Knowledge base

Quality articles for engineers and designers to learn about Digital Manufacturing. Written by manufacturing experts, curated by 3D Hubs.

Chapters

Basic Manufacturing Principles

Learn about the general additive manufacturing process from design to final part for those who have never 3D printed before.

Quick Tips Before You Start

A 6 point checklist for all designers to review before getting a design 3D printed

Manufacturing Processes Explained

A series of articles for designers to compare the design requirements and materials for different 3D printing technologies.

Post Processing & Finishing

Learn about the different post-processing methods that are implemented for each 3D printed technology

Design Guidelines

All you need to know about Design for Manufacture for 3D printing, CNC machining and Injection molding. Get your parts ready for production.

Common Design Features

A set of articles offering guidelines for designing the most common 3D printed features

Material Considerations

A selection of articles to help you select the right material for your application, both for CNC machining and 3D printing.

CAD & File Preparation

A selection of pratical articles that help you prepare your designs to get started with rapid prototyping.

Applications

Extensive guides showing you how to optimise your design and select the right 3D printing material for specific applications

Appendix

The knowledge base appendix that includes a glossary of terms and an overview of all technologies and materials

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Latest articles

3D Printing STL files: A step-by-step guide

Learn how to avoid low quality prints or unnecessarily large 3D files by exporting your STL file in the correct resolution.

Standard Blank Sizes for CNC machining (Sheets & Rods)

Tables of the standard blank sizes (sheets & rods) commonly used in CNC machining.

Heat treatments for CNC machined parts

Learn how heat treatments affect the properties of the most common CNC metal alloys and how to request a specific heat treatment in your order.

Selecting the right CNC material

This comprehensive guide compares the 25 most common materials used in CNC machining and helps you choose the right one for your application.

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