Design Guidelines

3D printing offered a viable, cost-effective solution to recreating accurate models with repeatable bone fracture types for multiple training scenarios.

Neurosurgeon study compares 3D printing against traditional training methodologies such as cadavers, foam models, and other conventional practices.

KOR's Urbee is the very first car built completely with additive manufacturing technology, designed to be aerodynamic and as green as possible.

How we developed a hybrid check fixture in two weeks for the world's sixth-largest interior component manufacturer, TS Tech Co., Ltd.

Lockheed Martin and Stratasys Direct Manufacturing teamed up to create a fuel tank simulation for a new satellite design. Read the case study here.

The improvements offered by 3D printed jigs and fixtures can add up to major advantages for your company with reduced lead times and cost savings.

To create the highly complex, integrated model, 3D printing and subtractive CNC machining was critical for full realization of all simulations.

A recent application of DMLS looks to transform one essential element of your toolbox: the wrench.

Dr. Piasecki set out to improve the success rate of ACL reconstruction by modifying the standard surgical technique using a 3D printed metal surgical tool.

San Francisco Opera has a beautiful iconic chandelier which, thanks to some quick 3D printing, you can now buy in jewelry form.

The FORMOSAT-7/COSMIC-2 mission will operate exterior, functional 3D printed parts in space for the first time in history.

DanaMed collaboration brought its breakthrough Pathfinder ACL device to market using additive metals and DMLS technology to manufacture the metal tool.

Our 3D printed trophies for Rapid + TCT 2018, one of the biggest additive manufacturing shows in the business

Long-time runner, Jim deBeers, turned to additive manufacturing when designing his new hands-free water bottle for runners, the HydraKlick® Solo 8TM.

Metal casting at foundries is a centuries old manufacturing process that can be significantly impacted by the benefits of 3d printing.

The four factors that must be in conjunction with one another for a balanced design: size, layer resolution, wall thickness and orientation.

Engineers and designers looking to take advantage of 3D printing for prototyping should consider these key considerations before getting started.

The use of additive manufacturing for aircraft interiors continues to be a primary application for the aerospace industry.

With the help of several makers, students, designers and engineers, the first iteration of the 21st Century Robot named Jimmy came to life.

Automotive parts supplier MAHLE gets up to speed on the full capabilities and associated benefits of 3D printing fixtures.

Save time and money on any 3D printing project with these 7 tips. With Stratasys Direct's expertise, you can optimize your part at the best possible price.

Streamline conventional manufacturing processes and cost-effectively bring your product to market faster with additive manufacturing and cross-technologies.

When Joe Gibbs needed automotive racing parts tough enough to withstand competition & attractive enough to do their team’s sponsors proud, they came to us.

Designed and made in California, Onewheel 3D prints high-quality components, including carbon fiber parts, to create a strong and reliable product.

Producing molds and masters with FDM or PolyJet technology addresses the challenges of traditional manufacturing methods.

Hearts can be 3D printed and delivered to physicians in hours, enabling physicians to study models before performing open-heart surgery on a patient.

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) coupled with a higher performance aerospace quality material, we built booster fins, the aft body structure and tailcone for our high power rocket.

Get to market faster and easier with Urethane Casting and 3D printing technologies for housings and enclosures.

We assisted 928 Motorsports in developing LS intake runners for testing and final production to outperform stock runners in the Porsche 928 engine.

3D printed parts are being utilized by the energy sector to harness the natural resources of our planet.

A few myths Hollywood has perpetuated about 3D printing and the real-life applications utilized by movie makers.

Each luxury vehicle has very unique engineering and design, from the engine to the interior. This poses a challenge for creating new, customized features.

CNC machined master patterns are preferred over 3D printed patterns when it is necessary to produce more than one or two molds and/ or to meet stricter dimensional tolerances.

Cast urethane molding is an efficient, cost-effective way to produce 100 to 1,000 end use parts in advanced formula polyurethanes.

It can be difficult to determine which material fits the profile for your project - these considerations and our Material Wizard are here to help.

Read our breakdown of 3D printing materials that fulfill production part requirements.

Kablooe needed a cost-effective way to build, test, redesign and repeat. For this kind of breakthrough prototyping, FDM was just what the doctor ordered.

Equus Automotive teamed up with Stratasys Direct Manufacturing to aid in the manufacturing of the prototype / pre-production BASS770.

When time is of the essence on a 3D printing project, expedite your project turnaround by considering these key steps.

Discover the key considerations and the advantages of working with photopolymers and their related 3D printing technologies.

What determines the price of 3D printing services? Part size and geometry understandably affect price, but there are other details that can alter the price of your parts.

