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product development

What Custom Manufacturing Solutions Can Turn Your Design into A Physical Prototype Faster?

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Your product may be able to beat the competition to market if you use rapid prototyping to build components and test for component fit and function before putting the product on the market. After completing your tests and doing your analysis, you may make modifications to the design, the materials, the size, the form, the assembly, the color, the ability to be manufactured, and the level of strength.

Product design teams in today’s world have access to a wide variety of rapid prototyping techniques. In the production of prototypes, certain prototyping procedures use time-honored manufacturing techniques, while other technologies have just lately come into existence.

What is Rapid Prototyping?

Within the context of product development, rapid prototyping is a frequent early phase that involves rapidly iterating upon an original concept. The product designer or engineering team’s major emphasis during this phase of product development is testing the fit, form, and working of the product or component. This design will often be what is referred to as the minimum viable product, or MVP since it consists of just the most important elements that are required to test the product and get feedback from users. During this phase of product development, speed is often the most valuable asset, so quick-turn or digital manufacturing technologies like CNC machining or 3D printing are typically selected. Because of this, product designers can test several iterations, also known as designs, within a short amount of time, which speeds up the process of finalizing the design.

CNC Machining Services

Machining via computer numerical control (CNC) is a kind of subtractive manufacturing that requires a milling machine operated by a computer. It is one of the most typical methods used in the prototype of prototypes. Blocks of metal, plastic, or wood may be used to fabricate items with this method, which also involves the removal of layers.

Makers of prototypes use CNC machining services since it is a quick and cost-effective method for customers who need just a few prototypes. Furthermore, CNC machines can cut through a wide variety of materials, making it much simpler to create accurate components with a high production rate and great surface finishes. You may use this approach to build pieces with a high level of detail using a process known as rapid prototyping.

3D Printing Services

Engineers looking for rapid prototyping solutions often turn to 3D printing as their primary resource. The designers can print the customized pieces in a range of metals and polymers at a low cost and very short amount of time.

It is a form of manufacturing known as additive manufacturing, and it mixes many layers of different materials to make prototypes. After that, designers may utilize these components to identify any issues and make adjustments before moving to mass manufacturing.

SLA 3D printing (also known as stereolithography) and SLS 3D printing are the two types of 3D printing services used most often (Selective Laser Sintering). These processes result in surfaces with varying degrees of smoothness and various mechanical qualities. Let’s take a detailed look at each of them.

Rapid Tooling

The process of rapid tooling is also referred to as prototype tooling. Designers use this technique in the process of making molds for various components. Vacuum casting and rapid injection molding are two examples of the procedures included in this technology.

Rapid tooling allows you to manufacture molds for your prototype out of various rubber, metal, or plastic materials, giving you a lot of design flexibility. Rapid tooling is the ideal choice to consider when you require more than one hundred batches of a prototype. In addition, you can construct small batch orders, which can then be used for marketing, product assessments, and the creation of processes.

product development

Benefits of Rapid Prototyping

For businesses to maintain their position as market leaders in today’s economy, they must continually innovate and launch new goods. Because of this, rapid product development and innovative thinking are very necessary for the success of a firm. Because of this, rapid prototyping has evolved into an essential component of developing new products.

The following are some of the advantages:

  • A more practical rate of product development

When businesses use rapid tooling, CNC machining, or 3D printing, they can generate bespoke components and prototypes considerably more quickly than before. As a direct consequence of this, the client’s ability to introduce new goods is facilitated by the shortened timescale for product design and development. Additionally, design teams can more rapidly explore and develop ideas.

  • Decreased Expenditures on New Product Development

Efficiency in both time and money may be achieved via rapid prototyping. With the same piece of machinery, it is possible to produce several designs and components out of a variety of materials, hence reducing both production time and material costs.

  • Enables the Conduct of Comprehensive Tests

The ability of designers and engineers to evaluate the functioning of the final pieces before they are created is one of the benefits of having a prototype. With rapid prototyping services, manufacturers can construct intricate designs employing a diverse range of components. By employing only low-volume prototypes, they cannot only extensively test and evaluate ideas but also reduce the number of design defects.

  • Effective Methods for Analyzing Materials

Before beginning manufacturing in large quantities, it is important to determine which materials will provide the product with the greatest results. Engineers can experiment with various materials, such as aluminum, plastic, or silicone, using 3D printing, CNC machining, and rapid tooling. This helps them identify which material works best for their application. They also can pick the materials that will work better for the product that the end-user will use without incurring any additional fees.

  • There Is Less Danger

When a corporation begins the final production process, having a prototype ready to go reduces the amount of risk that the company is exposed to. The manufacturer can make low-volume units for testing with the assistance of rapid prototyping before going all out, which requires significant financial commitments. Any modifications to the plan may be included in the early stages of creating the prototype, should those be necessary.

