Rapid Prototyping, Additive 3-D Printing

Rapid Prototyping to validate concept

Rapid Prototyping using Additive 3-D Printing technology provides CED clients with a cost- and time-efficient solution for realizing accurate, working model Prototypes. Available in a variety of materials, these models provide a number of important start-up advantages:

• Communication and Collaboration: Physical prototypes serve as tangible representations of a design, facilitating clear communication and collaboration between engineers, designers, and stakeholders.
• Concept Presentation: Printed Prototypes can be used for the presentation, review, and approval process.
• Part Design Validation: Prototypes allow teams to assess the form, fit, and function of a design before committing to expensive tooling and production.
• Manufacturing Feasibility: Creating prototypes helps to identify potential manufacturing issues prior to machining, revealing any design refinements needed to ensure efficient manufacturing.
• Functionality Testing: Prototypes can be used to test the mechanical stability and performance of a part under different conditions.

Rapid Prototype Printing in a wide variety of plastics and metals

Working through select 3-D Printing partners, CED carefully coordinates and manages this technology to deliver on time functional models from your 3-D CAD designs or ours. We offer 3-D printing in a spectrum of materials that include metals, nylons, flexible and rigid plastics and thermoplastics, and other ridged substrates.

3-D Printing designed parts – and the machining elements that make them!

Rapid 3-D Printing also offers an extremely accurate and efficient way to create prototypes of machining devices used to manufacture a part. This process provides benefits that include increased production speeds, reduced cost, less waste, and improved final part quality.

3-D Printed machining devices can include:

• Jigs and Fixtures: 3D printed jigs and fixtures can be created quickly and cost-effectively to improve manufacturing efficiency.
• Assembly and Inspection Aids: 3D printing allows for the creation of customized tools that assist in assembly and inspection processes.
• Machining Soft Jaws and Forming Dies: 3D printed components can be used to create soft jaws for work-holding devices and forming dies.

Rapid 3-D Prototyping considerations

While the benefits of Rapid Prototyping using 3-D Printing are many, there are some limitations to consider:

• Limited Material Selection: The available materials for 3D printing may not always meet the required properties for all applications.
• Surface Finish Limits: The surface finish of 3D printed parts may require post-processing to achieve the desired smoothness that actual machining will deliver.
• 100% Part Accuracy: there are “some instances” where part designs pose a precision challenge using 3D printing.

For any of the cases above, our fast Machined Part Prototyping services may provide alternate solutions with desired performance results.

Can Rapid Prototyping with 3-D printing benefit your part program?

Rapid Prototyping using 3-D Printing really has revolutionized the machining process by playing a vital role in enabling quick iterations and testing of designs. However, engineering and translating ideas and designs into 3-D printed prototypes — and ensuring they are efficiently machinable — are critical components of this process. They are also services that CED excels in to leveraging the many advantages of 3-D printing for Rapid Prototyping.