The Knowledge Base

Learn to design better parts for 3D printing, CNC machining, injection molding and sheet metal fabrication. Compare materials and post-processing methods. Keep leveling up your digital manufacturing expertise.

What engineers are reading now

Product development & manufacturing: how do you source parts for the initial prototyping stage

What are the best manufacturing processes for creating initial prototypes? This article covers the key benefits of prototyping with technologies like FDM, SLA and sheet metal fabrication and how to save time and money with these processes.

How do you deal with sharp corners in CNC machining? Designing with the machinist in mind

Have you designed your parts with sharp corners? They may look good on paper, but they're a nightmare to manufacture with CNC machining. In this article, learn how and why to avoid sharp corners in your designs. It'll reduce lead times, cost and potential headaches for machinists.

What is GD&T? How to reduce manufacturing errors and improve quality

What is Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) and how is it used? This article explores the basics of how and when to use GD&T to get the best results out of custom part manufacturing.

How do you design parts for MJF (Multi Jet Fusion) 3D printing?

Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) 3D printing can create highly accurate, complex industrial parts more efficiently - and potentially more cost-effectively - than other industrial 3D printing processes. This article covers how to design parts for MJF, common applications of the technology and key best practices.

Learn how to manufacture better parts

3D printing

How do 3D printers turn digital models into physical parts?

CNC machining

How do CNC machines make complex, precise parts?

Injection molding

How does injection molding produce tons of parts efficiently?

Design for 3D printing

How do you design parts for 3D print manufacturing?

Design for CNC machining

How do you design parts for better CNC precision?

Design for injection molding

How do you design parts for manufacturing at scale?

Materials for manufacturing

What are custom parts made of?

Post-processing & surface finishes

How can you get the most out of the last step of the manufacturing process?

Standards & technical data

What are the technical standards for digital manufacturing? Bookmark these rules and resources.

Your complete, practical resource for everything digital manufacturing

Digital manufacturing is a complex topic. There’s always more to learn, especially as designers and engineers develop astounding new technologies and manufacturing processes evolve (and automate). The more you know about manufacturing technologies like 3D printing , CNC machining , injection molding and sheet metal fabrication , the better equipped you are to design products that can be manufactured easily and at the price point that works for you.

For nearly a decade, Hubs has worked to produce comprehensive resources to help you develop revolutionary products. These include The 3D Printing Handbook , our complete guides on every Hubs technology and the Knowledge Base, a growing collection of articles for new and seasoned engineers. The Knowledge Base is a tool for learning about manufacturing technologies, how to design for every process, key standards and best practices and a lot more.

The manufacturing knowledge in this resource will help you develop products faster and more cost-efficiently, advising on custom part sourcing for any stage of the innovation process. Whether you’re creating an initial prototype, sourcing parts for a more functional prototype, looking to scale toward full production or making parts to bring an older product back to life, the Knowledge Base is here to guide you.

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