Plastic Injection Molding is the process of using high pressure to push molten plastic into a mold. The main purpose is to create useful products when cooled and solidified in shape set in the mold. An injection screw is widely used in this process because of its versatility in creating different shapes and sizes during…
Welcome to our series ‘Shop Talk’, where Dan Slaski interviews people in the thick of product development business, who make the magic happen and turn their ideas into reality. Have an interview suggestion? Send it in. Xometry is an online mega manufacturing marketplace ready to take whatever 3D models you can throw at them. Xometry isn’t…
One reason we like to feature the process behind the design is how it breaks down what may otherwise seem complicated. For maker Jimmy Diresta, the process is an artform in itself. His videos are a soothing, manufacturing-noise-only, time-lapse of a project from beginning to end. It’s no less the case in his build of…
Recently I’ve seen moves by several 3D printer manufacturers to position their equipment for use in specific industries, and this is a strong trend. Let me explain my thinking here: years ago, when the initial 3D printing patents expired, a large number of 3D printing startups appeared. Most tended to offer very basic equipment with…
After reading yet another mainstream publication talk about “3D printed human organs” I thought it wise to share my thoughts about the five most frequently heard myths of 3D printing. These myths have been around since I started in this business over 12 years ago, and for some unexplainable reason, they have not gone away.…
As if Xometry’s Instant Quote Engine and integrated instant quoting add-in for SOLIDWORKS weren’t enough, the rascals buckin’ the manufacturing trends at Xometry have introduced a finishing service to completely centralize your design-to-manufacturing needs. How does this help you? Ok, so you have a design, and parts in that design, that needs to be manufactured.…
On the 3rd installment of “How to Network with HW enginerds in Europe,” we fly to Kiev, Ukraine! (AKA Kyiv, Ukraine.) I only had two days in this city but managed to tour three facilities and pack in four meetings, proving Ukrainians are awesome. In this short visit, I learned a lot of interesting facts…
In San Francisco, Hardware Massive put together their first “HW Summit SF” on November 7, 2018. This organization was also behind April 2018’s HardwareCon which we covered here. Apologies for not getting this coverage out sooner (some HW engineering stuff got in my way), but the insights shared here are still relevant — especially if…
Last week millions were left in the wake of the fourth-strongest hurricane to make landfall. Towns were flooded, homes were lost, and businesses were destroyed. There’s a lot of clean up ahead and the affects are so vast it’s hard to know where to start. We can start though, and do it a little at…
You read it correctly; exoskeletons aren’t just fantasy anymore—they’re officially now a tool in the workforce. But unlike the mechanical aids you see in movies or television, these suits don’t enhance the wearer’s strength twofold but rather increase their endurance to help a person reach overhead. The suit in question is called the EksoVest. Created…
Since its founding in 1995, Lockheed Martin has made a myriad of contributions to the aerospace industry with groundbreaking new technologies. With the introduction of 3D printers and the onset of additive manufacturing, Lockheed has leveraged these tools to create everything from missile components to spacecraft parts. The aerospace company can now add giant 3D…
Your product design is ready, your prototype works and you want to hit the store shelves as soon as possible. But how? Manufacturing looks easy on “How it’s made”, whether it’s a Ferrari FF or Jawbreakers, everything sold to consumers has been manufactured to some degree. While things run smoothly in established factories across the…
On March 9th, 2018, mHUB in Chicago celebrated surviving its first year and it’s showing a strong start to its 2nd. A product of Chicago’s rich manufacturing history, mHUB refers to itself as a “manufacturing and physical product innovation center”. It provides incubator-type resources, fabulous and expensive prototyping equipment & software, and coworking spaces. Their 1st…
If you’re involved in the engineering of products manufactured globally, chances are you’ve been personally affected by SNAFU’s on an epic scale. Despite your best efforts, you probably had to sacrifice some weekends, or late nights, or quality time with your kiddos, or at the very least, your blood pressure. Hey, it happens to the…
Unlike science fiction movies, where “A.I.” is commonly associated with usurping humanoid robots, real-life artificial intelligence looks far less creepy and is a lot more specialized. They still do our bidding, but without the constant worry that one day they will wake up wondering why they’re doing manual labor without pay. Getting the jump on…
Always one for ingenuity, Eric Strebel puts his industrial design expertise to good use even with the simplest of tasks. This time, he’s been commissioned to produce 120 cast parts from a single solid master part. Seeing how costly it is to make solid parts, Strebel decides to take matters into his own hands and…
Pencils haven’t changed much over the last century, at least not for the General Pencil Company, one of the last pencil manufacturing companies in the US. While they do use conveyors and other machine shop tools, the pencils crafted there are still made by hand and have been done this way since the company opened…
From custom hand-milled creations to 12-sided behemoths designed for roleplaying games, it’s impressive how far dice have come since they were first discovered in archeological digs and were estimated to be between 2800 to 2500BC. CoDi dice are a standard six-sided die CNC machined out of steel or brass (depending on preference) and come with…
