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NICE Rapid Manufacturing Glossary
Plain-language definitions of the terms engineers and buyers meet when they take a part from prototype to production — mold design, molding defects, 3D printing, CNC machining, materials, quality and GD&T, and sourcing.
50Terms Listed
7Categories
A–ZIndex Included
Injection Mold Design & Tooling Anatomy
Core parts of a mold and how they shape the finished piece.
- Clamping ForceClamping force is the force an injection molding machine applies to hold the two mold halves shut while molten plastic is injected under pressure.
- Cold RunnerA cold runner is an unheated channel system in an injection mold that carries molten plastic from the sprue to the gates.
- Draft AngleA draft angle is the small taper added to the walls of a molded part, parallel to the direction the mold opens, so the part can release cleanly from the mold.
- Ejector PinAn ejector pin is a steel pin in an injection mold that pushes the finished part off the mold core after the mold opens.
- Gate (Injection Molding)A gate is the small opening through which molten plastic flows from the runner into the mold cavity.
- Parting LineA parting line is the line on a molded part where the two halves of the mold — the cavity and the core — meet.
- Shot SizeShot size is the amount of molten plastic an injection molding machine injects in one cycle: enough to fill every cavity plus the sprue and runners.
- SprueA sprue is the main channel that carries molten plastic from the injection molding machine's nozzle into the mold, feeding the runners and gates that fill the cavity.
- UndercutAn undercut is any feature on a molded part that prevents it from being pulled straight out of the mold in the direction the mold opens, such as a side hole, snap-fit hook, internal groove or thread.
- Wall ThicknessWall thickness is the distance between the opposite surfaces of a part's wall.
Molding Defects & Troubleshooting
Common defects in molded parts, and what causes them.
- FlashFlash is a thin, unwanted fin or skin of excess material on a molded or cast part, formed when molten plastic, rubber or metal is forced into a gap in the mold.
- Sink MarksSink marks are shallow depressions on the surface of a molded part, usually directly opposite a thick section such as a rib, boss or wall junction.
- SplaySplay is an injection molding defect that shows up as silvery streaks or splash-like marks on the surface of a molded part.
- WarpageWarpage is the unintended distortion of a molded part, such as bowing, twisting or curling out of its designed shape, that appears once the part is released from the mold.
- Weld LineA weld line, also called a knit line, is the seam that forms on a molded part where two separate flow fronts of molten plastic meet and fuse incompletely.
Rapid Prototyping & Additive Processes
3D printing and casting processes used to build parts fast.
- DMLS (Direct Metal Laser Sintering)DMLS (direct metal laser sintering) is a metal 3D printing process in which a high-power laser selectively fuses fine metal powder, layer by layer, into a dense metal part.
- FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling)FDM (fused deposition modeling) is a material extrusion 3D printing process that melts a thermoplastic filament and deposits it through a heated nozzle, layer by layer, to build a part.
- MJF (Multi Jet Fusion)Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) is a powder bed fusion 3D printing process that builds polymer parts, most often nylon PA12, by jetting a fusing agent and a detailing agent onto each layer of powder, then exposing the layer to infrared energy.
- SLA (Stereolithography)SLA (stereolithography) is a 3D printing process that uses an ultraviolet laser to cure liquid photopolymer resin into a solid part, one thin layer at a time.
- SLS (Selective Laser Sintering)Selective laser sintering (SLS) is a powder bed fusion 3D printing process in which a laser fuses thin layers of polymer powder, most often nylon (PA12), into a solid part.
- STEP FileA STEP file (.stp or .step) is a neutral 3D CAD format defined by ISO 10303, the international standard for exchanging product data between design, manufacturing and inspection software.
- STL FileAn STL file is a 3D model format that describes the surface of a part as a mesh of triangles, storing only each triangle's corner coordinates and outward-facing direction.
- Vacuum CastingVacuum casting is a low-volume process that makes plastic parts by pouring liquid resin, usually polyurethane, into a silicone mold under vacuum so it fills fine detail without air bubbles.
CNC Machining Operations & Tooling
Cutting and finishing operations for machined parts.