Ensure the availability of spare parts for your customers and reduce lead times and costs associated with large and obsolete inventories with 3D printing.

This new propeller provides users with improved run times and top speeds thanks to the optimized hydrodynamic design.

SLS has been in market since 1992 and MJF has just come on the scene in recent years, but both technologies offer unique value points to customers.

To help you start to filter certain 3D printing processes and materials, we put together a selection methodology

Thomas Jefferson was a large figure in American history. He also proved to be a large figure in the Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D Production System.

As more and more airlines seek to add seats or increase passenger space, 3D printing offers a way to simplify parts.

With the design freedom allowing for part consolidation and lighter parts, 3D printing has significantly contributed to the development of UAV’s and their latest applications.

Learn more about Stereolithography's process and common applications.

Learn about the differences between injection molding thermoplastics and thermoplastics used in 3D printing processes, including key design considerations.

ULTEM™ 9085 CG resin is a high-performance thermoplastic suited for high-requirement projects.

The future of 3D printing lies in it's impact on the supply chain. This is an illustrated look at the traditional vs. 3D printing supply chain.

Learn how 3D printing is revolutionizing the value chain in Stratasys Direct Manufacturing's new white paper. Download it now!

3D printed jigs & fixtures open up new possibilities on manufacturing-floor productivity. Read this whitepaper to learn more about the advantages.

Owning a 3D printer and outsourcing don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Check out these four considerations for when to use a 3D printing service bureau.

We’ve broken down five misconceptions of what affects the pricing of additive metal parts and what to focus on to ensure cost-effective parts.

PolyJet is an ideal 3D printing technology for quick delivery of accurate and highly cosmetic prototypes.

There are five industries in particular where the amazing capabilities of additive manufacturing have transformed production.

Created by Area-I in Georgia, PTERA is the unmanned Prototype-Technology Evaluation and Research Aircraft yielding inexpensive flight research for commercial aircraft and NASA, and it’s using 3D printing in a few instrumental ways.

Stratasys Direct Manufacturing offers customized manufacturing solutions for your company by evaluating your operations and identifying opportunities.

Check out this infographic for an overview of additive manufacturing and 3D printing in aerospace including the benefits and some common applications.

Learn how we achieved process repeatability with additive metals and Direct Metal Laser Sintering in our latest webinar.

Learn how we ensure superior quality additive metal parts through precision machining, finishing, in-house quality controls, and job tracking.

Check out this infographic for an overview of additive metals including statistics, benefits and common industry applications.

To enhance parts and medical models that utilize the flexible capabilities of PolyJet, Stratasys Direct now offers Agilus30.

Manufacturing complex energy applications with state-of-the-art metal 3D printing.

Whether you have one-off prototypes or quantities in the hundreds, pairing low-volume urethane foam part production with FDM tools can provide you with the many benefits.

Assembled FDM components can benefit from hardware added in the middle of the build.

CNC Machining FDM parts has proved to be another tool 3D printing customers can take advantage of for optimized and dimensional accuracy.

The differences between 3D printing technologies can influence parts significantly. These 7 questions will help you identify the process for your project.

For most additive manufacturing processes, the data from your Computer Aided Design (CAD) file must be exported to an STL file in order to build the part. Preparing for this export is a crucial step in applying the benefits of additive manufacturing to your project and in maximizing the functionality of your 3D printed parts.

Your CAD files tell the story of your part. It is important to prepare your files for export to ensure quality is maintained from CAD to final part.

Panic! At The Disco drummer Dan Pawlovich tours the world with a 3D printed snare drum.

Urethane casting can execute complicated features seamlessly and provide end use parts faster than conventional means can achieve.

When pursuing low-volume production, 3D printing and CNC machining are both valid options. But which manufacturing method is best for your project?

CNC machining can be an efficient manufacturing method but may lose cost-effectiveness if key design details aren’t well balanced. Check out our tips for optimized, cost-efficient designs.

Ideal for consumer prototypes and anatomical models, PolyJet Multi-Color brings projects to life.

Design guidelines providing instructions for design considerations, including file exporting procedures & color selection for polyjet multi-color parts.

Our advanced manufacturing services make the design process easy, with rapid prototyping, thorough Design Guidelines and helpful Design Services.

Check out this infographic for an overview of manufacturing solutions offered by our Design Services.

Since the general properties of photopolymers widely vary, it is important to know which type of material is right for your model.

Discover the steps involved in 3D printing metal with Direct Metal Laser Sintering technology.

Whether the idea is to solve a problem or improve upon a previous product, engineers start with research to inform their product development.

