Rapid Prototyping Services

Why Rapid Prototyping Services With RapidDone?

Our prototyping services take a full cover of an extensive range of complementary services, including CNC machining, 3D printing, plastic injection molding, vacuum casting, and all kinds of finishes. Besides, we have an experienced engineering team, they accumulate huge manufacturing experience from thousands of solid projects. We are confident that we are an excellent manufacturing provider, we can create any custom parts based on customer’s requirements. No matter how high a requirement for shape and tolerance, we can come out with a solution.

First, our Manufacturing services cover a lot of materials, the typical types are aluminum, stainless steel, ABS, silicone, rubber, polycarbonate.

Secondly, we are flexible for MOQ. We are happy for 1 off single part, we also ok for volume production with 10000+ pieces. No matter the size of the order, we can handle it.

Lastly, we have a mature quality system with comprehensive quality-control processes. It covers each manufacturing step, including material, machining process, assembly process, and shipment.

In a word, we are the ones who can support you with a professional prototyping service, help actualize your ideas, improve your design, and assist with product development.

Since we are one of the trusted manufacturers of prototyping and low-volume manufacturing in China, we will glad to inform you RapidDone will absolutely help you to skyrocket your business when you come to us.

Rapid Prototyping: Complete FAQ Guild

Prototyping is one of the key manufacturing way for an on-demanding part supplier, we accumulate lots of experience based on thousands of quality product in many years in the manufacturing industry.

Now, we make the summary here. We believe it will help you to know more RapidDone capability,  this will also be your blueprint for importing prototyping services from China.

Take a look:

What Is Rapid Prototyping?

Based on our understanding, rapid prototyping refers to a method that quickly fabricates a high-quality physical model by using CAD data. This is a fast process, the main processes include 3D printing or other additive manufacturing technology.

However, as the related manufacturing development, the technologies are much wilder by today. Other technologies are also be used, they are CNC machining, injection molding, vacuum casting, casting, sheet metal fabrication, and more.

What Are The Typical Prototyping Materials?

In the instant manufacturing industry, more materials are being developed constantly, there are a lot of different materials for an engineer to choose from. Below is a list of useful materials that are used commonly in RapidDone.

• ABS
• Acrylic
• Polycarbonate
• POM
• Nylon
• Silicon
• Rubber
• Aluminum
• Stainless steel
• Copper

What Are The Typical Rapid Prototyping Technologies?

There are a lot of manufacturing technologies for prototyping manufacturing, below is the typical types that we use in our factory. Talk to our team if you can not find it here and want to learn more.
To create a prototype product, normally we only take one process, sometimes we may need to use several types of processes.

1. Stereolithography (SLA) 3D Printing

SLA is one of the most common types of additive manufacturing for plastic prototypes and low-volume production. It is ideal to be used to create complex components with relatively fast production lead time. However, the limitations are that printing material is limited to photosensitive resin, and surfaces are stair-stepping.

2. Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) 3D Printing

SLS uses a laser as the power source to sinter powdered material, move the laser automatically by a 3D model, and bind the material together to create a solid part.

It can produce metal parts and has a wide selection of materials. The limitation, on the other hand, is the rough and grainy surfaces.

3. Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D Printing

FDM is the most cost-effective prototyping technology. It is suitable to be used in low-volume production with a higher number. But it has the limitation that it comes with ugly cosmetics due to line mark. To overcome this obstacle, a polishing step can be used to remove the line mark.

4. CNC Machining

CNC machining process is the most important prototyping methods. The normal processes include milling, turning, drilling, threading. It can create complex parts with all kinds of materials. Besides, the parts can reach a very tight tolerance with a fine surface finish.

At RapidDone, this is also the main manufacturing process, we use this way to create thousands of CNC parts.  We can offer competitive and quality service with this method.

5. Sheet Metal Fabrication

Sheet metal prototyping technology can avoid expensive tools. It is proper to create custom metal parts with a wide selection of materials and finishes for a variety of engineering industries.

6. Vacuum Casting

Vacuum forming prototyping is ideal to make rigid or flexible plastic prototypes, the raw material is from hundreds of casting polymers.

Besides, as the silicon molds can be used more than 10 times, the production can be repeatable.

This technology is good to make a large size of parts, quantity is less than 1,000pcs. Therefore, it is also the perfect way for low volume manufacturing.

What Is The Application?

Because of the vast advantages, prototyping is used in almost every manufacturing industry. You can find it from different applications, including design, engineering, analysis, manufacturing, tooling, and more.

