Rapid prototyping has become a must-do for many manufacturing industries today.
Manufacturers tend to use rapid prototyping to increase their chances of success with a new product and its market.
Although you may think rapid prototyping has a well-known relationship with plastics, metals are superior choice materials especially in large-scale production and other situations.
Why are many Industries using metals for rapid prototyping? What benefits will metal rapid prototyping bring to my business? In what conditions will the service be most beneficial to use?
Read through to get answers to all these questions and more.
What Is A Metal Prototype?
Firstly, we need to understand what a prototype is clearly.
Before engineers manufacture a product, it undergoes some peripheral work before commencement. And the one crucial process is prototyping.
After the design has been technically drafted, a test or tryout product is created (prototypes).
The prototype usually takes the exact specifications of the parents or main item to be created because the manufacturer uses it to test the design fluidity, test the product under certain conditions and even determine if the initial design can be brought to life.
Different materials are used for this purpose, especially metal and plastic.
Hence, ametal protoype is using any form of metal (brass, aluminum, steel, etc.) to produce a prototype from manufacturing processes like sheet metal forming or CNC machining.
Usually, metals are used to make late-stage prototypes which resembles the final product entirely. However, the early stage prototypes also make use of them.
The Application and Function of Metal Prototypes
Different industries use metal prototyping for some special functions we shall discuss below.
Some of the industries are Aerospace Industries, Automotive Industries, Construction Industries, Medical Industries, Electronic Industries, etc.
The functions of the prototypes are:
As Models
Metal prototypes are used for producing models.
The models can serve as a real-life representation of the designs and see if the design can be produced.
Also, they serve as a medium of improvement where engineers might decide to further improve the design upon seeing the model.
As Testing Mechanisms
Before a product leaves for the final consumer or the market, it is tested thoroughly not to fail or cause havoc (in delicate cases like aerospace, etc.).
Hence, manufacturers use metal to create prototypes at intervals to test the working condition and the product resistance.
Before final production, producers will want to see the rate of their products' resistance and at what point they will shatter or lose their form.
As Feedback mechanism
Sometimes producers might want to know how their product will do in the market. They would like to know how consumers will receive the part, so they do a metal prototype of the exact specifications to get feedback to either commence or hold production.
Why Choose Making Metal Prototypes?
Excellent Strength
The strength of metals is unquestionable. Furthermore, metals have different variations that possess unique traits that make them incredibly durable.
This makes it more suitable for specific prototypes like those exposed to extreme conditions compared to plastic ones.
Overall, the lifespan of metal prototypes is longer.
Incredible Cost-Effectiveness
The longer the prototype stays in perfect condition, the more unnecessary it is to build another one.
After the one-off production, significant costs that might have been pumped into a plastic prototype due to wear and tear, are saved.
These make metal prototypes cost-effective.
Metallic Surface
The presence of a metallic surface makes it suitable for an excellent surface finish. A shiny, smooth, and bright surface can be adequately attained.
Corrosion is also not a problem when the metal is appropriately anodized.
Versatile Applications
The range of metal prototyping applications is vast due to the metal structure. They are relatively flexible and adaptable to any design. Aesthetics operations are effectively done with them.
4 Methods To Make Your Metal Prototypes
There are four popular and convenient methods for making metal prototypes and we discuss them below.
CNC Machining Metal Prototypes
CNC, also called Computer Numerical control, involves using software and computers to carry out manufacturing operations automatically.
Codes and automation back the equipment in a CNC program, and an operator is not required.
Different metal alloys can be used for CNC machining, such as copper, zinc, aluminum, magnesium, titanium, etc.
Key benefits:
No MOQ: There is no minimum order quantity with CNC because it is automated and efficient. Any amount required is produced at the given time.
More Material Options: CNC machining is adaptable to various ranges of materials.
High Precision: They are not carried out by humans, they are automated, and as such, they are highly accurate and, precisely, error-free.
Disadvantages
Higher Unit Cost: CNC machined parts can be more costly than manually operated ones due to the expense of the machines. It is not cost-effective for small-volume production.
Requires technical knowledge: The operators of the machine must be highly skilled. When the device gets faulty, only highly qualified personnel can repair them.
3D Printing Metal Prototypes
Another name for this service is additive manufacturing. It involves using a computer-generated 3D design to produce a prototype by adding layers of adhesive materials over each other.
They are either plastic-based or metal-based.
Key Benefits:
Design Freedom: Since it is done on a computer, in a three-dimensional view, it can be tweaked and manipulated to any taste.
Quick Turnaround Time: The operation is high-speed. A late production or fast repair will be best carried out with 3D printing.
Disadvantages
Rough Surface Finish: Since it is done by adding layer over layer, the finished product tends to have a rough surface and requires some body work to be carried out.
Low Cost-effectiveness: It is not ideal for carrying out large-volume production compared to conventional methods. Economies of scale shoots the cost up.
Metal Casting Prototypes
Metal Casting Prototypes are produced from a parent mold. The mold is created with the exact design of the intended product. The mold is filled with molten metal and allowed to cool. It is then brought out with the shape of the mold.
Key Benefits
Production Quality: The prototypes produced are in efficient numbers and very suitable for high-volume production.
Size and Weight: This is the ideal method for creating rigid and hard parts that are meant to withstand stress.
Disadvantages
Expensive Mold Cost: The cost of making a mold is relatively high. This makes it unsuitable for low-volume production.
Coarse Surface Finish: The surface of the molded parts tends to be rough and requires additional finishing to correct the condition.
Sheet Metal Prototypes
For these prototypes, a thin metal sheet is placed and cut by a laser light according to design pattern and specification.
Next, different sheet operations are carried out for shaping the metal for the required purpose.
These sheet operations are punching, bending, spinning, and welding.
Key Benefits
Cost-effective: Sheet metal forming is cost-effective for making prototypes due to the inexpensiveness of tools.
Replaceable: The parts are replaceable as many combinations are involved. When one part is damaged, it can easily be repaired separately.
Production Quality: They are strong, hard, resistant to tremendous pressure, and resistant to wear and tear. Perfect for extreme conditions.
Disadvantages
Limited Design Freedom: Sheet metal prototypes have limited design capacity. Especially complex and intricate designs are almost impossible to do.
Wider Dimensional Tolerance: This makes specific accuracy requirements on prototypes challenging to be achieved.
6 Key Considerations For Metal Rapid Prototyping
Material properties
One of the first things to check is the physical properties and mechanical properties of a material. This would determine how the parts behave.
Machinability
It is essential to know if the metal option can be easily machined with your preferred manufacturing methods. This will avoid unnecessary waste of time.
Tooling
Different tools for carrying out metal prototyping have allocated costs based on performance. It is essential to note this cost before proceeding with production.
Surface finish
When you want to make a prototype for an automotive interior application, for instance, using Metal Casting might be less helpful or attract an extra cost due to the roughness of the surface that will have to be worked on.
Cost
Some production methods are more complex and cost more than others while also having unique benefits. So cost is an essential factor to note.
Volume and budget
Finally, the budget of the whole business matters a lot. The budget determines the manufacturing method, tools, materials, and finishing.
Also, the volume will help to decide which methods are cost-effective for high volume or not if going for increased production.
But the budget should not be a reason to compromise a prototype production, which can make it substandard.
Conclusion
Carry out your customized and high-quality metal prototyping at Ares Rapid.
With all the manufacturing methods and tools mentioned above, we will provide you with top-notch service based on your needs.
Need advice on your design requirements? Contact us now and get reliable feedback within 24 hours.