These guidelines are to be used as a starting point in understanding the basic aspects of part design and preparation for DMLM

Download this design tip sheet to learn: DMLM standard tolerances, tips for angles and self-supporting features, material selection guide, processing steps for DMLM parts.

Confused about the difference between the terms DMLS and DMLM when it comes to metal 3D printing? We’ve answered some FAQ’s around the difference of each.

Whitepaper describes how to design for DMLS, the design freedom that can be achieved and how to control for the additive metals process.

The added strength and aesthetics of electroplated parts lend themselves well to functional prototyping and end use applications. And electroplating is just one of a number of finishing services we offer at Stratasys Direct Manufacturing to help you perfect your part.

Making a quality 3D printed part takes more than just a machine. It takes a responsive engineering team behind the technology working to ensure quality.

FDM Antero™ 800NA solves manufacturing challenges with excellent mechanical properties and high chemical resistance.

3D printing is playing an integral part in rebuilding one of America’s greatest cities and injecting life into the new Detroit Red Wings arena.

Investment casting patterns can be made faster and with less expense with additive manufacturing technologies like Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM).

A major part of the project is the assessment of aerodynamics, propulsion, operations and structure to ensure the full spectrum of concept improvements.

FDM Nylon 12CF is ideal for 3D printing production parts and functional prototyping in high-requirement applications.

This solution delivers high-quality ULTEM™ 9085 resin parts produced with industry-leading Stratasys hardware and backed by material and process traceability for high-requirements production manufacturing. Stratasys Direct is proud to bring you FDM Pro with ULTEM™ 9085 CG resin.

BMW required a cost-efficient, low-volume manufacturing plan for the Deep Orange 4, which targeted a niche market of performance-oriented SUV customers.

ASA needs robots to do the jobs in space that humans can’t. That’s why our customer Wyle Laboratories designed and 3D printed Robonaut 2.

Wrap composite material around a core made out of FDM soluble material, which dissolves in a water-based solution.

3D printing in the Space Station was critical in creating solutions for the ISS freezer. Read our case study today.

How do you know which one is right for your parts? In order to better understand your options, it is important to know how each process works.

As you choose the materials & technology for your product, we can provide guidance on which finishing options can help you realize your product objectives.

The Fused Deposition Modeling finishing process changes a part's properties. Secondary operations turn these raw parts into finished goods.

Professional Services provides consultative services to companies looking to incorporate the benefits of additive manufacturing for its business.

Don’t let the complexity of 3D printing slow down your project goals. Get to market quickly with these five 3D printing tips to save you time.

Beginning mass production doesn’t have to be a scary leap into the unknown. We’re highly experienced in bringing products to market successfully.

Our new method creates foam parts faster using 3D printed molds built with Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) and ABS thermoplastic.

Stratasys Direct's experts and advanced manufacturing solutions will take your design from prototype to final production part.

These guidelines are to be used as a starting point in understanding the basic aspects of part design and preparation for Fused Deposition Modeling.

Learn about the unrivaled strength and accuracy of FDM, and how it's speed and materials are utilized across industries from aerospace to energy.

This comprehensive infographic gives a broad 3D printing technology overview, including a definition of what is 3D printing, a guide to types of 3D printing processes and the history of 3D printing.

Design guidelines providing instructions for design considerations, including file exporting procedures & color selection for polyjet parts.

Low cost and quick to produce, 3D printed concept models serve marketing programs like photoshoots for ad creative or tradeshows and sales efforts.

At Stratasys Direct Manufacturing we offer comprehensive services at key stages of the product development life cycle that service designers and engineers as they transform their concepts into amazing products.

The best 3D printing material options are growing, bridging gaps in prototype and end-use production. Read our white paper to navigate the landscape.

Helpful information and general rules of thumb for the design process to optimize 3D printing quotes.

STL is the standard file type used by most additive manufacturing (or 3D printing) systems. STL is a triangulated representation of a 3D CAD model.

ID-Light is a proprietary build style that features a scaffolding-like internal structure, available with both Stereolithography and FDM.

Multi Jet Fusion is an advanced 3D printing technology that utilizes powdered nylon material and a unique build styling including fusing and detailing agents.

25 to 10,000+ Parts Shipped in 1 to 15 days. Molds Start at $1,495. ISO 9001:2008 Certified. Fast & Easy Custom Injection Molding Quotes Available. ISO Certified. Services: Molding, Engineering. We Design/Manufacture Molded Thermoplastic Parts to Your Specs.

Injection Molding is used for manufacturing a variety of parts, from small components like AAA battery boxes to large components like truck body panels.

