Prototyping

Prototyping has long been a very important part of industrial machining and part creation. Low-run prototypes allow for all manner of testing and specification changes before a part design is completed and large-scale runs are ready to go.

Modern prototyping centers around rapid prototyping, which uses various technologies to make scale parts and other models using CAD data. Rapid prototyping is generally done using specialized CNC subtractive and 3D printing technologies. Rapid prototyping allows for test parts to be run at the near production-level quality in an economically efficient small-run manner.

Traditional Limitations on Prototyping

Before rapid prototyping, creating scale prototype parts involved essentially the same costs and time constraints involved in the final production. Because of the significant expense and time constraints involved, prototyping has been traditionally outside the scope of possibilities for many manufacturers.

Traditionally, the quality of available prototypes impaired testing, even in situations where prototyping was considered feasible. Also, modifications to models involved starting over from the beginning with each modification.

The Advantages of Rapid Prototyping

Rapid prototyping involves CAD 3D drafting, 3D printing, and CNC milling. As 3D CAD sophistication continues to improve, the ease and speed of modeling with rapid prototyping will continue to be the design standard for all producers, especially the smaller firms who now have rapid prototyping in their arsenal of tools to help them engage the largest competitors.

Rapid prototyping allows for proof of concept testing for new parts and applications. Proof of concept demonstrations includes the use of prototype models to test whether planned designs and part production ideas can be implemented.

With working prototype models in hand, firms have the ability to test and experiment with physical models, adding modifications and further iterations as needed along the way to a final design. More realistic models allow for superior proof of concept demonstrations of plans and ideas. Working models also allow firms to show investors and shareholders the actual proof of concept of new concepts and ideas in a real and tangible way.

Rapid prototyping promotes and facilitates high-quality ergonomics. Modeling allows for early detection of ergonomic issues and gives time and room for quick and efficient modifications as needed. Through modeling, design flaws that are caught early are easier to address and improve. If the design process moves further along before necessary ergonomic improvements are dealt with, it is obvious that modifications are more difficult and costly

Use of scale models through Rapid/Mockup Prototype allows for almost unlimited practicality testing. As additional design components are added to the development of the prototype, the number of available tests and experiments increases, and the entire process becomes more dynamic and responsive to ideas.

As prospective products move further toward final full-run plans, rapid prototyping promotes quick and cheap modifications before the much greater investment of time and money that will be involved in the final production process is necessary. Cost-prohibitive modifications to final full-run processes are made much less necessary or not needed at all through effective modeling and testing.

Iterative testing through rapid prototyping allows for greatly enhanced design options and cost efficiency at every stage of the manufacturing process. Iterative design allows designers to add continuous feedback and suggestions for modifications to the design process at all times. Rapid prototyping makes this ongoing modification workable and highly effective.