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Product design and development

Why Is Rapid Prototyping Manufacturing Essential After Done Product Design?

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You’ve been assigned to a new project team charged with designing, developing, and releasing a new product. You and your colleagues get down and begin hammering out ideas for the product’s purpose, design, and other elements.

Following that, you’ll boot up your computer and install a rapid prototyping software design tool, where you’ll input the product specifications you developed to produce an electronic 3D model of the new product. What happens now? Many designs and product development teams make the catastrophic error of preceding rapid prototyping to create a physical replica of the product.

the importance of rapid prototyping

Assume you forego rapid prototyping services and methods in favor of marketing the product. You are getting a high volume of hits and favorable feedback from existing and prospective consumers.

However, you uncover significant design problems after your new product is manufactured. Additionally, you notice that some of the features you have been marketing do not perform as intended. You may proceed with the release of the product as-is. However, if you do, you already know that once specifics about the final updated product are released, it will not sell as expected.

On the other side, you may postpone the product’s release to address design defects and functioning difficulties. However, by doing so, you risk having to refund any pre-orders you obtained from clients who may be unwilling to wait many months or more while you correct the errors.

As this example demonstrates, skipping rapid prototyping may rapidly end your outstanding product ideas and concepts. Rapid prototyping early in the product development process, after the creation of your product design on a computer, provides various product development advantages, including the following:

Product design and development

It identifies and resolves design flaws, mistakes, and other difficulties early in the development process.

As we all know, it is more expensive to attempt to correct these sorts of issues once a product has been manufactured. It satisfies the need by providing product rendering and visualization and assisting in Product Design and Development by identifying design defects, promoting innovation, and ensuring functionality—capacity for rigorously testing and refining a notion. Using a limited volume rapid prototype run to reduce design problems eliminates expensive design flaws that may not be apparent in early assessment.

Creates a physical product from your ideas and 3D computer images.

It might not be easy to visualize how the product should appear and how it looks without prototyping—the ability to explain ideas succinctly and effectively.  Prototyping services transform ideas, pictures, and concepts into tangible things that customers, coworkers, and partners can witness in action.

Reduces resource waste.

By prototyping, you may prevent squandering massive amounts of cash if you go into production and uncover a slew of issues. Rapid prototyping enables engineers to evaluate a single component that needs several components and assembly when produced for end-use. Consolidating several machined or manufactured components throughout the prototyping phase saves money and enables engineers to experiment with new designs and part functions.

Easily adjustable and troubleshoot able.

Prototyping enables you to modify your design and address any issues easily. Eliminate the requirement for setup and tooling to save time and money. Price and lead times are minimized because you can use the same equipment to create various features and materials prototypes.

Allows you to give personalization choices to your consumers.

Because prototyping enables the creation of personalized designs, you can use the same techniques to create customized goods for your consumers. Customizing a product for a certain client or consumer base significantly increases sales potential. Whether a customer demands customization to align with their unique products or consumer demand exists for a comparable secondary product with a few adjustments, customization may significantly boost bottom lines.

When modification requests arise after the product has been launched, the development procedure often imposes a cost on the current prototype manufacturing. However, rapid prototyping enables you to quickly construct models that demonstrate the modifications without affecting the production of the final product.

It enables you to deliver items to present and prospective clients physically.

It’s one thing to demonstrate a three-dimensional computer graphic and discuss how a product will benefit your present and prospective consumers. It is quite another to put a tangible and functional prototype in their hands and allow them to experience these advantages firsthand.

No product design process ever concludes with the prototype. Rapid prototyping enables the creation of hundreds of variants, incorporating adjustments at each stage and refining every minuscule aspect before the final product. Creating a realistic model during the trial-and-error stage of this approach is much easier.

It enables you to solicit insightful comments from your target audience.

Apart from allowing individuals to test the goods, you can also seek their comments to refine the product before entering production.

Consumer input is crucial at introducing any new product, and consumers must be engaged or impressed for your product or company to prosper. It would be best to have a channel of contact with your target market to comprehend their ideas and emotions about the product and iterate appropriately.

It is another area where rapid prototypes may help your company significantly. You may conduct focus groups and feedback sessions with your prototypes, alter them quickly and affordably based on input from the focus groups, and then reintroduce the updated product to the group (s).

Once your prototype is complete, keep in mind that you may need to tweak, redesign, and make other adjustments until your product is what you want. Additionally, it would help construct a prototype for each product modification before completing the product design and going into full-scale manufacture.