GrabCAD Workbench is completely free to use across your organization and teams. Break down walls and collaborate with your team anytime and anywhere.

Investment Casting allows customers to produce functional metal prototypes at a third of the cost and in 10% of the time of traditional methods.

Stratasys Direct Manufacturing utilized their 3D printing investment casting pattern process to create the PAC 12 championship trophy.

Bell Helicopter turned to us for the production of several components of ECS ducting with Laser Sintering and reaped cost savings and weight reduction.

Stratasys Direct Manufacturing built a 3D printed motorcycle with Mission Motors, bridging high-performance motorsports and green technology.

A report showing a month of prototype output from Stratasys Direct Manufacturing Austin showing distinctions about parts built with LS technology.

To achieve a hole using Laser Sintering, there’s no drilling required.

Discover the optimal text size and font and better understand how text resolves for Laser Sintering 3D printing

We’re sharing our trade knowledge on wall thickness to help you on your way to optimum LS builds.

Advanced Ceramics Research designed a 3D printed UAV to provide low cost aerial surveillance imaging. Read how we helped in this case study.

Discover how Laser Sintering uses a CO2 laser to heat and fuse thermoplastic powder to build production parts and prototypes.

We’re constantly looking for ways to improve our services, so we’ve developed enhanced online ordering for rapid prototyping.

Making your part its best takes more than just a machine. It takes a team of attentive experts behind the technology, working to validate processes and collaborate with you.

After months of careful validation of the technology in our robust manufacturing facilities, we’re excited to offer Multi Jet Fusion for production parts.

The journey from concept to successful product can be fraught with obstacles. Utilizing a 3D printing service enables product designers to remove the guesswork from their prototyping process.

At Stratasys Direct Manufacturing, we promise three key areas of excellence: expertise, service and quality. Backed by our robust production capabilities and decades in manufacturing, we’re able to deliver projects on-time at the best possible quality.

Wherever you are in your design process, you’re not limited in manufacturing solutions. Learn more about designing over-molded parts.

You want to get your products in front of target markets right away, and we want to help. Our 3D printing and finishing services help you to quickly create custom, complex production parts.

This year at the IMTS 2018 Conference, Stratasys Direct Manufacturing is combatting the preconceived notions on DMLS powder reuse.

Multi Jet Fusion offers expanded possibilities for 3D printed production parts. Create complex geometries in durable nylon faster and more cost-effectively than ever before.

Millipore’s challenge was to manufacture the Muse in time for a pre-production product launch prior to injection molding and tooling.

In Neri Oxman's nature-inspired art installation Aquahoja I, she has utilized Stratasys 3D printing technology in new, inspiring ways.

The medical industry is rapidly embracing the cutting-edge production of 3D printed anatomical models for bettering patient outcomes.

Digital ABS Plus significantly improves the mechanical performance of parts and prototypes for design verification and functional performance testing.

Prototype high functioning, durable and complex parts with similar material properties found in an elastomeric material with FDM TPU 92A.

The latest material available in 3D printing is Copper (C18150) specifically developed by Stratasys Direct to fill the void in the AM market.

FDM Pro utilizes ULTEM™ 9085 CG resin to deliver mechanically enhanced ULTEM™ 9085 resin parts with the repeatability necessitated by high-requirements industries.

Additive manufacturing processes like Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) have the materials to meet medical safety requirements.

During the planning phase of the product development life cycle, our prototyping services and manufacturing expertise will help you prepare to move into mass production.

To help streamline the “let’s get it done” projects, we’ve compiled a list of our most popular materials and their reliable properties.

To bring the an antique auto back to life, our customer needed an affordable way to build custom dies. PolyJet 3D printing technology was the solution.

Design guidelines providing instructions for design considerations, including file exporting procedures & color selection for polyjet multi-color parts.

Discover how PolyJet 3D printing creates detailed, beautiful parts faster than any other technology at Stratasys Direct Manufacturing.

An ebook that discusses each stage of product development and how our expansive solutions assist companies as they move through the life cycle.

3D printing enables designers and engineers to envision detailed, complex geometries for next-generation parts. Here's what that looks like.

We offer key resources, including design guidelines, white papers and other services to help you advance your idea and develop your product.H ere's what that looks like.

We offer a range of services to help choose manufacturing methods and plan for your application. Here's what that looks like.

Our 3D printing services offer production runs with technologies that utilize thermoplastics and metals. Here's what that looks like.

Part suppliers can simply send digital files to Stratasys Direct and access large manufacturing capacities for spare parts. Here's what that looks like.

In industries like aerospace, medical, transportation and consumer products, additive manufacturing has increasingly become a production solution for top companies.

