There's a difference between designing a part to be machined, and designing a part and then trying to machine it. In Ian's experience, these 4 considerations are absolutely necessary before you begin the part design processes. Here are 4 tips to consider before you start designing a part. 1. Material selection: Are you selecting a practical material for the application? Is it really necessary to use an exotic material? Select a material based off of the needs of your part, like strength, corrosi