When deciding what material to use for your CNC machining project at Craftcloud®, the initial defining factors might be price and strength. But when can a polymer be a worthy alternative to metal? The different metals available for CNC machining purposes provide, among other features, strength and durability. While this is undeniable, it can also…
Craftcloud® offers a variety of 3D printing technologies, with Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) and Stereolithography (SLA) among the most popular. Do you know which one’s best for your project? The Technologies in a Nutshell FDM is an additive manufacturing process that builds objects by extruding melted filament. The machine deposits this material layer-by-layer onto a…
Dave Gianakos, from Precision Aerospace Replicas, shares a bit about how Craftcloud® played a part in his venture of aviation and space models. Could you tell us a little about Precision Aerospace Replicas? I started this small company about 10 years ago after I retired as a 747-400 captain and instructor for Delta Air Lines…
Among the different manufacturing services offered at Craftcloud®, CNC machining enables you to mass produce models in a variety of solid and resistant materials. In addition to this, there are different post-processing techniques and finishes available that can further help you reach your goals. Anodizing Anodizing is an electrochemical process that converts a metal surface…
Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) and Stereolithography (SLA) are two 3D printing technologies offered at Craftcloud®, each with its own strengths. Do you know which one’s best for your project? The Technologies in a Nutshell MJF is an industrial additive manufacturing process developed by HP® that uses a power-and-fusing mechanism to build high-density nylon parts. A…
When you design a model that will be created by additive manufacturing (e.g. 3D printing), an issue you may receive a notification on involves wall thickness. Wall thickness refers to how thick the perimeter or shell of a 3D printed part is. It’s a crucial aspect of the design, as it can mean that the…
At Craftcloud®, we offer a variety of manufacturing services: 3D printing, CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, and casting and molding. While each technology addresses different needs, CNC machining can be the ideal choice when taking the step between rapid prototyping and high-volume manufacturing. 3D printing is normally the first choice for rapid prototyping because of…
Among the different 3D printing technologies offered at Craftcloud®, Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) stand out because of their accessible pricing and complete geometric freedom respectively. But which is more suitable for your project? The Technologies in a Nutshell FDM builds parts layer-by-layer by extruding thermoplastic filament (e.g. PLA, PETG, ABS)…
In CNC machining, choosing the right material is a critical decision that considers cost, performance, and manufacturability. While engineers have thousands of alloys at their disposal, one particular grade consistently rises to the top: Aluminum 6061. Often referred to as the “workhorse” of the industry, this versatile magnesium and silicon-alloyed aluminum has become the default…
When moving from a digital design to a physical object, small errors in the 3D model that are invisible on screen can lead to failures on the build plate. Read about the most common issues that might go by overlooked when designing for 3D printing – and why you’ll want to make sure they are…
