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Big thanks to Dyson for reviewing this teardown. By the Numbers: 167 parts 74 fasteners 7 types of plastics 1 PCB 2 mechanical switches We’ve long been fans of the innovative work of Dyson. Their products are immensely creative, beautifully designed, and mechanically impressive. And on top of that, we love Dyson’s transparency and willingness to […]

At China Manufacturing parts, we’re seeking to uncover, decodify, and share how physical products are made — what we like to call the DNA of hardware development. As part of that mission (and our hardware geekery) we’re starting a new teardown series to reveal in a more tangible way the magic behind a wide variety of amazing hardware products. […]

At China Manufacturing parts, we’re seeking to uncover, decodify, and share how physical products are made—what we like to call the DNA of hardware development. As part of that mission (and our hardware geekery) we’re starting a new series to reveal in a more tangible way the magic behind a wide variety of amazing hardware products. As soon […]

There are 4 main types of 3D printing technologies: FDM, SLS, SLA, and Polyjet. In this post, I’m going to outline the strengths and weaknesses of each 3D printing technology, to help you choose the best one for your prototyping needs. Picking the Right Technology Similar to picking the right material, understanding your technology options […]

This quick start guide is designed to you help you become familiar with China Manufacturing parts’s online tools for 3D printing. Read on for a step-by-step guide to help you: Properly prepare your CAD files Export your files with the correct settings Upload your files to China Manufacturing parts, Inc. Choose the right 3D printing material Step 1: Prepare Your CAD […]

There are a lot of CAD (computer-aided design) file types out there, each with their own names, formats, and parameters. From STEP files, to STL files, to IGES, and more, it can be difficult to differentiate between them all. This post will help you understand the difference between these file types, and which file is best […]

The advent of 3D-printable transparent materials has opened doors to new possibilities with rapid prototyping for optical applications. Now, we can consider how to use and manipulate light in 3D printed parts. Light pipes, sometimes referred to as light guides or light tubes, are physical components used to purposefully redirect or transport light from a […]

We get a lot of questions on the best methods for fastening different 3D printed components. When prototyping hardware products, for example, you often need to make assembled structures that are more complicated than a single 3D printed component, like an electronics enclosure or robotic assembly. Other times, you may need to print components too […]

For almost 5 years, James Olander worked as Senior Systems Engineer for Lockheed Martin, a large aerospace company, leveraging his degrees in Aerospace and Space Systems Engineering to develop innovative satellite technology and launch vehicles. But to be a small piece of a massive organization like Lockheed Martin, no matter how great the company or […]

When learning CAD, some words may seem foreign–extrusion, chamfer, radius, and fillets aren’t exactly intutive. No worries, read up on the terms below as a refresher or an introduction to the most common CAD terms and operations. Main CAD Operations Extrude / Extrusion: An extruded face of an object expands or contracts (or cuts through/against) empty […]