Rapid prototyping refers to creating a full-scale model fast, which helps companies test products, reduce waste, and market products quickly. Engineers can develop geometric forms and models rapidly using advanced physical processes in constructing impromptu products. Rapid prototyping helps fine-tune products with a series of releases. But how can a rapid prototyping company help you?
In this post, you’ll learn what a typical rapid prototyping company does. In that way, you’ll have a better idea about rapid prototyping products and services, and how such companies benefit your business.
Create well-designed product prototypes
Rapid prototyping is used in creating a product’s three-dimensional model, which is used to test the product design and product efficiency before manufacturing in larger quantities. Product testing is not just about the size or shape of a design. It also takes into account the durability and strength of a product.
With the help of a rapid prototyping company, you can easily see any design flaws. In that way, you can fix them during the development stage rather than create high product volumes with defects, which can be very expensive. Don’t compromise your business reputation. Take advantage of rapid prototyping services to ensure that your clients and customers are happy and satisfied with your products.
Here are some ways prototypes can help improve your product design process:
- Expose Key Areas for Design Improvement: With the help of a prototyping company, you can visualize your ideas on a computer screen or a piece of paper. Prototyping allows you to observe how the product will feel and look like. By doing so, you’ll spot the areas needing design improvement. Also, you can check design flaws with your team before the development process.
- Help Iterate Design Concepts Quickly: With iterative design, your product is tested at various stages of design, addressing flaws before the product launch. Iterative design improves and polishes the product in different development stages. A prototyping company has savvy designers using prototyping tools to help you simplify the design process. For instance, prototyping enables you to tweak or change the entire part fast and easy.
- Use of Technology: Most prototypes are created using manufacturing technology, like 3D printing, which allows the creation of prototypes made of stainless steel, titanium, or aluminum. For instance, direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) uses laser beams in melting and fusing metal powders in solid parts.
Produce durable, reliable, and high-quality rapid prototypes
Most rapid prototyping companies produce high-quality prototypes. Prototyping your products allows you to validate the design, test assembly, and prepare for product launch.
By partnering with a trusted and reputable rapid prototyping company, like PrototechAsia.com, you’ll get your prototypes in just a few days. Also, you’ll obtain aesthetically appealing prototypes with excellent functionality.
Rapid prototyping companies can help reduce development cost and time
Even minor tweaks at the last minute of product development may hamper the entire process. It is extremely inconvenient to re-code the design. Also, it consumes too much time. Moreover, what if design issues arise after the production stage of product development? It means you’ll have to pay product developers to address issues, which is an additional cost associated with settlements and campaigns.
That’s why it’s better to hire experts when it comes to creating prototypes. Prototyping allows you to customize and edit a product’s design before the production phase. Don’t waste your production capital for a minor problem; address major and minor product issues at the earliest stage of product development. Be a wise business owner by making everything right the first time. In that way, you’ll be able to realize and meet your business goals without delay caused by design issues.
Ensure understanding of technical aspects of your product
A rapid prototyping company can make several prototypes of your product to make it easy for you and your non-technical clients and investors to understand the technical aspects of your product. Most often than not, investors are impressed with the visual aspect of a product. But you can impress them more by explaining how your product actually works with the help of prototypes.
Rapid prototyping is the answer to the questions and doubts your potential investors might still have in mind, which may restrict them from approving your proposal. However, if you use the services of a trusted and reputable rapid prototyping company, you’ll come up with prototypes as quickly as possible, even on short notice, and be able to exceed the expectations of your target audience, which are your future investors.
For instance, a prototype of a newly designed part of heavy construction equipment will allow you to show the added feature it provides in a manner that’s much better than running the equipment with the part installed. It will save you a lot of money and, at the same time, show its functionality and features to your audience clearly through its prototype. By doing so, investors will be more interested to know about the technical side of your design.
Implement papid prototyping technologies
Rapid prototyping companies use and implement various technologies, such as stereolithography, CNC machining, vacuum casting, and plastic injection. These technologies help bring the best prototypes to clients as quickly as possible.
Here are the details of each rapid prototyping technology:
- Stereolithography: Stereolithography is an additive rapid prototyping technique that works similar to three-dimensional printing. This rapid prototyping technology produces three-dimensional plastic parts with complex shapes. The production or manufacturing is done quickly with the use of equivalent material.
- Vacuum Casting: With vacuum casting, polyurethane material is injected into a silicone mold with nuances and grades similar to a plastic injection. The main benefit of vacuum casting is due to tooling, which is utilized for rapid plastic prototyping.
- Plastic Injection: This rapid prototyping technology is used to create a series of parts in a mold. Simplified aluminum molds can help reduce the costs. Also, aluminum molds can help reduce the time required, wherein the mechanical and visual properties are similar to industrial parts.
