Why Do You Need the Services of a Rapid Prototyping Company?
Any product development in the world requires a prototype. The project may be of any size you can imagine, but nothing can go to production based on a concept. You need to make sure that your idea is functional and a rapid prototyping company can do that for you in a matter of moments.
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Rapid prototyping as service costs money. Even if you are crafty enough to bring a proof of concept on your own, you need modern technology to make sure it works the way it&#;s supposed to. A part of your budget should be destined to the creation of a new prototype using automated means such as 3D printing.
One of the things that no one tells you is that if you only have a slight idea about your product. A rapid prototyping company has a team that can help you make your vision a reality for very little money and in a short time. Your rough ideas no longer need a separate designer since most of these companies have in-house design teams to create your prototype from scratch.
Rapid prototyping is suitable for entrepreneurs developing original equipment pieces. It works if they need a high-quality prototype in a narrow window of time to secure funding or to keep the costs of the budget at bay. You need these services because there has never been a better moment in the manufacturing industry to get ahead with your creations using these companies.
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When Should You Use the Services of a Rapid Prototyping Company?
Rapid prototyping is the best fit to create plastic parts with precision. To achieve a good streak of usable products, you need to work with a team of people who knows what they are doing. Any rapid prototyping company worth their salt has a team of engineers and product developers to test your product and fix any issue on the go.
Think for a minute about all the products that require a perfect fit. It can be anything from protective gear for workers to a little moving part that goes inside a larger machine. Every single one of these products can be created using these services. If your project requires manufacturing, that&#;s when you should consult a company about a quote to get things done.
What the Actual Costs of Rapid Prototyping Services?
This is probably the trickiest question in the list because not all projects are meant to be developed by the same standards. If we consider complexities, a small piece no bigger than the sections of your hand can cost from $80 to $1,200. Small parts that require no post-production polishment sit on the low end of this spectrum. Components that require sanding or painting will cost a lot more.
What is the Most Popular Software used for Rapid Prototyping Projects?
The software program used to print prototypes is developed exclusively to work with the machines of the rapid prototype company of your choice. The developing software is another story since most companies use one of the following to create their CAD models: AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, Fusion360, Mastercam, Pro-E, or Pro/Engineer, or Solidworks.
Is it Possible to Create Rapid Prototypes Using Injection Molding Technology?
Injection molding is a process that can be used to create prototypes but also to mass produce any product. It&#;s the best expression of having your cake and eating it too. The most obvious advantage is the possibility to create a prototype, just the same way the product will be created. You only need to create a cavity mold that can process molten plastic to be injected and cooled to make a solid piece.
If you compare this method with 3D printing, you will realize how easily plastic injection molding can create higher-quality surface finishes. The amount of detail is extended to other features such as noticeable square holes, and living hinges. Other little bits that can be created using other manufacturing methods such as CNC machining. The only drawback of this method is the amount of time required to create the mold, as well as the overall cost of it.
After you are done with the stage, testing out the prototype should be a breeze. Remember to use it to evaluate everything regarding the specs of your project, such as the quality of the material used as well as the cosmetic finishes of the final product.
What You Should Look for in a Rapid Prototyping Company
Regardless of the location of your rapid prototyping company of choice, you need to pay attention to some details regarding your chosen service provider. Doing your homework on them will pay off for good on your end. Do an internet search on them, check for their reputation. Check if they have a consistent track record fulfilling the needs of their customers, see how quick they answer to your concerns. Make sure to check their prices against their competitors.
At last! It&#;s time to turn your design into a physical object. While it&#;s exciting to see something from your imagination turn into reality, there are questions that must be answered before you can begin.
1 | Which prototyping method should you use?
This is a great first question which depends on the answers to the following four. But first, a quick tutorial in prototyping methods.
There are two basic types of manufacturing processes:
Subtractive [in which you remove material to form the part; includes computer numerical control (CNC; a computer guided machine or hand held router cuts away the unwanted material), lathing, machining, milling]
Additive [in which material is added to create the part; often called 3D printing].
It's also important to remember that certain materials lend themselves to specific processes. For example plastic is often used in additive manufacturing; CNC is used for metals; and you typically think of wood being lathed.
2 | What is the purpose of the prototype?
If the purpose of your prototype functional testing, then the method you use is critical. You don&#;t want to physically test the part in a way that might show a false failure.
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Here&#;s an example. Let&#;s say your prototype is made using a form of additive manufacturing called fused deposition modeling (FDM). Most people have heard of or seen this process described by the generic, and imprecise, term 3D printing. Simply put, following directions from a computer file, a 3D printer extrudes molten material in multiple layers which cool to create the form. Here's a video if you've never seen this in action:
And here's a photo of a part we printed in our lab using FDM. Look closely, you can see the see the horizontal layers. If you stress the part mechanically &#; maybe try to bend it &#; it might crack between layers. But maybe that&#;s not realistic to how the actual part would break.
In this case, rather than prototyping using FDM, you might want to use a subtractive 3D method for prototyping, in which you use a solid plastic block of material and remove the material that isn&#;t in the part. If you bend it and it breaks, it will break based on the design of the part, not on the soundness of the material.
3 | Do these parts need to be air tight?
3D printers are very good unless there is a hiccup in the process. In the absence of material being layered, you will add air. If your part needs to be airtight, you may need a part done by CNC which starts with a solid block of material. It&#;s simple mathematics. If you&#;re subtracting and you didn&#;t take it away, it&#;s still there.
4 | How many prototypes do you need?
Another thing to consider is the volume of (prototype) parts you need. Some processes are faster than others. If you need just one part, any option is good. Take your pick. But if you want a lot of parts, you&#;re looking more for a supplier than a process. We work with companies with 3D printers as far as the eye can see. They can load your project on the printer and finish up in a couple days. If you only had access to a single printer it would take two to three weeks.
The size of the part also dictates how quickly you can build it. Most times when you&#;re ordering a part you don&#;t have the flexibility to change its size. That&#;s one thing in favor of CNC. Depending on what you&#;re looking for, you can break it into smaller parts, glue them together and get a much faster part without having to CNC a very large piece.
5 | Do you have to make your prototype out of the same material that you&#;re making the part out of?
I have it on good authority that this is not a dumb question. Again, what&#;s the purpose of the part? For functional testing, you want the material to be close to what you're planning to use for the final product. Maybe you want it to feel soft, you&#;ll want to prototype in a material that will closely match the feel you're going for. But if you&#;re trying to confirm your design, say your product is supposed to be hard/rigid, it doesn&#;t matter if you use something that&#;s super rigid or semi-rigid. As long as it&#;s in the ballpark, you&#;ll get what you&#;re looking for.
REMEMBER:
- Focus on the problem you&#;re really trying to solve. Only prototype the part you need to have.
- If you&#;re concerned about the strength of a part, use a method and material that will give you the best information about that concern.
Prototyping is an exciting step. Doing your research, asking questions and making sure you understand the answers will keep your project moving forward.
Additional reading:
How a Startup Can Minimize Investment Cost and Start Production Sooner
How Small Design Changes Can Affect Product Development Pricing
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