LAB READY
Notes from the shop floor
Practical guidance on manufacturing processes, materials and working with Lab Ready on orthopedic parts.
What Medical Device Surface Finishing Actually Changes
Passivation, electropolishing, anodizing, PVD and DLC each change a different property. Here's how substrate and application decide which finish actually applies.
Read more →Trial Fit and Assembly Checks Before You Sign Off a Medical Device Part
A part can pass its drawing and still not fit its mating component. Here's what an optional trial fit or assembly check confirms before shipment, and what it doesn't replace.
Read more →What Overmolding Adds to a Medical Device Component
Overmolding adds a second material to a rigid substrate for grip, sealing or multi-durometer function — but it only pays off once the design and volume justify the tooling.
Read more →CNC Turning for Orthopedic Implant Components: Pins, Screws and Shafts
Not every orthopedic implant feature needs 5-axis milling. Pins, screws, shafts and other rotational features are usually a turning job — here's when CNC turning is the right call and when Swiss turning earns its keep.
Read more →Bridge Tooling vs. Production Tooling: Choosing an Injection Molding Path
Bridge tooling and production tooling solve different problems for a device program moving from a validated plastic design toward molded parts. Here's how to choose between them.
Read more →SLA vs SLS: Choosing a Plastic 3D Printing Process
SLA and SLS answer different prototype questions. Compare detail, surface, geometry, handling, and next-step requirements before selecting a plastic printing process.
Read more →How to Read a Tolerance Callout Before You Send an RFQ
A tight tolerance callout does more than raise cost — it decides whether a feature is milled, ground, or cut by EDM. Here is how to read one before you send an RFQ.
Read more →Why Lab Ready Quotes Orthopedic Prototypes Within a Day
Fast quoting isn't about working faster, it's about removing the sales-to-engineering handoff that slows most suppliers down. Here's how same-day quotes actually happen.
Read more →DMLS vs SLM: Choosing a Metal 3D Printing Process for Orthopedic Prototypes
DMLS and SLM both print metal orthopedic prototypes, but they aren't interchangeable. Here's how Lab Ready decides which process fits a given part.
Read more →Have a part ready to quote?
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