Summary

Rapid prototyping service enables you to cut your design-to-production time in half, spend two to ten times less for prototypes, and evaluate novel materials, component geometries, and engineering possibilities. Additionally, we provide no minimum order numbers, which means you may employ 3D printing or other prototype manufacturing services .

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions regarding quick machining, prototyping services, or if you need assistance with product design and engineering. We provide various services, including custom injection molding, CNC machining, investment casting, and value-added value engineering.

rapid prototype model for product design

How much do you know about Rapid Prototyping Services?

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Rapid prototyping entails specialized manufacturing methods to create high-quality physical models of a 3D design concept. Prototypes may get used to upgrade designs as stepping stones to total production or for engineering tests. They get designed to be cost-effective and straightforward, with no investment in complex tooling required. Many customers need a physical part to get produced promptly to validate a design or capitalize on a brief sales opportunity.

It is a set of methods used to generate a model of a part from CAD data rapidly. The component can get built using CNC milling technology, 3D printing, or additive layer manufacturing.

  • CNC milling technology – CNC machining is very effective in Prototype manufacturing from various materials such as metal, wood, and plastic. For now more and more people prefer this process to develop their new products.
  • 3D printing – This is an additive manufacturing process that produces functional prototypes using CAD data and 3D printers. The most of advantage of this process is without the structure limited on the part.
  • Additive layer manufacturing – Laminated object manufacturing and solid ground curing are two other additive manufacturing processes. It’s new and modern manufacturing way .

rapid prototype model for product design

What are the Advantages of Rapid Prototyping?

Whether you are an engineer, industrial designer, or part of a product development team, rapid prototyping services will provide you with many benefits, including:

  • The ability to quickly explore and cost-effectively realize concepts. Quick turnaround times and low costs enable teams to progress far beyond the visualization of an idea, making it easier to understand the physical world’s properties and design.
  • Reiterate designs and incorporate changes that allow for improved product evaluation and functional testing. This iterative approach serves as a road map for designing and refining the final product before releasing it to the market, ensuring that the client’s design is optimized and error-free.
  • Show ideas concisely and successfully. Rapid prototyping transforms thoughts, pictures, and concepts from a notion or two-dimensional visual into tangible goods that customers, colleagues, and collaborators can hold and see in action.
  • The capability of thoroughly testing and refining a concept. The ability to mitigate design flaws with small-volume rapid Prototype manufacturing aids in the elimination of expensive design flaws that may not be apparent during an early evaluation.
  • By eliminating the need for setup and tooling, one can save time and money by using rapid prototype services. Because they can use the same equipment to create different prototypes with different properties and materials, overall costs and turnaround time is minimum.

What are the Disadvantages of Rapid Prototyping?

There are a few drawbacks to using rapid prototyping services that we should consider. Here is the list of few disadvantages of Rapid prototyping:

  • Sometimes prototype cannot present exactly the performance of the end product.
  • Issues with matching strength and surface finish using 3D printing technology.
  • Additional upfront costs
  • Some rapid prototyping processes are not cost-effective.
  • Skilled labor is required to create a perfect model according to the product design.
  • Materials available for use are limited.
  • It could also lead to insufficient analysis.

What are the different types of Rapid Prototyping Services?

CNC Machining

CNC machining is perfect for producing high-quality rapid prototypes out of plastic or metal without the need for costly tooling. Components will have tighter tolerances and better surface finishes than those made by other prototype services. Also, companies can machine all of the features required for a fully functional portion, such as tapped and threaded holes and exactly flat surfaces and all kinds of finished requirements .

For all CNC needs, companies have over 30 CNC mills, lathes, and EDM machines on-site. They also have a multilingual support team to ensure that the product development journey is as easy and stress-free as possible.

Metal 3D Printing

Metal 3D printing is perfect for creating complicated shapes that are light in weight but strong in strength. Complex tooling is not required, and it can print parts in hours rather than days or weeks.

To develop completely dense sections for maximum performance, companies use a cutting-edge Renishaw AM250 printer. Equally important, they have in-house specialist technicians who can provide clients with an unrivaled engineering knowledge level to ensure clients get the best quality finished product.

Vacuum Casting

Polyurethane vacuum casting molds should produce up to 30 high-fidelity copies of the original master pattern. Parts may be overloaded in different materials and molded in various resins, including engineering-grade plastics. It is suitable for low volume production plastic, rubber products with fast turn around .  And also ,it can get saved much more cost to compare with plastic injection molding , so this is a big advantage .

