Beyond Cost: Quality Standards In Medical Device Components
I’m Clive, an engineer at Rapid Manufacturing. Lately, more sourcing conversations start the same way: “Costs are moving. We need options—fast.” With the US adding tariffs on certain medical supplies (including needle-related products), the immediate reaction is to hunt for lower unit pricing elsewhere. But in medical manufacturing, a quality miss can erase months of […]
SMAW Welder Pay in the US: What You’ll Really Earn
SMAW (Shielded Metal Arc Welding)—also called stick welding—is still one of the most valuable field welding skills in the US because it works when conditions aren’t ideal: outdoors, wind, dirty steel, remote sites, and awkward positions. That practicality shows up in pay, especially once you add overtime, per diem, and union scale. I’m Clive at […]
Fretting Wear Explained: The Tiny Slip That Destroys Joints
Fretting is small, repeated micro‑motion between two loaded surfaces that are supposed to stay put. Think a few microns to maybe ~50 μm of oscillatory slip, not visible sliding. The result is usually a mix of fretting wear (material removal) and fretting corrosion (oxide debris plus wear). For engineers and technical buyers, fretting matters because […]
Best Metal Cutters: 12 Tools Ranked by Speed & Precision
Cutting metal isn’t about finding one “best” tool—it’s about matching metal type, thickness, cut geometry, tolerance, and edge-quality requirements to the right process. Choose wrong and you’ll burn through discs, overheat and warp sheet, harden stainless at the cut line, or spend longer deburring than cutting. I’m Clive at Rapid Manufacturing, and in production we […]
What Gas Is Used For Welding?
When the majority of people listen to “welding,” they visualize a mask, sparks flying, and liquid steel. They focus on the warmth and the bright light. Yet when I listen to “welding,” I think about the gas. Without the appropriate gas, that gorgeous weld puddle comes to be a solidified sponge filled with holes. Welding […]
5 Composite Materials You Use More Than You Think
Composite materials are engineered combinations of two or more distinct materials that stay physically different inside the final part—so the structure can achieve property mixes a single material rarely can. In most engineering composites, you’ll see two key roles: Reinforcement (fibers/particles): carries most of the load and delivers stiffness/strength Matrix (polymer/metal/ceramic): binds the reinforcement, transfers load, and […]
What Are The 7 Main Types Of Plastics?
Yo, it’s Clive here, slugging it out as head engineer at Rapid Manufacturing (RM) for 16 rough years. We’ve nailed ISO 14001 for eco stuff, run 60+ injection machines, and pumped out plastic parts for med gear and auto giants. RM’s beastly – handling 15,000 units weekly, backed by our private lab tests and client […]
The 10 Real Properties of Metals: An Engineer’s Guide
Yo, Clive here, grinding as lead engineer at Rapid Manufacturing (RM) for 16 brutal years. We’ve locked down ISO 9001 for quality, run 80+ CNC beasts, and forged metal parts for aerospace and heavy machinery titans. RM’s a monster – churning 20,000 components weekly, fueled by our in-house lab blasts and client rants that we […]
Mould Vs Mold: What’s The Difference (US Vs UK English)?
If you’re writing to suppliers in the US, preparing an RFQ, naming CAD files, or building a manufacturing page, you’ve probably hesitated at least once: is it “mold” or “mould”? Here’s the simplest answer: Mold is the standard spelling in American English. Mould is the standard spelling in British English (and many Commonwealth countries). In most cases, they mean the […]
Who Makes Jet Aircraft Engines? A Buyer’s Field Guide
I’m Clive, an engineer at Rapid Manufacturing. When buyers search “jet aircraft engines” or “who makes jet engines for airplanes”, they usually aren’t looking for trivia. They’re trying to make a sourcing decision: Who are the real engine OEMs behind the aircraft programs? If I need parts, prototypes, repair spares, or short-run production, what kind of […]