Back in the summer of 2016, MillRight CNC burst onto the scene with their surprisingly affordable M3 desktop CNC machine ($299 for the kit)–a barebones setup which featured an MDF frame, NEMA 17 stepper motors, a modest 10.25″ x 10.25″ (260mm x 260mm) work area and powered by an Arduino Uno control board. Consequently, the company…
Featuring the world’s first back-illuminated 35 millimeter full-frame CMOS image sensor, Sony’s α7R II mirrorless camera holds a pretty significant torch next to some of the older players in the camera game. And at $2,900 for just the camera body, it’s priced that way, too. But before the α7R II ever captures an image, it…
In the wide world of manufacturing—from seamless iPhone assemblies to precision watch parts—who would have thought that the manufacturing of ping pong balls would be so dang fascinating to watch? Yes—the little plastic balls, which can often be found in packs of six at your local convenience store for less than $5, have a considerably…
Welcome to our new ‘Ask An Engineer’ series, where Dan Slaski addresses questions that have you losing sleep or staring off into space during important meetings. Have a question for Dan? Send it in. Question: I’m thinking about using an online machine shop. Am I betraying my local machine shop? Dear Loyal Luddite, Respect. In an…
It looks like Bridgestone is flexing its biceps at Nexo by creating airless bicycle tires that won’t go flat, even when punctured. Unlike conventional tires with an inner tube filled with air to maintain rigidity, Bridgestone’s “Air-Free Concept” wheels feature thermoplastic resin spokes to maintain shape and support the weight. The tires are stretched around the inner…
“You know the thrill of walking down a back alley in hopes you might find something amazing? I fucking live for that.” This is how US traveler Scott Allen opens up the About page on his website devoted entirely to hardware hacking and documenting his strange-but-true stories straight out of the world of technology and…
No matter how you crease, fold, cut, or throw them, paper airplanes are a ridiculously fun way to learn the basics of aerodynamics at any age. For Sao-Paola based designer Arthur Sacek, they were also the inspiration behind his latest LEGO build: an automated paper airplane manufacturing contraption that can take a single sheet of…
The oceans of the world are vast, covering approximately 72% of the planet’s surface. Many people across the ages have travelled the seven seas in search of new worlds! The more bold at heart have sought to explore beneath the surface uncovering the mysteries of the deep. Tales abound of encounters with strange and enormous creatures,…
Who doesn’t love a great video of giant metal parts being manufactured? Suffice it to say, we’re suckers for them around here at SolidSmack. Thankfully, the equally-obsessed fellas over at Extreme Machines Magazine have got our back—and a treasure trove of manufacturing vids, to boot. For their latest hypnotic masterpiece, the fellas took us inside…
As you might have guessed, manufacturing chain link fences involves a similar process to that of knitting a sweater—assuming that the machine is a mad giant with a flock of steel wool—bearing sheep. Typically made from galvanized or LLDPE-coated steel wire, chain link fences feature a distinctive zig-zag pattern that isn’t just there for looks;…
Draft angles are fundamental to part design. If you want to make physical things, you gotsta’ master draft. In his inaugural post, the great Vince “Skill Coach” Haley shows you how. There’s nothing like the musty aroma of carefully crafted paper mache popping free of its surrogate mold. And to my daughter’s delight, that’s exactly…
From sketch to assembly, the life of a bolt may not seem all that exciting compared to a cutting-edge smartphone design, but throw in some decent storytelling and somehow you’ll find yourself emotionally attached to that bolt. At least, a humble front suspension bolt by the name of RB12-FS-00663-02. Recently, the Red Bull Racing (Formula…
Originally made from leather and stuffed with wool, today’s tennis balls are manufactured from raw rubber to have an optimal bounce height that can make or break a play for professional players. But how do the iconic yellow balls get that bounce in the first place? Commissioned by leading tennis ball manufacturer Wilson to document…
Although digital LED destination signs have become increasingly more common on public transportation vehicles since the technology has become more affordable to implement, they surprisingly aren’t the most favored method of signage on modern rail cars and buses on their way to pick up eagerly awaiting passengers. Alternatively, backlit roller bus blinds offer significantly cleaner…
At just 54 inches long and just 41 inches wide, the Peel P50 has held the Guinness Book of World Records’ title of world’s smallest production car for over 50 years. Originally manufactured from 1962 to 1965 by the Peel Engineering Company on the Isle of Man, the three-wheeled urban micro cars – which were…
As far as factory tours go, the LEGO Inside Tour at the LEGO production facility in Billund, Denmark exists in a league of its own. Assuming that you can grab a spot on one of the four scheduled LEGO Inside Tour weekend dates that take place in May and June of each year, the price…
Back in April, the LEGO design team unveiled their latest 2,704–piece LEGO Technic model in the form of a life-like” replica of the iconic Porsche 911 GT3 RS with a build sequence modeled after the real-life vehicle’s assembly process. To keep the LEGO build process as close as possible to the same real-world assembly process…
If you’re thinking of launching a startup (or are already amidst the craziness), Indiegogo and Arrow can help. The companies recently announced a partnership that will give entrepreneurs access to discounted components and manufacturing services through a joint site made just for Indiegogo crowdfunders.
