Knowledge & Community For Engineers & Product Designers

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?

Hi, I have a project making use of aluminum A380 as the base material. I want to coat some of the parts with either type II or III clear anodizing and other parts with a chem finish. My questions are as follows; if I anodize the part, will the coating be visible? Secondly, if I go with a chem finish will this affect how well an adhesive can stick to the part? I am specifically looking at 3M’s DP125 or PU 8609 adhesives.