12 Industry Trends Shaping Contract Manufacturing: Additive Machining

With profile of a line vs. profile of a surface, the former controls variation at specified cross sections while the latter controls the entire feature surface.

Surface finish requirements are among the details that are critical to creating a complete RFQ that will help to optimize for manufacturability.

Surface flatness is an indicator of all points along a surface lying in the same plane, with the highest and lowest points within the flatness tolerance range.

In circular runout vs. total runout, the first controls variation in circular features of a part while the other controls variation in the entire part surface. Learn the difference and how to measure them here.

GD&T cylindricity is a three-dimensional tolerance feature used to indicate both roundness and straightness along the entire axial length of a cylindrical part.

GD&T tolerances provide manufacturing guidance that must balance the need to make a part functional with the need to produce the part cost-effectively.

Circularity tolerance based on diameter helps to control roundness and ensure that small precision metal parts fit properly, move smoothly, and wear evenly.

Learn why the characteristics of titanium tube make it a good choice for medical devices and other applications that require strength, light weight, and corrosion resistance.

Consider the methods used for heat treating metals, as well as the effects, when specifying your requirements for the cut-off of small metal parts.

Explore the advantages of pure tungsten and pure molybdenum as alternative materials for use in spot welding electrodes.

When designing a part, remember that different tolerances may require different processes, and not all processes can produce results to the same tolerance.

In material sourcing for the production of precision parts, avoiding non-standard material sizes can help to control costs and optimize for manufacturability.

There are 5 key areas that should never be left blank when filling out your request for cutting quote. Do you know what they are?

A fully complete RFQ tells a story about the buyer, the company, and the end product and its use — information we can use to provide the right quote (and the right price).

When a single part has multiple tolerances that conflict, the tighter, more challenging tolerance must guide production and ultimately drives the part’s cost.

Learn about the role that tight tolerance plays in optimizing for manufacturability, and how to specify tolerances to ensure part quality and control costs.

When choosing a resistance welding electrode for any application, a thorough understanding of material properties helps to avoid production line issues.

Learn how best practices as well as material and design considerations have an impact on the life and effectiveness of resistance spot welding electrodes.

Learn why resistance welding electrodes require a material with the right combination of thermal conduction, electrical resistivity, and reactivity.

Learn how additive manufacturing (AM) — one of today’s fastest growing technological innovations — is changing the face of contract manufacturing everywhere.

Industry Trend No. 3: Rising labor costs overseas are one factor in the move away from outsourcing and toward reshoring of some businesses and factories.

Industry Trend No. 2: Manufacturing globalization and regionalization provide opportunities for partnership, innovation, competitive advantage, and growth.

Industry Trend No. 1: Increased exporting and global trade has a positive impact on revenue, growth, and competitiveness, while expanding a manufacturer’s customer base.