Knowledge
Technical guides.
Plain answers to the questions engineers actually ask before committing a component to metal additive manufacturing.
10 guides
Start here.
No sales copy. Where additive is the wrong answer, these guides say so.
Fundamentals
What Is Metal 3D Printing?
How industrial metal additive manufacturing works, the main processes used, and where it fits alongside machining and casting.
Fundamentals6 minWhen Should You Use Metal Additive Manufacturing?
A practical decision guide for engineers: the cases where metal additive wins, and the cases where conventional manufacturing is still the right answer.
Fundamentals5 min
Process
DMLS vs SLM: What's the Difference?
DMLS, SLM and L-PBF explained — where the terms come from, what they actually describe, and which one matters when specifying a part.
Process5 minDoes a Metal 3D Printed Part Need CNC Machining?
When printed components need machining, which features are usually machined, and how to plan machining allowance into the design.
Process5 minMetal 3D Printing vs CNC Machining
A direct comparison of metal additive manufacturing and CNC machining across geometry, tolerance, material, volume and cost.
Process6 min
Materials
316L Stainless Steel for Metal 3D Printing
Properties, applications and post-processing considerations for 316L stainless steel in metal additive manufacturing.
Materials5 minTitanium 3D Printing Explained
Why Ti6Al4V suits additive manufacturing, typical applications, and the design and finishing considerations that come with it.
Materials6 min
Quality
Metal 3D Printing Tolerances Explained
What tolerances are realistic straight from a metal additive machine, why they vary, and how critical features are held to tighter limits.
Quality6 minHow Are Metal 3D Printed Parts Inspected?
CMM, 3D scanning and CAD comparison applied to additive components — and why inspection planning belongs at the design stage.
Quality6 min
Next step
Still not sure?
Send the component. An engineer will assess it and tell you which route makes sense.