Knowledge & Community For Engineers & Product Designers

Hello everyone, I want to make a disk of 203 mm in diameter, 25 mm in height with a concave curvature of 3.22 mm.Will this precision be respected knowing that I am not a professional but an individual?

hello, I’m designing a part with an FDM 3D printed hole to hold a 6mm wooden dowel, but I’m unsure about the actual fit due to print tolerances and material shrinkage. The hole is modeled at 6mm in CAD, but I know FDM printers often produce slightly smaller or irregular holes depending on factors like layer adhesion and filament type. For those who have tested similar setups, should I oversize the hole slightly to ensure a proper fit? If so, what diameter would you recommend to achieve either a snug slip fit or a light press fit without excessive post-processing?

hello, I’m designing a part with an FDM 3D printed hole to hold a 6mm wooden dowel, but I’m unsure about the actual fit due to print tolerances and material shrinkage. The hole is modeled at 6mm in CAD, but I know FDM printers often produce slightly smaller or irregular holes depending on factors like layer adhesion and filament type. For those who have tested similar setups, should I oversize the hole slightly to ensure a proper fit? If so, what diameter would you recommend to achieve either a snug slip fit or a light press fit without excessive post-processing?

We need to create a stainless steel structure for outdoor use in a coastal environment, and corrosion is our primary concern. We’re considering coated fasteners but need to understand whether thicker coatings provide adequate protection, and if there are thresholds where the benefits plateau. Does increased coating thickness affect thread engagement or installation torque, potentially impacting performance?

Hi!  I’m preparing to send a CAD file to my manufacturer for a CNC-machined aluminum enclosure. Would it be better to use a STEP or IGES file to send to the manufacturer? The design has some tricky features like internal ribs and threaded holes, so I want to make sure everything comes through accurately. I’m leaning towards STEP, but I’d love to hear what others prefer and why.

hello, my project requires the production of small metal tiles (approx. 50 mm x 50 mm) for decorative and functional purposes. The tiles need to have sharp, well-defined edges, a smooth surface finish, and consistent thickness, as they will be used in a visible architectural application. The material is stainless steel, and the production volume is around 5,000 units.Would laser cutting followed by surface finishing (e.g., polishing or brushing) be the most efficient and cost-effective approach for this, or are there alternative manufacturing processes you’d recommend for this scale and quality requirement?