Is Copper Magnetic? The Trust Is…
If you hold a magnet up to a copper pipe, nothing happens. It doesn’t stick. If you drop that same magnet through the copper pipe, something magical happens: It floats down in slow motion. So, is copper magnetic? The short answer is: No. The engineering answer is: It’s Diamagnetic, and that’s even more useful. Understanding […]
What Does TIG Mean? The Ultimate Procurement Guide to GTAW
The acronym is simple: TIG stands for Tungsten Inert Gas. The formal engineering term used in AWS D1.1 and ISO standards is GTAW (Gas Tungsten Arc Welding). But if you ask me, or any of the senior welders on my shop floor at RapidManufacturing, TIG stands for something else: “Time Is Gold.” Why? Because TIG […]
304 vs 316 Steel: Which better for your project?
In the world of custom manufacturing—specifically within CNC machining and sheet metal fabrication—few things burn money faster than the debate between AISI 304 and AISI 316 stainless steel. At Rapid Manufacturing, I see it all the time in BOM audits: engineering teams, scared of a potential failure, just default to 316 for the entire assembly. […]
What Is Baltic Birch Plywood? An Engineer’s Guide to Its 5 Special Traits
The Quick Answer: What is special about Baltic Birch Plywood? What makes Baltic Birch plywood special is its unique construction: it is made entirely from thin, uniform birch veneers, resulting in a void-free core with a high ply count (e.g., 13 plies in 3/4″ material). This gives it superior stability, exceptional screw-holding strength, and […]
TPR Material Disadvantages: What to Use Instead
In my 15 years at Rapid Manufacturing, overseeing thousands of injection molding cycles and analyzing countless failed prototypes, I have seen one material cause more heartbreak than any other: TPR (Thermoplastic Rubber). Marketing teams love it because it’s cheap and feels soft. But as an engineer, I see it differently. I see a material that […]
18/8 vs 316 vs 304 Stainless Steel: An Engineer Decodes the Difference
The Quick Answer: 18/8 vs. 304 vs. 316 18/8 and 304 are the same thing. “18/8” refers to the composition of 18% chromium and 8% nickel, which is the official definition for 304 grade stainless steel. “18/8” is a consumer or marketing term, while “304” is the engineering and industry grade. 316 stainless steel […]
What is Aluminum? An Engineer’s Guide to the Metal That Changed the World
The Quick Answer: What is Aluminum? Aluminum (spelled Aluminium outside North America) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. It is a lightweight, silvery-white, and highly versatile metal. It is not found pure in nature but is extracted from its primary ore, bauxite. Its most remarkable properties are its […]
An Engineer’s Guide to Rivets: Definition, Types, and Uses
Quick Answer: What is a Rivet? A rivet is a permanent mechanical fastener. Before installation, it consists of a smooth, cylindrical shaft with a head on one end. To install it, the plain end (the tail) is passed through a hole in the parts to be joined, and then the tail is mechanically upset, or […]
What is Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)? An Engineer’s 2026 Guide
If you’ve heard whispers about a 3D printing technology that can create tough, functional parts without any support structures, you’ve likely stumbled upon Selective Laser Sintering, or SLS. But let’s cut through the jargon. As an engineer who has managed professional SLS systems for years, I can tell you this: SLS is the workhorse of […]
The 18 PPAP Documents: An Engineer’s Checklist
As an engineer on the manufacturing floor, I can tell you that few acronyms cause more anxiety for a new supplier than “PPAP.” It arrives as a request from a customer, often with a looming deadline, and looks like a mountain of paperwork designed to slow everything down. But I’m here to tell you that’s […]
