Flatness in GD&T shows how close a surface is to being perfectly even across all points. It controls how much a surface can vary in height. Flatness sets a tolerance zone made of two parallel planes to do this. The surface of the part must stay between these two planes. This prevents bends, waves, or bumps that could cause trouble during assembly.

A Medical Device Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) is a company that designs and makes medical devices for other businesses. They do not sell products under their own brand. Instead, they handle the technical and production work needed to deliver a product ready for the market. OEMs can support early-stage development, prototype testing, regulatory compliance, and large-scale manufacturing.

Value added assembly goes beyond simply putting parts together. It is a process that combines several steps into one service. Instead of sending parts to different vendors for sub-assembly, wiring, fastening, or packaging, one provider handles everything under the same roof. This reduces handoffs and keeps production flowing smoothly.

Contract assembly means working with an outside partner to assemble parts, subassemblies, or finished products. The client can supply the components or ask the provider to source them. The provider then follows the given instructions to assemble the product. This method helps companies control costs, lower risks, and focus on their primary business.

Turnkey manufacturing is an end-to-end service. The turnkey approach means the customer hands over a project to a manufacturer who manages everything. The provider oversees product design, prototyping, material sourcing, production, assembly, testing, and packaging. The client receives a final product that is ready for use or sale.

OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer, and ODM means Original Design Manufacturer. OEM focuses on producing items based on a buyer’s design. ODM, on the other hand, develops products from its designs and sells them under another company’s brand. Both approaches help businesses bring ideas to market, but differ in control, cost, and flexibility.

True Position is the exact location of a feature, such as a hole, pin, or slot, as defined concerning datums. Simply, it tells us where a feature should be placed on a part. Instead of focusing on the exact X and Y values, it defines a zone—usually a circle or cylinder—within which the center of the feature must fall.

Blow molding is a plastic-forming method. It starts with melting plastic and forming it into a hollow tube called a parison. This parison is then placed in a mold. Compressed air is then blown into the parison. The air pushes the plastic outward, and it takes the shape of the mold. Once cooled, the mold opens, and the part is removed.

Circular runout controls variation at each circular cross-section. Total runout controls the entire surface across the length. Circular runout focuses on roundness at one spot. Total runout adds straightness and taper checks across the whole feature.

Design for Manufacturing (DFM) means designing products that are easy and cost-effective to make. The goal is to reduce costs, speed up production, and avoid problems later. DFM looks at every detail of a design and checks if it fits the tools, machines, and materials used in the factory.

Continuous casting is a process that turns molten metal into solid shapes without stopping. The metal is poured into a moving mold. As it touches the cold walls of the mold, it begins to cool and form a solid outer shell. Rollers then pull the partly solid metal downward as it continues to cool. Once fully solid, the metal is cut into fixed lengths.

Wire forming is a process that bends, twists, or cuts metal wire into specific shapes and forms. The wire can be formed using tools like dies, presses, or CNC machines. Simple parts include hooks or rings. Complex shapes include spring clips, frames, or medical components. The shape depends on the tool, the method, and the material.

Casting works well for making complex shapes in larger quantities. Machining is best for precise, custom parts with tight tolerances. If you want high detail and smooth finishes, machining is a strong choice. If you want to make many parts at once with complex shapes, casting is often better.

Aluminum heat sinks are a solid option for most cooling tasks. They are lighter than copper and cost less. Copper heat sinks transfer heat better, but they are heavier and more expensive. If you’re looking for a balance of cost, weight, and performance, aluminum is usually the better pick. However, if you require top-level cooling in a confined space, copper is the best option.

NEMA 1 and NEMA 12 are both types of industrial enclosures, but they serve different purposes. NEMA 1 protects against basic indoor dust and accidental contact. NEMA 12 offers better protection against dust, dirt, and dripping non-corrosive liquids. Your choice depends on where and how you plan to use the enclosure.

Machining is a subtractive process. It removes material from a solid block, often metal, to create specific shapes. This is done using cutting tools, grinding wheels, or electric discharge. Most machining is performed on machines such as lathes, mills, drills, and grinders.