We’ve compiled a few finishing examples which best relay the options open to you for your 3D printed, machined or cast part.

Engineers and designers looking to take advantage of 3D printing for prototyping should consider these key considerations before getting started.

Stratasys Direct Manufacturing aids in the prototype of a complex watch from Devon.

Entrepreneur used 3D printing to determine the functionality, look and feel of a baby bottle design.

Nanufacturers have discovered Fused Deposition Modeling as an alternative production process for paper pulp molding.

The NumNum Dip encourages the progression of necessary motor skills without requiring the baby to jump from zero utensil handling to debutante-ready motions.

The on-demand approach of 3D printing allows businesses to provide products and spare parts as-ordered and eliminates the need for large inventories.

Discover key design considerations for the Selective Laser Sintering process.

In this white paper, we've compiled some of the most important design considerations for any Laser Sintering project to help you guide your design.

Learn the advantages and differences between LS and FDM technology and discover the best process for your project.

Consider cast urethanes as an economical manufacturing method as you move into the final stages of product development.

Our programmers have confided in us a few of the best recommendations for .STL file exportation from 3D CAD files in SolidWorks.

Learn the top benefits of sparse fill vs. solid FDM 3D printed parts.

To create a drinking cup in microgravity, IRPI looked to 3D printing to solve what appeared to be an insurmountable challenge.

Design guidelines providing instructions for design considerations, including file exporting procedures & color selection for stereolithography parts.

Build 3D printed parts with newer and advanced SL materials through a collaboration with Somos.

Thermal imaging company, FLIR, uses Stereolithography to test design and function, determine strengths and weaknesses, calculate market interest and lengthen the life of their products.

Knowing the differences will lead you to the best process choice for your project. Here are the top four differences between PolyJet and Stereolithography.

Hear firsthand from Stratasys Direct Manufacturing experts why they’re excited about Stereolithography and why it is a valuable rapid prototyping tool.

Laser fusion system empowers customers to tackle increasingly complex projects – pushing the boundaries of metal 3D printing.

Somos partnership offers new, customized materials for stereolithography (SL) that provides material properties to support distinct applications.

Stratasys Direct Manufacturing has been chosen by Airbus to produce 3D printed polymer parts for use on A350 XWB aircraft.

Streamline conventional manufacturing processes and cost-effectively bring your product to market faster with additive manufacturing and cross-technologies.

To galvanize creativity in engineering and sciences, Kashmir Robotics has a new challenge for young students: Build a Drone.

3D printing plays an unprecedented role in the innovative cleats worn by Super Bowl football players.

Stratasys Direct's expertise and manufacturing capabilities offer solutions for every stage of the product development life cycle.

This article details three mistakes designers should avoid for successful injection molded parts.

It is important to understand the many aspects that go into 3D printing in order to select the right material and machine to construct your part.

What challenges are holding additive manufacturing back from widespread adoption? We set out to find the answer through our recent industry survey.

Manufacturing tools can be 3D printed more quickly and less expensively than traditional manufacturing methods, lowering the threshold to revamp your production floor.

The future of manufacturing includes integrating additive manufacturing into the traditional supply chain to move into the future.

Each metal 3D printing material adds a unique range of mechanical properties to broaden perfect-fit applications.

These guidelines are to be used as a starting point in understanding the basic aspects of part design and preparation for urethane casting.

Artist Mark Reigelman utilized Stratasys Direct to urethane cast 900 detailed plane models for an impressive art installment at San Diego Airport.

Watch our Technology Video to learn how urethane casting utilizes 3D printed master patterns to create economical, low volume parts and gets your product to market first.

When tooling deliveries were delayed, Star Trac turned to Stratasys Direct Manufacturing for production level quantities of urethane components.

3D printed medical robots are helping to deliver a connected healthcare network across the nation for better patient care. Read our case study.

Urethane Casting with our proprietary evolutions addresses early challenges in the product development life cycle with strong and stable components.

Your business needs 3D printed parts. Do you buy a 3D printer or order parts through a 3D printing service provider?

Patients become more independent, increasingly mobile, and highly active with 3D printing

Read our 3D Printing starter guide to learn how 3D printers work. Videos, images, and articles to help you understand 3D Printing technologies.

3D printing doesn’t refer to one kind of manufacturing or technological process and therefore a well-rounded understanding requires an in-depth look into all available 3D printing systems.

CNC machining is traditionally used to manufacture low volume, end-use parts, but it has also been adopted as a secondary process for additive manufacturing technology.

A list of the solutions engineers find ideal from both SL and PolyJet, along with corresponding materials, to help you choose the best 3D print process based on your need.