Companies specialize in producing high-quality cast copies from master patterns. The client will benefit not only from companies’ outstanding attention to detail, but they also offer a complete suite of finishing services to take part up to showroom quality.

SLA Prototype

SLA is one of the first plastic 3D printing or additive manufacturing processes. These techniques are not only rapid, but they also allow you to create complicated internal features that are difficult to produce using traditional manufacturing methods. To make master patterns for vacuum casting molds, companies use SLA. It is best suited for producing small quantities of finished parts or prototypes.

CONCLUSION

With technological innovations, it is high time to adopt the latest manufacturing, rapid prototyping to save time, money, and the effort to create the new product. This type of technology is essential during new product development process and innovations.

Medical device prototyping

The Contact of Prototype Manufacturing in Medical Industry

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Apart from printing 3D models, industrial rapid prototypes and other models for different industries, additive manufacturing has evolved substantially in medical industry. Because this technique offers personalized solutions, it has a great impact on health. If you want to know some of these advances, we show you the most interesting medical device prototyping innovations with 3D technology.

Medical device prototyping

Some Advances in 3D Printing for Modern Medical Industry

Since its inception, the ease of printing 3D models and other designs has found a fertile field in medical device to give less expensive and more efficient alternative treatments. With the development of materials, technologies and techniques, many people can now turn to medical device  innovations with 3D technology such as:

  • 3D printing and biological materials.

Progress in this area is unstoppable. From blood vessels to connective tissue to skin printing, the usefulness and expansion of this innovative technology in the medical field is enormous. Hearing aids, prostheses, bones and even ears can already be produced with 3D printers.

  • Uses in optogenetics.

This cutting-edge technique is used to stimulate groups of neurons in the brain. Genetics, virology and optical study are mixed in this scientific and experimental branch. Great advances are being made in this regard by treating neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and it is proven to be really effective against disorders and ailments such as insomnia or anxiety. Light is the protagonist of this innovative medical technique functioning as an inducing agent. You can learn more about this technique in the following link.

  • Hybrid operating rooms.

Hybrid or smart operating rooms are often equipped with sufficient technology to perform diagnosis and intervention. High-quality images, intraoperative tomography, and MRIs are present in the same room, thus optimizing the operating process. The use of these operating rooms minimizes the risks of patients, who are normally transferred between different rooms, makes it possible to diagnose and intervene at the same time, it is less invasive and it allows patients to recover faster, spending less time in the hospital.

  • Customized drugs.

There are many patients who need a large amount of medical device to cope with their ailments. Since standardized doses do not work the same for everyone, 3D drug delivery appeared. Dr. Min Pu and his team developed an algorithm that analyzes the person’s data to create the precise dosage and print it out using special software.

  • Preparation and 3D training.

Faced with the challenge of doing very specific or complicated operations, the study of the human body has had to evolve. Using MRIs and CT scans, surgeons can create high-resolution 2D and 3D images. With the help of virtual reality programs, they prepare their procedures with more precision and detail.

  • Use of microchips in clinical trials.

Research in medical industry is being accelerated thanks to pieces that are no more than a thumb but are of enormous utility. The so-called microfluidic chips, in addition to speeding up research, reduce the use of research animals.Its function is the movement of microscopic amounts of chemical elements through cell cultures of lungs, livers, kidneys or hearts. These technological innovations in health make it possible to test combinations of active principles on a wide variety of cell types and study the relationships produced.It is a very efficient method and one that optimizes research. By selecting stem cells from the patient, the specific effects of drugs can be observed without side effects or useless treatments.

  • Wearable technology in the medical

The improvement in the relationship between the professional and the patient and the acceleration of diagnostic times are some of the advantages of the use of wearables. That is, garments or accessories with built-in devices that collect and transmit relevant information. Some examples of technological innovations in the form of wearable are the following.

  • Smart clothing to monitor body data.

T-shirts, gloves, helmets or bracelets can become information collection systems of a cardiovascular nature, for example, vital for the analysis and monitoring of patients. Monitoring stress or anxiety in users allows to detect, control and diagnose in a much more effective way. Another example is the bras that help detect breast cancer.

  • Smart glasses.

Numerous brands are producing their own version of this technology. Perhaps the best known are the Google Glasses. The uses of this type of technology are very varied, they can be used both to visualize data, as in the case of professionals, and to help you fall asleep, in the case of glasses from the company Sana Heatlh. There are also projects for smart lenses that prevent glaucoma.

  • Digital pickups.

