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Share your experiences, thoughts and seek advice in manufacturing. Create your own topics for discussion, ask questions, and participate in conversations.

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Choosing material for high-temp, high-pressure reheater tubes
Hi everyone! I’m working on reheater tubes for an ultra-supercritical boiler operating around 700 °C and 28 MPa. I’m evaluating Inconel 617, 740H, Alloy 263, and Super 304H for their high-temp creep strength, oxidation resistance, and... read more
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Sep 03
Slim linear guide for precise lab automation stage
I’m designing a compact linear stage for a lab automation setup, used to move a microplate (about 300 grams) precisely along a 150 mm travel. The system needs to achieve repeatability under ±0.05 mm... read more
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Sep 02
Advice on plastic insert gripping an inner rotating tube
Hello, I'm designing a plastic coupling sleeve to mount an aluminum shaft (20 mm OD) from the inside. The sleeve needs to grip the shaft firmly enough to transmit rotational torque from a small... read more
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215
Aug 21
O-ring seal design for removable marine sensor housing
Hi! My project is a small-scale marine sensor housing; it needs to stay functional when briefly submerged (around 0.5 m depth) or exposed to heavy splashes on a boat deck. I’m using a machined... read more
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626
Aug 22
Issues with polyurethane bonded rollers under load
Hi! Currently working on a small batch of U-groove guide rollers for a linear transfer system, and I'm using a soft polyurethane tread (around 85A Shore) bonded to aluminum hubs. The supplier estimates each... read more
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216
Aug 19
Best fixture setup for milling and drilling mid-size batches of aluminum brackets?
Hi, I've got a batch of aluminum brackets that need to be drilled and milled on all sides with high repeatability. Has anyone designed a modular fixture system for parts like this to reduce... read more
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274
Aug 22
Compact two-axis rotation without U-joints?
Hi all! I’m building a compact gimbal for a sensor head that needs to rotate around two perpendicular axes (pan and tilt). I’m trying to stay away from standard U-joints — they take up... read more
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1.5k
Aug 14
Vacuum casting for snap-fits
I’m planning to use vacuum casting to produce about 50 housing units with integrated snap-fit features for an electronics prototype. The parts need to survive multiple assembly/disassembly cycles during testing. I’ve seen mixed opinions... read more
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334
Aug 11
SLA wall thickness issue for microfluidic channels
Hi, I created a 3D design for a small microfluidic part using SLA (Clear Resin) with internal channels ~0.4 mm wide and wall thickness around 0.5 mm. The function relies on optical inspection through... read more
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295
Jul 29
Embossed vs. engraved text for outdoor molded parts
Hi there, I need to add a part number and recycling symbol on the surface of molded parts in PP GF20 for outdoor use. I initially planned to use engraved text for aesthetic reasons,... read more
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Aug 08