Blogs

Houston, TX is recognized as a world leader in a number of industries, including healthcare, energy, and aerospace. What do these various industries all have in common? They all use 3D printing in their construction and manufacturing processes. Let’s take a look at some of these Houston-based industries and how they benefit from 3D printing. […]

There are many types of 3D printers available today. You’ve probably heard of material extrusion (used in FDM 3D printing), vat polymerization (used in SLA 3D printing), and powder bed fusion (used in SLS 3D printing) printing technologies. However, there are other types of 3D printing technology you may not be aware of. Here’s a […]

SLA 3D printing is coming back in a big way. SLA, also known as Stereolithography, is a type of 3D printing. Invented in 1989, it’s widely considered to be the original 3D printing technology. SLA 3D printing provided many advantages, including high-quality surface finishes, high accuracy, fine detail, and relatively rapid build times. Despite this, […]

No doubt about it: 3D printing technology is changing the world. Every day, engineers, designers, and entrepreneurs are coming up with new 3D printing applications. Let’s take a look at a few examples of the latest uses of 3D printing. Latest Developments in the World of 3D Printing The Washington Post runs a story on […]

3D printing has provided auto engineers with a whole new way to create prototypes of their designs and concepts. Almost any part of an automobile – bumpers, dashboards, consoles, seats, headlight assemblies, etc. can be manufactured using 3D printing. 3D printing is especially useful for the rapid production of design prototypes. Auto manufacturers are under […]

3D printing is a form of additive manufacturing that creates a physical object based on a digital design. It’s a process that’s revolutionizing manufacturing. These days, everything from aircraft and auto components to body parts and food items is being manufactured using 3D printing. There are many kinds of 3D printing technologies. Fused deposition modeling […]

Finding and replacing missing auto parts is one of the biggest challenges when it comes to restoring a vintage automobile. Depending on the age and make of the vehicle, replacement parts can be difficult, if not impossible to locate. And when you do find them, they’re often outrageously expensive. Many auto restorers are turning to […]

A scale model is a model of a real or imagined physical object that is proportionately larger or smaller than the object it is meant to represent. Scale models have been around for years and can be constructed out of a variety of materials, including wood, metal, plastic, and foam. Scale models are used for […]

At ProTek Models, we provide state-of-the-art FDM 3D printing services to companies and organizations in a wide range of industries, including defense, aerospace, and automotive. When a client first approaches us about a project, one of their first questions is what type of materials we use in the 3D printing process. What material you use […]

Like most technologies, 3D printing has an interesting background story. Here’s a short history of 3D printing, from science fiction to everyday applications: One of the first mentions of 3D printing appeared in the 1945 short story “Things Pass By” by science fiction writer Murray Leinster. It describes a machine that uses “magnetronic plastics” to […]