Views: 50 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2022-01-20 Origin: Site
Do you want to build a 3D model or prototype from scratch?
Or maybe you need to create a CNC part for a project?
If yes, then Rapid Prototyping is the service for you.
Rapid Prototype Service by BoenRapid offers affordable prototyping services and CNC machining for engineers, designers, architects, industrialists, and hobbyists.
The company has over 20 years of experience in rapid manufacturing and CNC machining, and they provide high-quality service at reasonable prices.
They offer their services to clients worldwide and have provided them with prototypes and parts for aerospace, automotive, medical, military, and consumer electronics projects.
Continue reading to learn why you should choose CNC Machining for Rapid Prototyping?
Rapid Prototyping (RP) is a process to rapidly develop 3D models from CAD designs, using various materials and methods like CNC machining, laser sintering, resin casting, and powder bed fusion technologies.
RP allows users to quickly make samples that can be used for testing purposes before building a full-scale model.
It saves time and money by reducing overall development costs and delivery times.
RP may also include other material types like metal, leather, plastic, rubber, etc.
There are many different types of RP techniques:
· CNC machining:
This is among the common type of Rapid Prototyping.
It involves drilling holes on your objects, cutting shapes out of thin sheets, and removing excess material.
CNC Machine Tool provides an accurate and repeatable way to cut, mill, grind, drill, shape, and route metals, plastics, composites, glass, ceramics, and wood.
Machined parts are precise and consistent and can produce complex shapes without much hassle.
· 3D Printing:
This is another popular method that uses additive layer technology to form solid parts from digital files.
3DP Technology allows us to design our products as we imagine them.
We can print any object directly onto any surface, including plasterboard, acrylic, concrete, masonry, steel, titanium, ceramic, marble, and even snow!
These days, you don’t need to be a designer to use 3D printers.
Simply upload your files into the software and watch them come to life!
And since 3D printers are so versatile, they can produce either functional or non-functional products.
· Sheet Metal Fabrication:
Sheet metal fabrication refers to creating a part or all of an item by applying metal using processes like welding, shaping, forming, pressing, stamping, etc., instead of using traditional manufacturing techniques.
The term 'sheet' comes from the raw materials of the item being fabricated are placed in layers over a flat table known as a bedplate.
Since no mold is involved in this process, the final product will always be unique.
The benefits of using sheet metal fabrication include cost savings, speed, flexibility, versatility, and accuracy.
Sheet metal fabrication has become more affordable as the years' progress.
So if you want to save money while still producing high-quality results, this could be an excellent option for you.
· Injection molding:
Injection molding is specialized rapid prototyping (RP) technique used to make plastic parts via a heated plunger.
The plunger forces molten resin into the cavity between two mold halves until the resin cools and hardens.
This leaves behind a perfectly formed plastic part.
While the name suggests that only molded parts are produced, it is possible to make any sort of object with this method.
For example, it can create small components such as buttons, gears, faucets, switches, and many others.
If you're looking for a quick prototyping service, then CNC prototype machining is a perfect fit.
CNC machines are capable of cutting out objects with extremely fine tolerances.
They allow for intricate designs to be created at incredible speeds.
It's a highly effective and reliable method for making prototypes quickly and cheaply.
To put it simply, CNC prototype machining enables us to replicate an existing part to test its functionality.
There are six main steps in the entire process.
Let's discuss each of them in detail:
· Design Ideations:
This step is essential for successful CNC rapid prototyping.
It involves defining a project's objectives and requirements.
This is done by well-trained and experienced product designers and engineers.
Here, they share ideas and plan how the prototype looks like?
Do we want it to be functional or aesthetic?
What is the job completion time?
And how much is the budget?
These questions must be answered before anything else can begin.
These ideas include designing for manufacturing and assembling (DFMA) and design for testing (DFDT). Some of these ideas lead to more efficient designs.
· Generation of 3D Files:
Once we've got some idea of how we'd like the end product to look, we'll need to start designing it.
We will use CAD tools to generate all the necessary file formats for the CNC machine.
We'll first import images from our design and convert them into a format compatible with CAD programs.
Then, we'll modify them based on the information provided by the client.
· Identification of Production Sequence:
Once we've completed all the necessary work, we'll need to identify the production sequence.
This means identifying which component goes where and in what order.
For instance, does the front wheel come first or last?
Does the handlebar go above or below the seat?
These details are essential because they help reduce errors during the manufacturing process.
When this step is done properly, we can ensure that every piece of material is cut correctly and placed in the correct position.
· CNC Programming:
After we've identified the production sequence, we'll need to program the CNC machine accordingly to execute it flawlessly.
Programming instructions tell the machine what to do when certain conditions occur.
For example, programming might instruct the machine to move forward if there is no obstacle ahead.
The same goes for other functions like turning left or right, stopping, etc.
· Production (Prototyping):
Finally, we'll need to produce the actual prototype.
In most cases, we'll use CNC machining to create the prototype.
However, sometimes, CNC machining isn't practical due to size constraints.
We may opt to use other rapid prototyping methods instead of those instances.
· Testing:
After everything has been made according to plan, we'll need to test the prototype to ensure it works as expected.
During testing, we'll check whether the materials used are strong enough to withstand the pressure and force exerted by the machine while working.
We'll also verify that all the parts fit together perfectly and function as intended.
There is a wide range of advantages of choosing CNC machining for Rapid Prototyping, some of them are as follow:
· Precise Tolerances:
One of the primary reasons many people opt for CNC machining as their prototyping solution is because they can cut out parts from solid metal with accurate precision.
It's precise and accurate, making it perfect for creating small components.
With CNC machining, we can quickly get precision tolerances within the 0.001"-0.005" range.
· Mimics Finished Product:
Another significant advantage of using CNC machined components is that they resemble finished products almost perfectly.
Not only will your customers be impressed with how realistic the prototypes look, but they won't notice that they aren't made from real materials.
Moreover, the final product looks almost identical to its mockup.
That means that your customers can trust the quality of whatever you're selling them.
· Many Different Materials Available:
You can use any type of material for building a prototype.
The choice is entirely yours.
You can use wood, like plywood or particleboard, or you could even try MDF if you have access to some.
Besides, you can have access to wide variety of other materials for manufacturing prototypes using CNC machining.
And thanks to CNC machining, you can freely change the shape and color of your part without having to start over again.
· Easy to Change:
When changes happen during production, fixing them on your prototype is easy.
This enables the customer to improve their product contentiously.
· Fast Turnaround:
CNC machining allows you to create multiple copies quickly.
Unlike manual processes, which take hours to produce just one part, CNC machines can churn out hundreds of pieces per hour.
· Short Run:
The short run time is another reason many people prefer CNC machining for rapid prototyping.
It takes less than an hour to turn around a single order. This makes it ideal for quick turnaround projects.
· Finishing Options:
CNC machined parts have many finishing options compared to other prototyping methods.
Some finishing options include painting, powder coating, plating, laser etching, etc.
These finishing options allow you to customize your prototypes in ways that would otherwise be impossible.
For example, you can add logos or other branding elements.
Or you can make your prototypes more durable by adding protective coatings.
As you can see, CNC rapid prototyping is not a simple task at all.
However, if you are lucky enough to find a reliable CNC rapid prototyping service provided like BoenRapid, you can expect great results.