When it comes to the specific industry, it mainly covers below:

• Aerospace industry
• Automotive industry
• medical device industry
• Military Industry
• Jewelry Industry
• Custom machined parts
• Consumer Goods and Electronics
• Healthcare

What Is The Typical Manufacturing Process?

The different process takes different steps. Take the additive manufacturing process (3D printing) as a reference, there are four simple steps as below.

First, people need to create a CAD model by using design software such as AutoCAD, Pro/Engineer, Solid Works, Or 3D laser scanner.

Secondly, covert the CAD design file to the format that a machine can read, this is usually in an STL file format.

Thirdly, run the STL file into the machine, the prototype part can be printed out quickly.

Lastly, make the second operation such as deburr, polish, painting based on drawing requirement.

What Are Rapid Prototyping Advantages?

There are a lot of advantages to using this technique, the main ones are as below.

First, rapid prototyping can take ideas and concepts from flat visuals to hands-on products faster. Therefore, it helps the management team to review and kick off the whole project faster.

Secondly, it helps them to improve the design and have a perfect design product in a short time. Prototypes can be done cheaply with a fast turn-around timetable.

Thirdly, when it comes to the manufacturing process, it has fewer production problems.

Lastly, the marketing team can use a prototype sample to get start the sales work before they have a production product. Therefore, it helps them to promote sales better.

What Are Rapid Prototyping Limitations?

There are quite several including the following:

First, the quality is not as good as the production product for a lot of cases, the material properties like surface finish, strength, elasticity becomes slightly lower.

Besides, the low-cost rapid prototyping machines do not have good accuracy. Therefore, the finished prototype part might also have low tolerance.

Thirdly, the quantity can’t be too large. In other words, when the quantity is high, the price is not competitive.

How Much Does A Rapid Prototype Part Cost?

This is a tricky question. A prototype price can vary from $10 to more than $1000, it all depends on the specification requirement. However, we can check into all the cost parameters, helping us to figure out where our costs are from.

1. Machining method

Different machining method leads to a different cost and price. Most prototypes need only one machining method, but some might need more than one method. Usually, CNC machining is relatively more expensive, but 3D printing is a cost-saving way.

2. Material

Under the same process, the metal material is more expensive than plastic material. Meanwhile, the imported material cost more than the domestic one.

3. Structure

It takes more machining time for the large and complex component, the cost goes higher accordingly.

4. Surface treatment

This belongs to a second operation process. There are polish, oil spraying, sandblasting, silkscreen, plating, each leads to a different cost.

5. Labor cost

Labor costs in developing countries are higher than in developed countries. For an instant, the USA labor cost is always more expensive than the cost of a Chinese supplier.

6. Quantity

Larger quantities can save cost and leads to lower prices.

In a word, if you want to have a low-cost prototype, all you need to do is to pick the cost-saving option from the above cost parameters.

However, if you want to have a solid prototype project that you want to work out a cost,  you can talk to a professional prototyping company like RapidDone. We have a professional quotation team, we can work out a quotation by considering the cost option based on your requirement.

Why Do You Need A Prototype?

It is a tricky subject, different people have different answers to this. However, we can figure out the same common theme.

Prototypes are usually built for engineers as design assessment, they spend the money on this to get a risk evaluation.

In other words, Prototyping is a progressive staging of risk evaluations. It can help the design team reduce design defects and a less defect rate during production.

What Are Tips For A successful Rapid Prototyping Manufacturing?

1.  First, optimize the design, we suggest four ways here.

A) Try to use a hollow design and add drain holes for it.
B) When there are larger parts, suggest assembling large parts from multiple prints.
C) Keep wall thicknesses above the minimum specifications.
D) Avoid the features of angled walls and steep overhangs.

2. Next, keep close communication with your prototyping suppliers.

Manufacturing experience is important for getting a successful Rapid prototyping project. If we can get your suppliers involved in the design process, we can collect important feedback on alternative paths from them. This can help us to identify the design risk, get a better design, and lead to a more successful production.

3. Thirdly, choose the right technology to save your cost.

To create a prototype part, it might have several machining options, for example, 3D printing or CNC machining. Different option leads to different quality and different cost.

Therefore, you need to understand your need. Then you can make the correct selection for the machining method.

Get Started With Your Project Today

RapidDone have been in the business for over ten years as a prototyping and low-volume manufacturing expert, we believe we are one of the best shops in China. With our perfect prototyping services, we can make the best prototype parts for you to promote your business.

If you have any requirements, no match it is plastic prototyping or metal prototyping, we are sure we can make it right with your specification. Send an inquiry to us, we will give you a good solution.