Technical Insights &amp; Blog

Why Additive Manufacturing is Changing North Yorkshire Product Design

How local B2B designers in Ryedale and North Yorkshire are leveraging FDM 3D printing to compress product development cycles.

Designing Brass Threaded Inserts for 3D Prints

Designing Brass Threaded Inserts for 3D Prints

A practical guide to designing bosses, sizing holes, and heat-pressing brass inserts into FDM parts for strong, reusable threads.

PETG vs PLA: The Battle of Utility Filaments

PETG vs PLA: The Battle of Utility Filaments

A comparison of the two most common FDM 3D printing filaments, covering mechanical strength, thermal properties, and printing ease.

Understanding Layer Adhesion in FDM Manufacturing

Understanding Layer Adhesion in FDM Manufacturing

Why 3D prints are anisotropic and how design parameters like extrusion temperature, layer height, and orientation affect shear strength.

How to Prepare CAD Files for 3D Printing Bureaus

How to Prepare CAD Files for 3D Printing Bureaus

A complete checklists for exporting STEP and STL files, handling tessellation, units, and nested assemblies.

3D Printed Jigs and Fixtures for Yorkshire Workshops

3D Printed Jigs and Fixtures for Yorkshire Workshops

Accelerating B2B manufacturing and machining with custom, lightweight, low-cost assembly jigs printed in Pickering.

Polycarbonate (PC) for High-Temperature Engineering Applications

Polycarbonate (PC) for High-Temperature Engineering Applications

Deep dive into Polycarbonate filament properties: high heat deflection, structural impact strength, and design constraints.

Overhangs, Bridges, and Supports: Minimising Clean-up Time

Overhangs, Bridges, and Supports: Minimising Clean-up Time

Understanding the 45-degree rule and bridge limits in FDM design to minimise support material usage and improve surface finish.

TPU Filament: A Guide to Printing Flexible Seals & Gaskets

TPU Filament: A Guide to Printing Flexible Seals & Gaskets

How to design and print flexible Thermoplastic Polyurethane parts for industrial dampers, bellows, and seals.

Replacing Legacy Machinery Components with 3D Scanning and CAD

Replacing Legacy Machinery Components with 3D Scanning and CAD

A B2B case study on reverse engineering obsolete gears and brackets for agricultural and industrial machinery in North Yorkshire.

Why We Use ASA Over ABS for Outdoor Yorkshire Enclosures

Why We Use ASA Over ABS for Outdoor Yorkshire Enclosures

Comparing UV stability, impact resistance, and weatherproofing in ASA and ABS filaments for B2B engineering projects.

Optimising Infill Density and Patterns for Maximum Strength

Design

Optimising Infill Density and Patterns for Maximum Strength

Understanding infill mechanics: how Gyroid, Grid, and Honeycomb patterns affect part weight, print time, and mechanical load limits.

A Guide to PA6-GF Glass Fibre Nylon for Automotive Parts

Composites

A Guide to PA6-GF Glass Fibre Nylon for Automotive Parts

Exploring the thermal and mechanical advantages of Glass Fibre Reinforced Polyamide for engine bay housings and bracketry.

3D Printing vs. Injection Modelling: The Economic Break-Even Point

3D Printing vs. Injection Modelling: The Economic Break-Even Point

An analytical B2B review of tool-free FDM manufacturing costs compared to traditional plastic injection tooling for low-volume production.

Designing Snap-Fit Joints for 3D Printed Enclosures

Designing Snap-Fit Joints for 3D Printed Enclosures

A technical guide to cantilever snap-fit design for FDM parts, covering beam formulas, deflection, and print orientation rules.

Post-Processing FDM Prints: Sanding, Polishing, and Painting

Design

Post-Processing FDM Prints: Sanding, Polishing, and Painting

How to transition FDM 3D prints from rough prototypes to professional-grade display models with smooth surfaces.

Designing for CNC Machining vs FDM 3D Printing

Designing for CNC Machining vs FDM 3D Printing

Comparing design constraints, material wastes, and production speeds for CNC milling and FDM additive manufacturing.