Also known as the e-pill, it is a possible technological revolution in the medical industry. It consists of an edible sensor that controls the presence of the pill in the body through a receptor patch. The information is sent to a mobile app and the implementation of this system can lead to significant structural health savings.

aluminum fan blade machined

The Benefits of Prototyping And Low Volume Manufacturing In The Aerospace

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The aerospace and defense sector was perhaps the first industry to incorporate additive manufacturing into its production process, dating back to 1988 when some leading companies in the sector began to experiment with this new technology. Over the years, additive manufacturing has become more important in the aerospace industry and currently accounts for more than 10% of total industry revenue.

Additive prototype manufacturing (or CNC prototyping) in the aerospace sector is used for both simple elements of the interior of the plane and for complex parts of the engine  Additive manufacturing in the aerospace sector is used for both simple elements of the interior of the aircraft and for complex parts of the engine

aluminum fan blade machined

Aerospace industry

The different current applications of CNC machined prototype in the aerospace sector cover both the manufacture of simple objects, such as armrests, to complex parts and different engine components. Applications such as printing of wings and aircraft parts under microgravity conditions are foreseeable in the near future.

Some of the advantages that CNC prototyping brings to this sector are:

  • Reduced time to market: Companies can with CNC prototyping rapidly build prototypes with the required fit, shape and functionality, speeding up design cycles and thereby reducing time to market.
  • Complex Design Tools – The ability to 3D print freeform designs aids in the construction of tools or accessories that are difficult or impossible to produce with traditional machining techniques.

CNC prototyping can create cooling channels that adapt to the required curvature.

  • Low-cost tooling: Not only does CNC prototyping allow companies to quickly design and test new products, it also helps reduce the cost of manufacturing tooling and accessories.
  • Complex part design: CNC prototype enables the design of products with geometries that are difficult to create through traditional prototype manufacturing. Parts can be designed without looking at how they accommodate manufacturing capabilities (which is the case with traditional methods), but instead are designed to offer maximum efficiency. For example, CNC prototyping is already used in aviation to create turbine blades with complex geometric shapes that optimize airflow, which is difficult and time-consuming in traditional prototype manufacturing.
  • Simplification of parts: Additive manufacturing or CNC prototyping, allows the manufacture of multiple parts as a single component, thus reducing the assembly effort.

Embedded electronics (embedded): CNC prototype offers the possibility of adding embedded electronics in the part’s own prototype manufacturing, offering a great opportunity for product innovation. In the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) industry, this application of CNC prototyping is gaining strong momentum.

Applications of prototyping in the aerospace sector

Some of the direct applications of  prototype manufacturing in the aerospace industry:

  • Modeling and prototyping.
  • Low volume manufacturing of complex aerospace parts.
  • Spare parts machining.
  • Machined tooling parts.
  • Printing of very specific or specialized pieces (for example for space exploration).
  • Machining of structures with low weight and high resistance materials.Such as: Titanium

Importance

Currently there is an alternative that the machining industry has found to offer greater reliability in the various products it offers, it is called the manufacture of industrial prototypes. It refers to the ability to test or test a component before it is finally manufactured, assuming a substantial advantage in terms of time and cost savings. In this way, with industrial prototypes, possible weaknesses of the component can be detected before it is put into service. Likewise, the quality of the material is verified and if it can meet the requirements and demands of the service. CNC prototyping is an area of ​​the machining industry that can perfectly provide a solid foundation for product safety.

Technological innovation has made it possible to offer a wide variety of methods using CAD / CAM technology. Assisted prototype manufacturing, for example, stands out for its versatility in guaranteeing a product with all the details that the one who wants to manufacture needs. The responsibilities of the industrial prototype designer lie in knowing the functionality of a number of tools and procedures such as laser sintering. Likewise, the manufacture of industrial CNC prototyping can be done manually or using high-precision machining machine tools. In the same way, the designer must analyze in detail all the aspects through the materials that are delivered by the designers, these may very well be 3D resources, plans or sketches already previously evaluated.

For Industrial Design – The Most Basic Step from Concept to Prototype

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The creation of prototype manufacturing is a great step where the idea stops being a simple concept on paper, and becomes physical, becoming the first test of whether an implement is viable. When it comes to industrial design, carrying out a prototype is a task that requires not only imagination, but also extensive experience in the area. This is because some of products in industrial design tend to work in conjunction with molding that is usually extremely expensive, and in case of failure, if you do not have the necessary experience and knowledge, it can lead to millions in losses.