- CNC Machining: This rapid prototyping technology ensures that the production of functional and visual parts are close or similar to the series parts. It enables concept validation to make the highest quality products and allows mechanical tests to benefit businesses offering various products requiring rapid prototyping greatly.
Involved in design and manufacturing of rapid prototypes
Rapid prototyping companies have dedicated design departments that offer the best solutions that are tailor-fit to your needs. With this, it’s possible to turn your dream project into reality. Whether you need rapid prototyping services for electronics, automotive, aerospace, medicine, or industrial purposes, an experienced rapid prototyping company can help you attain your goals.
After designing your prototypes, the production phase starts. The manufacture of prototype parts usually happen in a workshop based on the technology used, such as thermoplastic injection, vacuum casting, and CNC machining. It also considers your desired finish, like matte paint finish, soft-touch, mass dyed color, and glossy paint finish.
From technical parts, covers, housing, and cases, a rapid prototyping company can make your ideal product come true. Once the prototypes are manufactured, you’ll receive a notification (usually via email) of the visual representation. The parts are sent, often only within a few days, with a tracking number.
A rapid prototyping company can help you get funded
A prototyping company can come in handy most especially if you’re trying to impress business partners or investors to fund your design. With the help of prototyping experts, you can visually demonstrate the functionality of a part or product that is difficult to do with the larger or full-size version.
Prototypes make it possible for a product function to be explained in words and by using static mockups. Also, prototyping allows investors to see and evaluate the feel, appearance, and behavior of various solutions you want to propose. Prototyping helps investors, researchers, and clients connect with your design, showing that you’re serious and committed to your proposition. It reflects a reasonable effort to demonstrate how your proposed solution works by communicating this to potential investors through prototypes.
A Prototyping company can help you choose a suitable variant
You and your design team members may have various ideas in addressing a user’s problem. Creating a product that will be highly beneficial to your customers is your utmost priority. However, there could be a lot of ideas coming in, thus making the design stage a tedious and long process. It is harder to go to the next step of product development without having coherent thoughts, common goals, and ideas in mind.
With the help of an experienced prototyping company, prototypes can be created with each concept or idea you and your team members have. Instead of debating over what is best for your product, you can prove your point with the help of prototypes. Surely, each member or investor will be able to appreciate the visual and functional aspects of a product more through prototyping.
The comparison process is easier with prototyping than creating full-size versions. Also, people will appreciate the architecture more in prototypes because they’ll be able to see all sides or angles of the product you want to manufacture. With prototypes, you’ll be able to see and feel the layout and other design combinations optimally.
With the help of a rapid prototyping company, you and your partners and investors can decide on the best size, color, texture, and features you want for a product. Thus, decision-making if easier and faster for the benefit of your company. With decisions carefully thought out, you’ll reach your short-term and long-term production goals for the success of your product development process.
Allow you to interact with an actual finished product
You can create a more robust feedback circle with prototypes because you and your investors or clients can see and interact with a smaller version of the actual finished product. You can use the prototype to obtain valuable feedback or suggestions to improve the final product before a full-blown product development phase will commence.
A rapid prototyping company can help you in testing a product design’s responsiveness. For instance, you can create a prototype design and test it in various devices or applications to check the compatibility more realistically.
Alternatively, sharing the design process using a prototyping tool is a good idea so you’ll get people’s feedback instantly. Prototypes are very useful for visual presentations, allowing you to get feedback from your investors, clients, or stakeholders. Because these are highly realistic models, you can minimize doubts, questions, and misunderstandings, as well as gather high-quality reviews or feedback.
A rapid prototyping company can help you stay focused
As a business owner, CEO, or manager, the product design process can be complicated in many aspects. Whether you’re creating a part for an appliance or electronic device, a housing or case, or gadget, presenting the benefits of your proposed new part, feature, or product can be challenging. You’ve got to find ways to express ideas better, and one of the best ways to do it is through rapid prototyping.
It’s not easy to impress investors and stakeholders because everyone is well-informed through online resources available today. This is why you need professional help to better demonstrate what you want others to understand about your product. And that’s when a rapid prototyping company comes in, helping you stay focused on your ideas while making your ideas come true. It’s easier to realize and make your ideas tangible with the help of a prototyping company.
The product development design stage is important and prototyping can help simplify the process. It helps confirm your ideas and concepts. Also, it helps you in taking valuable insights. In this way, you can go to the next stage of product development with full confidence and assurance.
Conclusion
Rapid prototyping companies provide fast and efficient services with the highest level of functionality and aesthetics. Any design flaw can be detrimental to your brand or business. This is why you need the help of a rapid prototyping company. It is done to ensure that you’re able to test your product design, functionality, and technical parts before manufacturing them in high volumes. In that way, you can save money, avoid wasting time, and ensure smoother manufacturing, marketing, and sales to make your business successful.