Rapid Prototyping Companies

What Is Rapid Prototyping?

Rapid prototyping means making a physical sample of a new product design idea. This is done as a preliminary step towards eventual production, and is most useful when verifying that the finished product will look, feel, and perform as intended. New product developers turn to rapid prototyping for several reasons. They’re used for functional testing, approvals, design iterations, for crowdfunding campaigns, trade show models, and as a bridge to low-volume manufacturing.

Prototypes often inspire re-designs, improvements, and other modifications that may not have been obvious merely from a computer graphic, so in this regard they’re beneficial for optimizing a design before committing resources to larger volumes. In fact, being able to correct design errors early in the development phase can more than compensate for the cost of the prototype itself, so they’re wise investments.

How Does Rapid Prototyping Work?

Rapid prototyping doesn’t involve a single technology or process. Any of the same manufacturing techniques used to make prototypes can also apply to regular production volumes.

The value comes from making a physical model that closely resembles the design intent, is durable, can be produced quickly, and with a minimal investment in tooling or raw materials.

Advantages Of Rapid Prototyping

Reducing Product Development Costs

Allowing Functionality Testing

Eliminating the Risk of Product Failure

Improving User (and Stakeholder) Involvement

Ergonomically Evaluating and Identifying Product Hazards

How To Choose The Right Rapid Prototyping Technique  

The right prototyping method is the one that best fits your budget, the complexity of the part, what you want the prototype to do, and your development timeline. Better prototypes cost more money and take longer to make, but they also more faithfully represent the form, fit, and function of a production part.

The basic questions to ask are these:

Will the prototype be a static display model?

Does it need to be fully functional?

Are there multiple, interconnected parts?

What is the surface texture and finish?

What is it made from?

How important is strength and durability?

How closely should it match the final production version?

There are many variables to consider and we cannot cover them all here.