So we can also note that the rapid prototyping has great benefits. If they are effective, you end up getting a breakthrough when performing a task, providing a service, or saving on production. If the prototype is very successful, it can be patented, becoming a great source of income for its designer and creator. However, for the development of a prototype, a certain number of steps are needed to follow in order to minimize the possibility of errors and losses.

2D Drawing (computer-aided design)

Initially, 2D CAD systems only accelerated the process of producing these design drawings. These tools also make design modifications easier and substantially enhance engineering operations. When 3D CAD systems were introduced in the 1990s, they, too, enhanced processes and designs. Despite 3D capabilities, 2D drawings remain the primary means of transporting a design into a production setting. 2D drawings were vital for most of the contemporary design’s life, perhaps until the last decade.

Before computers, 2D drawings were utilized to specify the requirements of a component completely. In producing a product, such as a bolt or fitting, 2D drawings are utilized as the sole reference. This technique of manufacturing may be traced back to the dawn of technical knowledge. Their history demonstrates their significance; for millennia, 2D drawings were the only means of conveying design information – until CAD arrived.

While there appears to be a declining trend in the utility of 2D drawings in the design world, we will hit an asymptote, most likely above zero, at some time. At this stage, 2D drawings will still be important and valuable in certain ways, but we will spend as little effort refining them or expressing information through them as possible. Historically, we used these drawings to transmit large amounts of part-level data. Because most of this data is now transmitted via CAD models, the only data we must send at a part level is critical.

CNC machining tolerances

Creating a draft & CAD model

It is the first step and obviously ends up being one of the most important. It is the elaboration of a draft of the prototype in question, which ceases to be an idea and becomes reflected on paper. In this way the idea becomes a visual manifestation and you can start working on it.

Once you have a draft, you can seek help from product designers so that you can begin to carry out the necessary studies for your recreation. Depending on the area to be taken, it will be the expert in question. After that, the design begins to be studied in order to continue to the next step.

We can also take into account that the creation of a CAD (Computer-aided design) helps us enormously to plan how to build the prototype model. Recall that currently, most of the creation is assisted by means of machinery and molding, so having the design on a computer greatly facilitates the verification work.

Creating a BOM list

For a single component ,it is not necessary, but if it was a whole set prototype model ,it’s needed. The elaboration of a list of BILL OF MATERIALS (BOM) allows enormously the acceleration of the project. This list is a large and extensive dictation where you can see the raw materials, the various components in use, the instructions for the construction of the components, the manufacture, and in some cases the repair of the prototype itself. This list clearly indicates what the materials are, and the different processes for creating the prototype.

The manufacturing processes of building prototype

Currently we can speak of two types of procedure that are considered to be at the forefront. The first is about 3D printing. This procedure uses machinery that, after having the information related to the product, begins to create it from scratch, commonly using plastic and rubber ,metal , which are the most easily moldable materials. The other viable manufacturing process is known as CNC prototype machining. It is widely used when it comes to metalized and plastic pieces, since it works with a machinery making a kind of carving directly on a piece of block. This process is mostly computerized, resulting in a part of the exact size needed. With this procedure, the prototype will be exactly as planned.

Having already chosen advice for the design and the material of the creation, you should turn to a prototype manufacturer capable of producing the prototype. Choosing a manufacturer is extremely important, since they must be able to carry out the concept studied, the applied design and finally transform it into the part in question.

New Manufacturing Methodologies

You, as an engineer, know how far modern Production has advanced, with workflows going against even only a decade ago. Additive manufacturing is the hot new production technology that everyone is talking about when revolutionizing the design world. Perhaps the most significant shift in the engineering design world has been brought about by gradual, incremental technical advancements in manufacturing processes.

CNC machining services and other kinds of subtractive manufacturing these manufacturing processes used to be analog, requiring the input of a trained artisan to obtain a high output. Because of the requirement for human controls, Sometimes we had to develop 2D drawings except building CAD model .

Conclusion

The experience becomes necessary. UYEE is one of the many prototype companies also focused on the manufacture of the designed prototypes. Through the design, and its extensive experience, it ends up creating an exact prototype to the desired one taking into account measurements, hardness, finished and tolerances of each piece. In this way, the prototype ends up fully fulfilling the work for which it was designed, and can be evaluated for later mass production.

If the steps are followed to perfection, the prototype will yield great benefits. Therefore, it is extremely important that the appropriate steps be followed: the slightest failure will end up resulting in a deficient prototype, which will end up being discarded even though its concept is perfectly viable.