Large-format digital printing offers a wide range of products for a wide range of industries, from image advertising to durable signage and decorative production. With the growing demand for high-quality prints, choosing the right file format is becoming a key element in the production of advertising graphics. In this context, vector-based PDF files are considered…

Product development today happens mostly on screens. Long before anything is printed, machined, or assembled, decisions are already being made often based on a single 3D file. That file carries more weight than we sometimes realize. A 3D model is not just there to illustrate an idea. It influences how teams judge proportions, spot problems,…

Market research services face a crucial decision between qualitative and quantitative approaches. Both methods have strengths and weaknesses, and many companies integrate them seamlessly.  This blog post explores when to use each approach and how a more comprehensive data solution can be provided by combining quantitative and qualitative techniques. What is Quantitative Market Research Quantitative…

Selecting CNC equipment isn’t a process you should rush. There are so many variables involved, so to make the right choice, you’ve got to consider them all carefully. To help you do this, we’ve created a straightforward guide that goes over the main things you need to know about when buying a CNC mill, particularly…

These days, many individuals suffer from worry and stress. Almost everyone’s life is changing in some manner due to the COVID19 pandemic, which has generated both a health and financial catastrophe. This has added to the world’s worry, leaving many people feeling helpless. If your anxiety or stress symptoms are so severe that they interfere…

There are lots of people who have a fabulous idea for an invention, but more often than not, most give up and forget about their great idea after a while. When you consider the many wonderful inventions that have changed our world and our lives over the years, you can only imagine the types of…

While designing test fixtures for medical devices over at teampipeline.us, I’ve gained valuable industry knowledge and real-world experience that I’d like to share to help accelerate your learning curve.  In today’s golden tip, I’ll explain how 3D printed supports can actually affect functionality. This took me by surprise because generally the two tips shared when…

Your radio with its little knobs and its local area frequency range is so first-half of 2020. You need a radio that captures all the hopes and dreams of THE FUTURE… and over 2000 radio stations from AROUND THE ENTIRE WORLD. In what we would list at the top of ‘projects of the year’, Jude…

Right now, an NYT article on the #vanlife business boom is trending on LinkedIn. It looks like a lot of professionals are dumping cash into glamping vans with so many of us barred from offices during these lockdown times. You’re geographically free! Might as well travel the country and live in a van, right? Hold…

Have you got an old laptop laying around that still boasts decent performance specs but is too banged up to take on the road? Are you looking for your next DIY electronics project? Well, Youtuber Matt of DIY Perks may have just the project for you! We’re talking an All-in-One PC conversion. Yep, a makeover…

Have skills and itching to make a difference with the shortages in coronavirus-related supplies? There are lots of individuals, companies, and communities organizing and many other open-source personal protection equipment (PPE) designs available. Investigate the list below to find a way to put your vital CAD-modeling, 3D-printing, nunchuck skills, and other talents to use! There’s…

We’ve said it time and time again, but the Raspberry Pi is just so dang cool and we believe all designers and engineers should have one in their toolkit—if not on their desktop. While there is a bit of a slight learning curve, it’s nothing that today’s designers and engineers can’t handle on a leisurely…

We stopped by Gowanus Audio in Brooklyn, NY to get a step-by-step rundown of their DIY Bluetooth speaker class. Founder, Pete Raho, generously shared details and tips in the video below so you can make it yourself! Watch the Video For Explanation on All the Things: 3 Options for How You Can Build This: Go…

Even if you’re not some hotshot designer or engineer, being your family and friends’ resident Mr. Fixit can be just as good of a title. But now it’s time to take it up a notch and get your workshop organized. Here are 10 storage tips on how to turn your garage into a streamlined workshop…

EWhile it’s important to make your design projects look good, this goes double for the tools you use to peddle your craft. How else are clients going to know you make well-made products if the sketchbook you’re using has a Hello Kitty cover on it? Taking a break from working on commissioned projects, Eric Strebel…

Epic Games’ Fortnite is a popular third-person shooter-survival game that pits up to four players who work together to fight off zombie-like creatures and defend objects by building fortifications. Players can choose a myriad of guns to do battle with, including an excellent double-barrel shotgun that can dispatch enemies rather quickly. Being a favorite of…

We’ve seen his tips on how to make the ultimate dust mask and resin casting boxes, but for his newest video, designer Eric Strebel is going way back to where he starts all his ideas: his sketchbook. As any designer worth his salt knows, sketching preliminary ideas before executing them in CAD or on the…

Glassblowing is a fascinating artform. For those of us in the product development world it’s akin to blow-molding. Yet, the process of blowing glass holds more intrigue and an element of danger. Also as a medium, it more eloquently showcases the human touch. Instead of yielding myriads of homogeneous end products, hand-blown glass enables artisans…

We’ve said it time and time again, but the Raspberry Pi is just so dang cool and we believe all designers and engineers should have one in their toolkit—if not on their desktop. While there is a bit of a slight learning curve, it’s nothing that today’s designers and engineers can’t handle on a leisurely…

It easy for makers, creators, and builders to shut themselves up in their workshop hours on end to get their design just right. Working in solitude can help get the job done, but sometimes you want to get feedback from others. Whether you’re looking for feedback, advice, or inspiration, sometimes you need to get someone…

I was having a tough time finding my white car occasionally. I wanted to remedy that situation by having an antenna that was unique and stood out in a crowd. I settled on a Glow option as it would be a lighter color than other vehicles and “of course” glows in the dark! MATERIALS How…

I needed to build a very quiet, high-capacity compressor for making ID models and prototypes in my shop. The one I have is quite loud and doesn’t have the capacity I was comfortable with for urethane casting work. I sourced a 6-gallon air tank on eBay for $35, including shipping, from a fellow in Indiana.…

In Part I we went through the steps of creating a silicone mold. Now we are ready to cast the actual part. Are your ready for this?

When you work with an Industrial Designer (or as one) and you’re developing a physical product you want to bring to market, at some point you will probably have to make a functional model or a working prototype. There are many levels of possible mock-ups. Usually, in the later design phases or pre-production stages, you…

I build a lot of mock-ups and prototypes of various consumer products that I design for my clients. I cast a lot of parts in silicone molds, but I don’t cast a lot of silicone parts, much less gaskets. So, this project will take an existing process and combine it with 3D printing in a new way to make…

Jupiter Ascending by the Wachowski siblings opened this weekend. After seeing the original trailer, I was struck by the hovering, glowing cool factor of the boots for “Caine” (played by Channing Tatum). Hmmm, LEDs on the bottom of the sole. And there lying in the corner of my shop, an old pair of my boots. It…

One day while I was working in my shop I simply thought, “what if I packed an LED Throwie into a paintball?” LED Throwies (LT) have always fascinated me. Little complete systems with high-visibility and interactivity; just a little light with a big impact, visually, even artistically. LTs are typically thrown at ferrous metal walls or…