splitter coatings are and how they work along with how they are applied ...
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The Synergistic Benefits of Accelerated Product Development
From: Empire GroupDescription: Accelerating your product development process can drive faster time to market, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Faster product development means more time to iterate, more refined products, and ...
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What is the Vacuum Investment Casting Process?
Description: Vacuum investment casting yields high-quality parts with fine details and surface finish. It is suited for high-value metals like superalloys and titanium. ...
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eBook- Why Use Investment Casting
Description: This eBook explains how investment casting compares to other forming methods, discusses aspects of product or part design that make for good applications. ...
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4 Key Factors To Know About Quick-Turn PCB Prototypes
From: Advanced Assembly, LLC.Description: Quick-turn PCB prototypes are a timely solution for companies who require PCB models before the final manufacturing process. With the ability to produce a prototype within a specific timeframe, this ...
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4 Reasons to Outsource Your PCB Assembly
From: Advanced Assembly, LLC.Description: For established companies and up-and-coming entrepreneurs alike, outsourcing your PCB assembly is always a good idea. From navigating the complexities of circuit board manufacturing to keeping up with ...
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5 Mistakes You Need To Avoid When Placing Your PCB Order
From: Advanced Assembly, LLC.Description: Placing a PCB order is an important task that needs to be done with thought and care. If not handled correctly, significant consequences may follow, including improperly functioning products, ...
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Chip Design via AI
From: Critical Link, LLCDescription: Google is always up to something interesting, and one of the interesting things they've been up to is using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to automate the chip design process. ...
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Organs-on-a-Chip
From: Critical Link, LLCDescription: A spinout of Harvard's Wyss Institute, Emulate develops clear plastic chips that can simulate human organs. They're used to test out drugs without having to use animal guinea pigs. ...
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Types of Quality Assurance Methods
Description: Impro offers a variety of quality assurance services making sure that our manufactured parts and products meet or exceed customers' expectations. ...
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What is Precision Machining Technology?
Description: Precision machining process is using cutting, turning, milling, grinding, sawing, and boring tools to remove specific amounts of materials from a base material piece. ...