Electronics - The function of a circuit breaker is to provide overload (thermal) and short-circuit (magnetic) protection to a circuit and its downstream components. A circuit breaker functions like an airbag in a car, protecting circuit components and people by tripping the circuit to interrupt the current flow if it detects a fault condition in the control system.

3D Printing - As with any new technology, getting into large-format 3D printing begins with investigation. The first question may be a simple one: what does “large-format” mean? For 3D printers, “large” is a relative term. Many extrusion-based (FFF) 3D printers are referred to as desktop machines, because they fit on table space. Some of these have very respectable build volumes – but when it comes to “large-format,” the machines will need their own dedicated floor space. Large-format 3D printers have significant build volumes and are most often found in professional settings, like manufacturing facilities and R&D centers.

Designer Edge - Extend SOLIDWORKS® Simulation with a tightly integrated, cloud-based solution and conduct structural static, frequency, buckling, modal dynamic response, and structural-thermal analysis of parts and assemblies. Run simulations on both your local machine or in the cloud.

Designer Edge - A renaissance of design is underway and CAD systems need to keep up. New technologies are reinvigorating every step of product development, from how engineers create designs, to the review process, and even model validation.

3D Printing - Jigs and fixtures offer manufacturers a reliable process for delivering accurate, high-quality outcomes, whether for a specific part or feature, or for consistency across multiples of parts. Although the methodologies and materials for producing jigs and fixtures have evolved beyond the conventional metal tooling of years past, their position as a manufacturing staple remains constant due to the benefits they offer.

Advanced Manufacturing - Aerospace manufacturing has always been on the cutting edge, from materials to production techniques. However, these two aspects of aerospace machining can conflict, as manufacturers strive to maintain machining efficiency with new materials by using new methods and cutting tools.

BIM - Today, the market is saturated with groundbreaking design projects and competition from around the world. A high quality of service represents a competitive advantage for civil engineers that can gain client fidelity and more, but this is becoming harder to accomplish with modern design expectations.

3D Printing - Today’s product development landscape is characterized by high demand for variety, increasing customer expectations and near constant innovation. To

3D Printing - Metal additive manufacturing is revolutionizing how parts are designed and produced, offering solutions that were impossible just a few years ago.

Design Software - Freeform optical design software and virtual prototyping are accelerating the progress in bringing AR and VR headsets to market.

Design Software - In their groundbreaking study Six Myths of Product Development, * Stefan Thomke and Donald Reinertsen (Harvard Business Review, May 2012) exposed common fallacies of product development and presented 12 best practices for overcoming them. This paper highlights how Zemax Virtual Prototyping applies six of these best practices—and what it means for the optical products you design.

Advanced Manufacturing - With over 100 years of production history, the automotive industry has been at the forefront of manufacturing technology since its inception. Whether the transformative technology of the day was the assembly line, the integration of robotics into the manufacturing process, or the switch from steel to aluminum frame chasses, the automotive industry has consistently implemented advanced technology into its manufacturing and production workflow to improve manufacturing and product performance. Today, the same is true.

Design Software - Lidar has been around for quite some time, but to date, it’s been custom—and expensive. Right now, there isn’t a clear-cut solution that’s suitable for all applications, such as lidar in autonomous vehicles. As they explore options, optical and mechanical engineers are forced to make choices and tradeoffs during the design process.

Design Software - When it comes to choosing optical product design and simulation software for your team, don’t compromise performance with software that isn’t comprehensive enough to meet your needs.

3D Printing - With Creo you can design, optimize, validate, and run a print-check all in one environment reducing overall process time, tedium and mistakes.

3D Printing - With metal 3D printing adoption on the rise, it's critically important for engineers to learn how to specifically design for the process. By not understanding the guiding principles and limitations of a technology, it could lead to undesirable results including non-functioning parts, wasted time and money.

3D Printing - HMS Industries, Inc., manufacturer of custom metal stamping and industrial tooling, provides high-quality manufacturing services, including product and prototype development, EDM, tool design, tool and die manufacturing, as well as high-volume stampings and CNC machining, to manufacturers across all industries.

Designer Edge - Digital transformation has already begun. The time of localized, fractured and siloed product development is coming to an end.

Advanced Manufacturing - Entrepreneurs, project managers and engineers know the importance of time-to-market for a successful product launch. No matter where a manufactured part or product is headed, it’s critical to maximize the speed and efficiency of its production.

3D Printing - 3D scanning is revolutionizing how engineers digitize parts. Not long ago, if you had a physical object and wanted to create a 3D model of it, you had one option: bust out the calipers, measure every nook and cranny, and create the model yourself.