- DeburringDeburring is the finishing step that removes burrs, the thin raised ridges and rough edges left on a part after machining, drilling, casting, molding or grinding.
- End MillAn end mill is a rotating cutting tool for milling machines with cutting teeth on its end as well as around its sides, so it can cut sideways through material, not just plunge like a drill.
- Feed RateFeed rate is the speed at which a cutting tool advances through the workpiece, usually given in inches or millimeters per minute.
- KnurlingKnurling is a machining process that presses or cuts a regular pattern of straight, angled or diamond-shaped ridges into the surface of a part, usually a round part turned on a lathe.
- MachinabilityMachinability is a measure of how easily a material can be cut to shape, judged by tool life, cutting forces and power, surface finish, chip disposal and material-removal rate.
- ReamingReaming is a machining operation that slightly enlarges an existing drilled hole with a multi-edged cutting tool called a reamer, bringing it to a precise diameter with a smooth finish.
Materials & Mechanical Properties
Material properties engineers check before choosing a material.
- Elongation at BreakElongation at break is how much a material stretches before it fractures in a tensile test, expressed as a percentage of the specimen's original gauge length.
- Glass-Filled NylonGlass-filled nylon is a nylon (polyamide) reinforced with short glass fibers, typically PA6 or PA66 with around 20–30% glass by weight.
- Heat Deflection Temperature (HDT)Heat deflection temperature (HDT) is the temperature at which a standard plastic test bar, loaded in bending, deflects by a set amount as it is steadily heated.
- Melt Flow Index (MFI)Melt flow index (MFI) is a measure of how easily a molten thermoplastic flows: the mass of polymer, in grams, pushed through a standard die in 10 minutes at a set temperature and load.
- Tensile StrengthTensile strength is the maximum pulling (tensile) stress a material can withstand before it breaks.
- ThermoplasticA thermoplastic is a plastic that softens and melts when heated and hardens again when cooled, a cycle that is reversible and repeatable.
- UL 94UL 94 is the UL standard for testing the flammability of plastic materials used in parts for devices and appliances.
- Yield StrengthYield strength is the stress at which a material stops deforming elastically and begins to deform permanently.
Quality, GD&T & Compliance
Inspection, tolerancing, and compliance terms used in quality control.
- Certificate of Conformance (CoC)A certificate of conformance (CoC) is a signed statement from a supplier that a shipment of parts or material meets the requirements of the purchase order, drawing and specifications.
- ConcentricityConcentricity means that two or more round features, such as the diameters of a stepped shaft, share the same center axis.
- IATF 16949IATF 16949 is the international quality management system standard for the automotive supply chain, published by the International Automotive Task Force (IATF) in October 2016.
- Non-Conformance Report (NCR)A non-conformance report (NCR) is a formal record that a part, material or process does not meet a specified requirement.
- RunoutRunout is a GD&T tolerance that limits how much the surface of a round part varies as the part rotates 360° about a datum axis.
- True PositionTrue position is the theoretically exact location of a feature, such as a hole or pin, defined by basic dimensions from a datum reference frame.
NPI, Sourcing & Program Terms
Program and sourcing terms used from first prototype to production.
- DDP (Delivered Duty Paid)DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) is an Incoterms 2020 rule under which the seller delivers goods to the buyer's named destination, cleared for import and with duties and taxes paid, ready for unloading.
- EVT / DVT / PVTEVT, DVT and PVT are the three validation builds in hardware product development.
- Golden SampleA golden sample is an approved reference part, signed off by the customer, that represents exactly what an acceptable production part should look and measure like.
- New Product Introduction (NPI)New product introduction (NPI) is the structured process of taking a new product from an approved design to repeatable volume production.
- NRE (Non-Recurring Engineering)NRE (non-recurring engineering) is the one-time cost of the design, engineering, tooling and setup work needed before a product can be produced, such as building a mold, fixtures or test equipment.
- Pilot RunA pilot run is a small, limited production batch made on the production tooling and process before full-volume manufacturing begins.
- RFQ (Request for Quotation)RFQ stands for request for quotation: a document a buyer sends to one or more suppliers asking for a price and lead time to make a clearly defined part or product.
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