Rapid Prototyping In China
Rapid Prototyping In China：Before we spent lots of money to make molds, some new project investor will make rapid prototyping. To check the mechanical function or verify the designing. Rapid prototypes can be made of plastic, steel or aluminum. At the moment we have many methods to make prototypes. Such as CNC machining, injection mold china SLA technology, and Vaccum cutting technology.
Rapid Prototyping (RP) is a quick and economical way to make the sample according to your drawing or your idea. You can do an assembly to verify the mechanical function. We can make a painting, silk print, and runner coating, as the technology develops. The finishes of prototypes reach the same level of mass production product. Then you can see the real appearance of your designing, sometimes customers use rapid prototype molding in china for business exhibition as a real product. Good quality prototype is one of the reason, another important is the economic cost and short lead time, rapid prototype normally takes one week, but molds will take one month at least,cost is also different,prototype will cost less than 300USD,but molds cost more than 2000 USD even if you find the cheapest mold manufacturer in China.
Also, the rapid prototyping has another important function: find the mistake or imperfection in the designing at the beginning of R&D and help the designer optimize the designing step by step, if you find the problem after you build the mold, it will take thousands of USD to modify the tooling.
CNC Machining prototyping
This is the most popular way to make rapid prototypes in China. first, the injection mould companies CNC machines are not as expensive as others, it is less risky to invest the equipment. Second, they can make large size prototypes
Max size up 1100mm x 650mm x 470mm,
Advantages: Large size, high strength, good toughness, short delivery time.
SLA technology
stereolithography (SLA or SL; also known as optical fabrication, photo-solidification, solid free-form fabrication, solid imaging, and Resin printing) is an additive manufacturing or 3D printing technology used for producing models or prototype
Application: toy, electric case parts with complex surface
Advantages: complex structure capable, high strength
Vacuum-casting technology
Produce a silicone mold with a prototype part under vacuum, use the silicone mold to clone parts.
Advantages: Low cost, fast, it is very cheap to duplicate the prototypes, it has a big advantage if you want 10-50 pcs parts.