How Dose Rapid Prototyping Process For Various Applications

Hafiz Pan
2024年5月30日
1:46 am

Rapid prototyping is a typical early step in the product development process. It is a fast and reliable iterative approach involving the use of CNC machining or 3D computer-aided design (CAD) to fabricate a physical part or assembly. The focus of the product designer or engineering team during the rapid prototyping phase of product development is on usability testing to ensure the part fulfills the purpose of the design. This design is usually called the minimum viable product (MVP) because it comprises of the features required to conduct tests and gather feedback.ot

The Role Of Rapid Prototyping In Custom Machining

3D Printing Prototyping
Rapid prototyping is crucial in advancing products through the strict validation stages of product development towards mass production. This production process allows engineers and designers to make prototypes from digital model models generated in CAD software faster and perform efficient and continuous design modifications according to real-world testing and feedback. Rp technology allows you to make a high-fidelity prototype with a design closely matching the proposed finished part. In contrast, low-fidelity prototyping creates a prototype part with significant differences from the final product.

Unlike traditional subtractive, rapid prototyping with 3D printing technology serves unlimited form freedom in custom machining. It offers remarkable speed during this product development phase, allowing your custom products to reach the market faster. Moreover, RP technology reduces the costs of custom machining since product teams do not necessarily have to invest in tooling or manufacturing equipment required for a production run of parts.

Moreover, small-scale and more affordable manufacturing processes, including injection molding with aluminum tooling, CNC machining, or 3D printing, can meet the manufacturing demands of rapid prototyping at considerably lower costs.

Advantages Of The Rapid Prototyping Processes

advantages of rapid prototyping

Rapid prototyping offers extensive benefits in creating and introducing new products to the ever-growing consumer market. Below are their common advantages:

Effective Idea Communication
Physical models encourage product designers and engineers to discuss their concepts with collaborators, clients, and customers, conveying ideas in ways not achievable by visualizing screen designs. Rapid prototyping helps product developers gather clear and actionable user feedback to fully understand user needs and optimize their design to meet expectations.

Cost and Time-Saving
3D printing technology doesn’t require expensive tooling and setup. It can use the same equipment to produce different geometries. More so, in-house rapid prototyping prevents the high costs and lead time involved in outsourcing

Design Iteration and Instant Incorporation of Changes
Generally, design is an iterative process that requires countless rounds of testing, evaluation, and improvement before achieving a finished product. Rapid prototyping with 3D printing guarantees the flexibility necessary for faster production of more realistic prototypes and instant change implementation. Thereby elevating this critical trial-and-error process.

Easy Concepts Realization and Exploration

Rapid prototyping promotes initial design ideas to low-risk concept explorations that are very similar to real products in no time. It helps designers transcend beyond virtual visualization by facilitating an easy understanding of how the design looks and feels and comparing the concepts.

Thorough Testing and Design Flaw Mitigation

Early detection and correction of design flaws can help you avoid costly design revisions and tooling changes in product design and manufacturing in the long run. Product engineers can thoroughly test prototypes that look and function like the final products using rapid prototyping processes. Hence, this mitigates the risks of usability and manufacturability challenges before transitioning to production.

Comparing Prototyping Processes

Rapid Prototyping Process
Engineers and product designers rely on various rapid manufacturing processes in the design process. These processes use varying prototyping tools to provide desired results. Here are the commonly applied processes:

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This automated process involves using a computer-controlled C02 laser to draw on a hotbed of nylon-based powder from the bottom, where it fuses the powder into a solid. A roller lays a new layer of powder on the bad after each layer, repeating the cycle.

SLS uses either elastomeric TPU powders or rigid nylon like actual engineering thermoplastics. Hence, products made with SLS are accurate and exhibit greater toughness. However, they often bear rough surfaces and lack fine detail. SLS is suitable for handling high-volume production and durable parts with intricate geometries.

The SLS process creates durable and more accurate prototypes and production-quality parts than SLA. It can make complex parts suitable for functional testing. However, this process has restricted resin choice, and its parts often bear grainy or sandy texture.

Stereolithography (SLA)
stereolithography sla prototyping
Stereolithography (SLA) Prototyping
SLA is a common prototyping technique that uses a computer-controlled laser to create products in a pool of UV-curable photopolymer resin. The laser traces out and cures a cross-section of the product’s design on the surface of the liquid resin. Then, the hardened layer is lowered below the liquid resin’s surface as the process is repeated.

Each newly formed and cured layer joins the layer below it. This process continues the cycle till the part has been completed. This process is widely embraced across industries due to its material versatility, high resolution, and precision.

Unlike other technologies used in prototyping, SLA is best suited for making parts with intricate features and excellent surface finish for complex designs, cosmetic prototypes, and concept models. Moreover, the technology is available from several sources and offers competitive costs.

However, prototype parts made using the SLA process may not be as strong as those from engineering-grade resins. Hence, SLA-produced parts have limited use for functional testing. Similarly, parts made using SLA are compatible with minimal UV and humidity to prevent degradation even though parts undergo a UV cycle to harden the outer surface.

熱溶解積層法
This rapid prototyping technique creates finished prototypes with an extrusion method that sublimes and re-solidifies thermoplastic resin in layers. Polycarbonate, ABS, and ABS/polycarbonate thermoplastic resins are typical materials used in FDM. FDM prototypes are usually stronger than binder jetting because they use real thermoplastic resins. Hence, its use for functional testing may be limited.

Parts produced with FDM have moderate prices and are relatively strong, making them suitable for functional testing. The FDM process creates products with complex geometries. FDM parts possess a poor finish with a noticeable rippled effect. Unlike SLA or SLS, FDM is a slower additive process with limited suitability for functional testing.

射出成形

rapid injection molding
Rapid Injection Molding
Rapid injection molding involves injecting thermoplastic resins into a mold. However, the process is rapid due to the technology used to create the mold. Unlike the traditional steel employed in production molds, molds used in rapid injection molding are usually made from aluminum.

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