Insights & News
Updates from the shop and thoughts on modern manufacturing.
What is a NATO CAGE (NCAGE) code?
What the five-character code is for, who needs one, and how Canadian companies get one.
Read the article →Why defence contractors need CGP, ITAR and security clearance
Controlled Goods, ITAR, security clearance levels and CPCSC, explained for Canadian suppliers.
Read the article →A history of Kitchener-Waterloo manufacturing
From Buttonville to BlackBerry: how the region became a manufacturing and engineering powerhouse.
Read the article →How Waterloo’s innovation ecosystem shapes manufacturers
Startups move fast. Why the shops that serve them have to move faster, with open minds.
Read the article →How manufacturers can develop young engineering talent
Pair them with your best people, hand them real projects, and back them all the way.
Read the article →What makes a good co-op in manufacturing?
Stretch goals, a passion to chase, and mentors we will miss when they retire.
Read the article →What digital manufacturing marketplaces tell us
What the growth of Xometry, Protolabs, SendCutSend and Fractory says about where manufacturing is heading.
Read the article →What is a STEP file, and how do you view one?
Why manufacturers ask for STEP files, and how to open one in your browser without CAD software.
Read the article →Can you trust an online machine shop?
Instant quotes are great. What to check before you upload your next drawing.
Read the article →Why your parts shouldn’t be ordered by email
What gets lost between an email and a finished part, and what changes when the order lives in one place.
Read the article →Have a part in mind?
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