How Carbon Fibre FDM Filaments Solve Robot End-Effector Weight Limits

Composites

How Carbon Fibre FDM Filaments Solve Robot End-Effector Weight Limits

A B2B robotics guide to lightweighting industrial end-of-arm tooling with stiff carbon-reinforced composites.

Dimensional Accuracy and Shrinkage in FDM Engineering Filaments

A B2B engineering guide to material-specific shrinkage factors and printer calibration techniques for high-precision components.

A Design Guide to Bosses and Ribs in Additive Manufacturing

A Design Guide to Bosses and Ribs in Additive Manufacturing

How to use structural ribs and screw bosses to strengthen printed enclosures without adding material mass or extending print times.

3D Printing in Leeds: Bridging the Prototyping Gap for Universities and Startups

3D Printing in Leeds: Bridging the Prototyping Gap for Universities and Startups

How NovaLab 3D supports the thriving Leeds technology sector and academic labs with fast, reliable courier deliveries and professional engineering materials.

Waterproofing 3D Prints: Best Practices for Gaskets and Enclosures

Waterproofing 3D Prints: Best Practices for Gaskets and Enclosures

Understanding why FDM prints naturally leak and how to design waterproof enclosures using multi-wall settings and post-sealants.

Optimising Wall Thickness (Perimeters) for Lightweight Parts

Optimising Wall Thickness (Perimeters) for Lightweight Parts

A B2B design guide to managing wall counts and thicknesses in FDM CAD models to minimise material weight and print cost.

The Future of FDM Printing: Multi-Material and Composite Manufacturing

The Future of FDM Printing: Multi-Material and Composite Manufacturing

Exploring upcoming industrial trends in multi-nozzle deposition, continuous carbon fibre pathing, and active thermal envelopes.

Composites

Choosing Composites for Heavy Duty Prototyping in Yorkshire

A technical guide to when and why to use Carbon Fibre and PA6-GF Glass Fibre filaments for structural engineering applications.

A Guide to FDM Tolerances for Product Designers

A Guide to FDM Tolerances for Product Designers

Understanding dimensional tolerances in 3D printing to ensure perfect press-fits, thread engagement, and assembly alignments.

North West

12 June 2026·20 min read

3D Printing in the North West of England: A Manufacturing Revolution Quietly Underway

From Manchester's advanced engineering corridors to the industrial heartlands of Lancashire, the North West is embracing additive manufacturing , and local businesses are reaping the rewards.

North West

12 June 2026·8 min read

Rapid Prototyping for North West Product Designers: Cut Weeks off Your Development Cycle

Manchester, Liverpool, and Preston's product design community is discovering what Yorkshire engineers have long known: local 3D printing dramatically compresses prototype timelines.

North West

12 June 2026·7 min read

How North West Manufacturers Are Bridging the Gap to Production with Small-Batch 3D Printing

The injection mould is ordered. The assembly line isn't ready. Here's how Lancashire, Merseyside, and Cheshire manufacturers are using small-batch FDM printing to keep supply chains moving.

Lancashire

12 June 2026·7 min read

Additive Manufacturing in Lancashire: Empowering Aerospace and Automotive Supply Chains

How Lancashire's advanced engineering hubs in Preston, Samlesbury, and Leyland are utilising FDM composites like Carbon Fibre Nylon for high-precision assembly fixtures.

Manchester

12 June 2026·8 min read

Advanced FDM Tooling for Greater Manchester's Electronics and Medical Technology Sectors

Exploring how technology businesses in Manchester, Salford, and Cheshire use ESD-safe polymers and rapid prototyping for IoT casings and medical devices.

AI & Additive Manufacturing: Reshaping Northern Industry

12 June 2026·9 min read

AI & Additive Manufacturing: Reshaping Northern Industry

How artificial intelligence is transforming 3D printing workflows, and a balanced analysis of the positive and negative economic impacts on the North of England.