A business specializing in rapid prototyping may bring design concepts to life for market research and functional testing by using a variety of materials and technologies. In addition, these technologies can deliver individualized components and prototypes in the quickest amount of time conceivable.

To assist the design of your product, we provide you with rapid prototyping services and production options. Your concept will be brought to life via the creation of prototypes and genuine end-user goods, which will accelerate the process of bringing your items to market. In addition, our skilled group of designers will produce high-quality models of the design in the shortest amount of time feasible.

 

 

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The Development Status Of Rapid Prototyping In China

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Technological innovation, industrial production, new product development and shortening the development cycle, including artificial intelligence, 5G construction, these are already inseparable from rapid prototyping technology. The development of this type of technology in the West is nearly half century earlier than that in China.  with the development and application of new materials today, CNC machining and 3D printing have become popular all over the world. So, what is the status quo of China prototype technology development? We analyze from the following perspectives:

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3D Printing

This production process was first introduced from the West, but currently Chinese prototype manufacturers have been constantly innovating and improving, and have produced many printing equipment that meet the needs of different industries, and the cost is very low, ordinary people can buy, for example: one set Ordinary 3D printing equipment can be purchased for 300USD, which can print models in many colors using PLA and TPU materials.

Since 3D printing is very autonomy, you only need to import the CAD model of the part (STL format), and you can print it yourself. For prototypes with complex shapes, it can save a lot of time, and does not require traditionally manufactured tools, chucking, and positioning. From this perspective, such a process is very suitable for the intelligent and unmanned production of Industry 4.0. However, there are not many 3D printing metal materials in China at present. Many prototype companies do not have such capabilities. Even if they are available, they will be enormous expensive. Moreover, the surface of the printed metal parts is relatively rough. Chinese suppliers prefer to use CNC to mill the metal parts. This processing technology has been very mature and professional in China.

CNC Machining Services

This kind of processing technology is the choice of most suppliers in China, including lathe, milling, grinding, EDM, etc. This is because the early labor cost was relatively low and the raw materials were cheap.At that time, CNC was only used for mass production. Later, it was accompanied by with the rise of rapid prototyping, people find that it can also play an important role in it. From CAD drawings to the end parts, it can be completed quickly in a short time.

Today, people have higher and higher requirements for CNC machining, so high-speed cutting and high-precision technology have developed rapidly and are widely used in high-end CNC machine tools. High-speed cutting has high processing efficiency, high precision, and low unit cost. Apply new machine tool kinematics theory and advanced drive technology, optimize the machine tool structure, adopt high-performance functional parts, lightweight moving parts, and reduce motion inertia. In high-speed machining, high speed, medium cutting depth and fast feed, and multiple strokes are more advantageous. With the support of tool materials and structure, it has developed from single tool cutting high-speed machining to comprehensive high-precision machining. As one of modern advanced manufacturing technologies, it has been more and more widely used. Aerospace, automotive, and mold manufacturing, coupled with the country’s emphasis on manufacturing, have pushed the technology forward.

Rapid Tooling

  • Silicon mold: currently it has become one of important rapid manufacturing processes for plastic parts low volume production, due to the process of making mold fast and easily ,in particular ,it could save money hugely to compare with the traditional steel mold ,for those people who want to get the products ready urgently ,no better process than this one .

 

  • Rapid injection mold: in the beginning ,Chinese prototype manufacturers prefer to use aluminum mold ,rather than steel mold ,because it’s more cheaper .However ,the tooling life is short ,and the quality of injected parts are not enough good, So aluminum mold is going to die step by step ,at least ,right now it rarely see people to make aluminum mold,in contrast, Steel mold is still the trend,although the molding time is a bit long .

Surface Finishing

Today ，Chinese government is very strict with the management of environment protection，so there are many anodized shops ,chrome plated shops..etc that are being demanded without pollution production，cleaning room, using the healthy original material. Thus, the quality of finished parts have been improved as well. In the meantime ,the government stuff often visit these shops to make sure and supervise the daily work is going well .

The Skills of Technician

Currently regarding of the skills of technician ,it is becoming less and less in China ，almost all prototype companies are eager to hire the technician who is an enthusiastic and motivated,talented ,smart and hardworking .However ,this situation is very harder, because more and more young people are not willing to join this sector .This is a big problem and challenge we have to face .Some entrepreneurs are adding the salary and reduce the work time to attract those excellent technician to join them . And also , some companies even hire the engineering member with vast experiences and knowledge who is phenomenal in the industry can be part-time job. Thus, they can help to make the training, technological guidance, and teaching job .

prototype industry in China

Conclusion

Due to be with rapid economic development, China has become the second largest economy in the world. Chinese government is more and more serious with the traditional manufacturing industry and technological innovation, to support and encourage enterprise reform and innovation constantly, even provides subsidies for some high-tech enterprises, So We believe that rapid prototyping technology will make great development and continuous progress in the future .