How is Rapid Prototyping Manufacturing Different from Traditional Manufacturing?

by Hydrovern Heroes The Hydrovern Heroes

Before you go into the detailing of rapid prototyping manufacturing, you should go through the traditional way of manufacturing. And you can take an auto part to study the process of making a part.

You design a product on paper and send it for manufacturing where it is carved out of a steel plate. Since the cutting and molding are done with manual tools, it is never perfect. Also, you could make changes in the design after getting a model. The first model will be the wastage of raw material, but it will play a crucial role in product designing.

In plastic injection moulding, the process of designing is completed by a computer. And there is no wastage of material of time. Also, you can easily make changes in the computer-aided design. The computer will execute the changes and show the design. When approved, a computer-guided machine will produce a prototype that you can use for marketing and mass production.

Before you send a product for mass production, you want to see how the product looks like and whether it works as expected. You want to make a model of that product. Earlier, it was a labor-intensive, time-consuming, and expensive affair. But computer-aided design has made it easier to design products on computers.

Rapid prototyping manufacturing is product designing on a computer where you can see the design in 3-dimensions. If you want, you can make changes in the design and send it for production when you are satisfied that the product looks like its design. A computer-guided machine will cut a metal plate in the right size to make a prototype.

You can take a prototype as the final product that you can take to the market to make a final opinion on whether to go for mass production. If your idea clicks, the prototype will generate a huge response and encourage you to order mass production of the product. Prototype making will save you cost and time.

Plastic injection moulding is the process of making plastic parts. And the manufacturing process is the same. First, a prototype is made for study, and then its mass production starts. And you can rest assured that all the parts will have the same design, shape, size, and weight. Mass production of products becomes easy, quick, and affordable.

Which products go for prototyping?

Automobile makers use prototyping for smaller parts used in assembly lines. Similarly, the healthcare industry requires prototyping to make small parts used in machines like x-ray, ultrasound, and CAT-scan. If you make small parts and you are still using the traditional way of cutting metal and plastic with manual tools, then you should take advantage of the latest prototyping technology that gives excellent results.