Knowledge & Community For Engineers & Product Designers

Hey. I’m working on an insecticide sprayer, using a living hinge battery compartment. I’d like thoughts on design and durability issues. I know material selection is a big deal – it needs to be tough, flexible and durable. What about Polypropylene? It’s supposed to have a good fatigue resistance and it’s not expensive.

Hi, I’m working on a project that involves very delicate, thin-walled MJF 3D-printed parts, and I’m considering vapor smoothing to improve surface finish and aesthetic quality. My main concern is whether the process could cause warping or damage to such thin structures. Does anyone have experience with vapor smoothing on parts with extremely fine geometries, and are there any specific precautions or alternatives I should consider?

Hey everyone, I am trying to decide which of my parts should be machined and which 3D printed. I am leaning towards 3D printing primarily because it will be cheaper. But there is one specific part, the piston, that I would prefer to have machined and there are other parts where either method would suffice. I am mostly concerned that the forces involved could break the parts, so I don’t know if 3D-printed parts will be strong enough or if I will be forced to machine all the load-bearing parts.

Hello, I’m designing snap-fit features for a small electronics housing made from PA12 (Nylon) and need to ensure the material provides the right balance of flexibility and durability. The snap-fit will be used for securing and accessing internal components, so it needs to handle multiple assemblies and disassemblies without wearing out or breaking. Does anyone have experience with PA12 in such applications, or can recommend a Shore hardness range that would work best for this type of snap-fit design?

Hello everyone, I’m working on optimizing the weight/strength relationship for a bracket component in an aileron actuator. I’m using generative design tools in Autodesk Fusion 360. Can anyone guide me in setting up generative design studies?