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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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Thermal expansion modelling for a braced rectangular steel tank
hi, for a welded steel coolant reservoir for a test stand - 4 m × 2 m × 1.5 m with internal bracing I need to account for thermal expansion. Fluid runs at 80–90... read more
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Dec 22
Designing holes for M3 threaded inserts in an ABS enclosure
Hi! In my design for a small ABS enclosure for an onboard sensor module I want to switch from molded bosses to heat-set M3 inserts for the lid screws. Before I finalize CAD, what... read more
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185
Dec 23
X-ring performance on a curved face seal in a poppet valve
I’m reverse-engineering a small hydraulic shutoff valve used in an industrial test stand, and I’m trying to understand whether the face-sealing setup for the poppet is causing a recurring internal leak. The poppet uses... read more
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200
Dec 22
Laser Cutting/Die Cutting for PP Parts
Hello, I have a small PP part with a thickness of 1.2mm. My initial idea was to manufacture these parts using laser cutting or die cutting, but I haven't seen these manufacturing methods among... read more
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237
Dec 11
Shrink-fitting a thin stainless sleeve into a thick steel housing
Hi! I’m working on a shrink-fit joint where a thin-walled 304 stainless sleeve is installed into a bored pocket in a much larger 4140 steel housing. The sleeve carries only light axial loads, but... read more
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155
Dec 29
Choosing the right tool steel grade for a high-volume stamping die
hi, I’m designing a cold-formed stamping die for thin stainless-steel sheets (gauge ~1.5 mm) used in an enclosure that will see around 500 k cycles. Given that abrasion resistance and dimensional stability over long... read more
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187
Dec 17
Airtight joint between two aluminum frame enclosures?
Hi, I have two 400 mm cubical enclosures from 20×20 mm aluminum profiles with glass on all sides except one. I need to connect them into a single temperature-controlled unit and keep the joint... read more
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283
Dec 29
Blasting and anodizing order on aluminum parts
Hello! need help - am working on a set of 6061-T6 aluminum control knobs for a small instrument panel, and the surface finish is important since they’ll be handled frequently and remain visible. The... read more
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300
Dec 09
Gasket material for short-term hydrotest on carbon steel piping
Looking for advice on selecting a gasket material for temporary spool joints during a hydrotest on carbon steel piping in a refinery. The test medium will be demineralized water (low conductivity, no additives), and... read more
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247
Dec 08
Acrylic or pc for outdoor enclosures
hi! For transparent cover for an outdoor sensor needs to stay clear, handle some impacts, and resist sunlight - would you go with acrylic or polycarbonate? Acrylic has better UV and scratch resistance, but... read more
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563
Nov 26