What Is Rapid Prototyping?
Rapid prototyping is a group of techniques used to quickly fabricate a scale model of a physical part or assembly using 3D computer-aided design (CAD). The defining trait of 3D printing or additive manufacturing is it does not require any tooling and provides almost unlimited freedom in what designs or forms can be produced. Thanks to these capabilities, any business can easily speed up its product development timeframes without spending too much on additional equipment. Here’s how rapid prototyping can boost your productivity.
Shorter Lead Times
In any industry, time is a resource that you can’t afford to waste, and the same goes for product development. The traditional way of manufacturing prototypes and their many iterations can be a time-consuming process. However, with rapid prototyping, you can easily create prototypes and improve upon them through 3D printing services. There’s no need to recreate a mould and when building a redesigned or updated prototype. Your engineers don’t have to worry about the time required to perfect their final designs as they can be quickly updated and manufactured.
Cost-Efficient Models
One of the biggest challenges for businesses during the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic is the necessity to cut back on costs. The global economy was essentially put to a standstill, with many industries experiencing decreased revenue or none at all. While cutting back costs means reducing the budget for all operations, that doesn’t mean innovation needs to stop.
3D printing is a cost-effective way to design, manufacture, and modify new innovative products. Engineers can easily design parts with geometries and interlocking features that traditional manufacturing techniques and machinery cannot emulate. This leads to a reduction in costs for part optimisation.
Customisation Options
One of the most significant advantages of rapid prototyping is the possibility of customisation. To become a globally competitive brand, you need to incorporate customisation and personalisation in your products. Since you can customise your designs digitally and produce an accurate prototype, customisation isn’t just possible, but it’s also quick and efficient. Customisation can also be used when creating prototypes for a presentation for different clients, investors, and shareholders. You can easily produce tailor-made products that suit your client’s needs.
Complex Products
Finally, with the amount of flexibility and freedom that rapid prototyping offers, you can create products with a level of complexity that’s hard to match. Because of this benefit, companies are now starting to shift to exclusively 3D printed and rapidly prototyped products that surpass the complexity and accuracy of other machinery and manufacturing equipment.
Conclusion
Rapid prototyping has now cemented its status as an essential element of the design, engineering, and manufacturing process. The ability to explore and realise concepts in a short amount of time has provided a lot of opportunities for businesses and organisations. In a few years, rapid prototyping will become so commonplace that it will finally be the new standard in product development worldwide.
3D Quick Printing is a trusted name across the UK when it comes to providing timely and accurate 3D printing services. With just a simple CAD design, we can make your concept a reality. We can support your rapid prototyping projects at reasonable rates. Contact us today to get a 3D printing service quote.
