Prototyping

Rapid Prototyping allows a company to learn more about a particular product design before making the commitment to hard tooling.

A prototype model in the hands of engineering, manufacturing, production, marketing and purchasing personnel improves communication in the product development stage and is an important factor in a successful product launch.

Presenting a prototype model to the toolmaker involved in the project can generate savings in tool costs as parting lines and insert arrangements are easier to plan with a physical model in hand.

DTI has forged strategic alliances with companies in the rapid prototyping industry who can produce prototype parts based on designs created by DTI’s team of specialists.

The primary benefits of rapid prototyping are:

• Faster prototyping – a five to ten day turnaround is common: the ability to work directly from CAD data eliminates the time required for detailing prints and allows for the timely transmission of CAD data by electronic mail directly from the designers to the prototype manufacturer.
• Improved product quality – current prototyping techniques allow more time for design iterations and keep the cost of the iterations low. The physical prototype allows form, fit and function testing to take place.
• It is an integral part of the electronic design process that starts in the CAD/CAE room and ends in the tool shop. Quantifiable savings can be found by bringing products to market more quickly.
• Common CAD Database – a prototype verifies both the design and the data integrity; the electronic data can then be used to build production tooling with confidence.