As anybody who has seen or personally created spin art knows, the power of centrifugal forces can lead to some pretty impressive results. But how might you apply the same psychedelic effect to physical goods? For industrial designer Maor Aharon, this question became the basis for his recent experiment “Matter of Motion” – a project…
As conventional casting methods have taught us, the best way for reliably manufacturing multiples of any object is to start with an accurate and sturdy mold. For their recent Fabric Forms explorative material study, however, architects Joseph Sarafian and Ron Culver wanted to do something that was anything but conventional. Working with the Grasshopper plug-in…
During the late 1920s – just before The Great Depression – those who were fortunate enough to own an automobile preferred the bright highlight of a whitewall tire to contrast against the increasingly gloomy and dark surroundings. Ironically, because blackwall tires required less effort to maintain after curb scuffs due to a greater amount of…
With the upcoming release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens on December 18th, it’s safe to say that we’re gearing up for Star Wars marketing overload – and if you’ve ever had plans to launch a Star Wars-related Kickstarter project, now would be a great time to do it. Among other Star Wars-related items that…
Although it’s never been easier for craftsman-entrepreneurs to establish their own companies thanks to everything from streamlined payment systems to website building services, finding international success selling firewood for $1000 per bundle surely isn’t a very common success story. Yet for Canadian entrepreneur Jesse Horn, the opportunity to establish his own niche within the North…
Although Etsy is a hotbed for craft disasters ranging from recycled coffee creamer bird feeders to portrait paintings of Dr. Phil, the online craft marketplace currently holds a valuation of $3.5 billion – thanks to an IPO that the company successfully completed six months ago. Up until now, the company has been fairly strict about…
Since being founded in the spring of 1906 by Charles Stewart Rolls and Sir Frederick Henry Royce, British car manufacturer Rolls-Royce Limited has always been known for superior handmade quality and superior engineering that has led to multiple land and air speed records. Even as more automakers continue to turn to automating their assembly lines…
When it comes to bicycle frame design, the decision to use a light-colored wood such as white ash isn’t always a feasible design decision – but who the heck needs feasible when you can ride around town on a bike that looks like Keim’s Arvak? Since unveiling their Arvak frame design in April of 2014,…
Although the Lego brand hasn’t yet found a solution for the inevitable rogue Lego brick that somehow always ends up being stepped on with a bare foot, the company has been actively looking into ways of making their seemingly perfect toy bricks a better product. Among other ways they can make Lego bricks better? Make…
When it comes to working with sustainable materials, bamboo is among the most widely-used for good reason: although it is technically a grass, it is the fastest-growing woody plant on Earth. Additionally, the plant’s complex underground system of roots and rhizomes remain intact and a specimen is able to quickly regenerate itself at the rate…
Does anyone not like LEGOs? After watching the trailer for the upcoming documentary on the iconic toy, it would appear that you’d be hard-pressed to find somebody who doesn’t. The documentary, which is simply titled A LEGO Brickumentary, is the first of its kind in that it tracks literally everything LEGO – ranging from the…
Thanks to the internet’s interest in never-ending, looping cat fails and Russian parkour accidents, the GIF file format has surged in popularity over the past few years – however, when put into context for a sales or marketing tool, the GIF can be a powerful communicative medium for explaining a process. Among others who have…
We live in a world full of amazing design software and hi-tech automated machines. These “tools” are designed to reduce design cycle times and leverage productivity. Companies spend a lot of money on these tools and expect a productivity pay off from their designers. Some of the new expectations are realistic and some are not.…
While it’s common knowledge that crowdfunding has changed how products are brought to market, the process of going from grassroots Kickstarter campaign to viral success has also introduced entirely new challenges for ensuring that supply chains and vendors are capable of meeting necessary manufacturing requirements that thousands of eager backers – and not to mention…