A 3D-printed snap-fit prototype can assemble perfectly and still fail when the same design is manufactured by injection molding. The problem is that a successful prototype demonstrates behavior under its own material and manufacturing conditions, not necessarily those of the final product. Snap-fit joints are common in plastic enclosures, electronic Continue Reading

A bolt tightened to exactly the specified torque can still have too little clamping force—or more than the joint was designed to withstand. The problem is that tightening torque measures the twisting effort applied to a fastener, not the actual force holding the assembled parts together. For manufacturers using torque Continue Reading