Today's toy aisles showcase a wide range of shapes, from realistic animal figures to imaginative cartoon characters. Most of these toys are made of plastic, with their creation involving two primary steps: design and manufacturing. The challenge of designing toys is compounded during the manufacturing stage. Plastic injection molding is the most common method used, where detailed 3D designs are turned into molds for mass production. Effective software plays a crucial role in this process, simplifying the workflow and reducing the need for multiple steps. In this guide, we explain how leading toy companies efficiently manufacture detailed toys, creating figurines and objects from organic designs that entertain both kids and adults. Streamlining Toy Manufacturing with Digital Workflows 1. Designing toys in 3D The design phase kicks off any toy-making project, whether it’s a sketch, a 3D scan, a CAD model, or an adaptation of an existing item. Key considerations include the manufacturing process and the final size of the toy. For example, if the toy replicates a real-life vehicle, start by laser scanning the actual vehicle. This captures its shape, which you can then import into 3D modeling software to refine and adjust the design. For toys modeled after real objects, start [...]

Radical weight reduction, enhanced performance, and short lead times. These are just a few advantages that drive aerospace companies to adopt 3D printing. But one major challenge is deterring them from fully committing to the technology – the hefty price of mistakes. The materials alone are so expensive that printing a single part sometimes costs tens of thousands of dollars. Additionally, aerospace parts need to comply with exacting standards where the tolerance for errors is low. Mistakes that would be considered insignificant in other industries are inadmissible in aerospace. The high cost of printing underscores the need to reduce the likelihood of mistakes and de-risk additive manufacturing. Simulation is part of the solution. With the simulation and compensation tools in Oqton’s 3DXpert software and a simple workflow, you can print parts right in record time and eliminate material waste. Capturing additive manufacturing expertise In the infancy of additive manufacturing, the risk of build failure, deformation or overheating was simply something manufacturers needed to accept. With time, experts gained sufficient process knowledge to avoid common pitfalls. Today their experience is captured in simulation tools, enabling users to identify and prevent problems before they occur. However, not all simulation tools are made equal. If you [...]