subject: The Importance Of Rapid Prototyping [print this page] As clichd as it may sound, in order for something to come out close to perfect, you need to plan everything well ahead of time. This would enable you to check whether you still need to work out a few kinks or if you already have everything ironed out. This is also how most engineers treat their work. They come up with a prototype before proceeding with creating the actual item. Of course, creating a prototype would take a lot of time. Fortunately, technology has given rise to rapid prototyping.
Rapid prototyping is a computer application that allows for rapid construction of 3D models with the help of the CAD technology. It helps engineers bring down the number of steps involved in the manufacturing process. Oftentimes, rapid prototyping makes use of 3D scan technology which scans the surface of the model.
Rapid prototyping, also known as RP as well as solid freeform fabrication, first caught the limelight in 1987. Its salient point was its ability to come up with a prototype with the least number of hours. This means that engineers and manufacturers can produce multiple designs that can be subjected to multiple tests while using the least financial resources possible.
With a prototyping rapid in place, manufacturers and engineers can do iterative testing. This means that they can test a prototype, redesign it, build it again and then do another round of testing, until such time that the manufacturer is convinced that the item would be able to do what it is supposed to do. With traditional prototyping methods, this would mean having to waste valuable resources including time and manpower.
Another advantage of rapid prototyping is more evident in the creation of a technology known as rapid tooling. Rapid prototyping allows for the creation of production-quality tools in a shorter span of time with lower cost without having to sacrifice the quality. There are two types of rapid tooling direct and indirect. A number of indirect rapid tooling procedures include vacuum casting, sand casting, investment casting, and injection moulding, which makes use of injection moulders. The direct procedures, on the other hand, include laser-engineered net shaping, direct AIM, and LOMComposite, among others.
Aside from rapid tooling, RP is also evident in rapid manufacturing. Rapid manufacturing is the automated production of the actual product straight form the CAD data. Rapid manufacturing does away with the tooling process making it a much cheaper alternative especially for short production runs.
