As cliché as it sounds, time is money in the industrial and business world. The manufacturing process can be significantly accelerated using software automation and associated manufacturing equipment. Rapid manufacturing involves the creation of low-volume injection-molded plastics on-demand. Rapid manufacturing extends far beyond just the basics of molding, and it is also integrated into 3D printing and CNC machining.
This technology removes the need to expend
high amounts of capital while waiting for weeks on end for a custom component. Rapid
manufacturing can be used to craft a unique aluminum tool (for a few thousand
dollars) that can itself be used to produce tens of thousands of custom parts. This
can generate many short-run parts within a few days, made out of either plastic
or metal. At its core, rapid manufacturing entails building components out of
metal or plastic by layering them one at a time through additive fabrication.
3D printing is an excellent example of the use of rapid manufacturing technology.
Low
Volume Manufacturing
As good as prototyping and mass production
can prove to be business goals, sometimes it is more optimal to build a smaller
number of finished parts, which may be a couple of hundred or even hundreds of
thousands of parts. In this instance, the services of a professional
prototyping company are engaged to produce the optimal number of required
components to meet immediate demand. The company can handle initial product
design and reviews, quotations, quality inspections, etc. Low volume
manufacturing as an aspect of rapid manufacturing comes with many advantages. These include:
- Fast
turn-around that incorporates faster design changes, reduced overall costs, and
minimal production time. - Distinct
shortening of production lead times which translates to energy and time savings - The
production of a small initial run of parts or components means you can gain immediate
access to the market faster than your competitors. Emerging markets can then be
effectively harnessed. - Through
the use of low volume manufacturing, you can minimize the cost of tooling
without needing a minimum number of orders, as opposed to full-scale
production. - Rapid
manufacturing through low volume decreases the exposure to unnecessary
financial expenses. - Low
volume production helps the business handle products with short product life
cycles by enabling the company to produce required parts as per market demands
quickly.
How
rapid manufacturing can help mold makers
A customer of rapid manufacturing can
implement DFM (Design for Manufacturability) in which a CAD model is uploaded online. The rapid
manufacturing company provides feedback within a 24-hour period, which explains
how the design can be enhanced to improve its manufacturability. In the long
run, this minimizes production issues and saves highly valuable capital bases. When
used well, rapid
manufacturing can drastically reduce product design, development, and
creation cycles. Rapid manufacturing readily embraces the principles of rapid
prototyping and rapid tooling to get any job done, fast.
Selecting
the right material for Rapid Manufacturing and Rapid Prototyping
There are different materials to choose
from when selecting a metal alloy for CNC turning and milling. The factors to
consider when picking a material for rapid manufacturing and prototyping
depends on such factors as price, ability to resist corrosion, weight, cosmetic
appearance, and workability.
Conclusion
Rapid
manufacturing can significantly enhance the speed of
delivery of prototype or finished parts and components for any company, great
or small. It encompasses aspects of rapid prototyping and rapid tooling to get
the concept from the design stage to the production stage very fast.