What is Rapid Prototyping and the Best Rapid Prototyping Software
Designers often face difficulty while making their presentation of their products; this is because they cannot show the real visual impact of their product on their clients or investors. This is where the process ofRapid Prototypingcomes into action. Rapid Prototyping helps designers to present their concepts to their clients in a physical manner. This helps both designer and client to get a better understanding of any concept. This concept helps in gaining the correct feedback about the product descriptively. This also helps in the fast processing of ideas and giving them shape that can help the industries and research organizations in number of ways.
- Part 1: What is Rapid Prototyping
- Part 2: Types of Rapid Prototyping
- Part 3: Advantages of Rapid Prototyping
- Part 4: Process of Rapid Prototyping
- Part 5: The Best Rapid Prototyping Tool
What is Rapid Prototyping?
Today business is very dynamic and fast, this creates competition in the market for companies to introduce new products faster. This is the reason why rapid prototyping has become an integral part of the business houses. First, we will explainWhat is Rapid Prototyping? This is a process through which a physical model or prototype is created of a newly developed concept with the help of 3D printing and techniques. The 3D printing machine infers the concept idea from the drawings in the Computer-aided software and lays down the layers of material which results in the creation of the physical model from the continuous action. Then these layers are joined together in order of the section as described in the Computer-Aided Software's, and this results in the creation of the final structure of the concept.
It is done to make the concept more visible to the clients and to explain it descriptively. Sometimes it happens that the prototype and the product differentiate on many terms. It will be defined as a low fidelity prototype, but most of the time the finished product design closely matches the prototype and hence results in the high fidelity prototype.Rapid Prototyping softwareis used in many industries, labs to allow students, researchers, and scientists to convert their ideas and innovative concepts into a physical product effectively and efficiently.
Types of Rapid Prototyping
Throughout the globe, many different types of rapid prototyping processes are used to get effective results.
1. Stereolithography
This is a technique that provides fast and affordable results. This method uses photosensitive liquid to make a prototype. This liquid is solidified in a prescribed manner with the help of computer-controlled ultraviolet (UV) lights to make a prototype.
2. Selective Laser Sintering
This is a common type used for the creation of metal and plastic prototypes. In this method, you will have to use secondary work on the prototype to make it a finished product.
3. Fused Deposition Modeling
It is an inexpensive and this method is one of the easy methods to createrapid prototype, this can be found in many non-industrial 3D printing facilities.
4. Selective Laser Melting
This method is used by many industrial manufacturing units. This type is used for making the prototype of products with high strength and complex parts. Most of the material used in this type is titanium, aluminum, stainless steel, and alloys.
5. Digital Light Processing
It is the type of method that is faster and cheaper and uses a conventional light source to make the prototype. Apart from this thing, in this method, the parts are continuously pulled and crossed throughout a light that alters and configures the designs to create a desired shape and patterns on a sheet.
6. Binder Jetting method
This technique allows us to print many parts at one time. But the problem with this technique is that it does not create parts strong. In this method, the layer of a part is created with the help of some liquid. Lastly, the printed part is burned in the oven to get rid of the extra sheet and to get the final part from the oven.
Advantages of Rapid Prototyping
Due to the many reasons, this technique of creating models has been accepted in many areas. This process is very efficient and helps the creators and the designers in many ways, clients also appraised this process as they get a greater understanding of any concept descriptively. Many companies around the globe have also started offeringrapid prototyping servicesdue to the increasing demand of this process; some of the many advantages that this thing offers are as follows:
Effective communication - This process helps developers to communicate their ideas and concepts to the buyers or developer in a fast and effective manner.
Helps in identifying the defects in design - This method helps in identifying many flaws and errors in the design of the product. Due to the creation of a prototype of a concept, designers get to know about the lacunas in their product and help them in getting a better result.
Provides flexibility and helps in improving end products - In this method, designers can get many types of design of their product and this helps in a more effective recognition of the design and the function of their products. This also provides designers with the opportunity for greater flexibility regarding the improvement of their product and also gives them room to get quick reviews regarding the changes and alterations in the products.
Process of Rapid Prototyping
Many researchers and designers have acknowledged the technology of 3D printing of their ideas as a very important practice for the future. The process ofRapid Prototypingis helpful in many ways. This process is a technology that helps in the manufacturing of many industrial and manufacturing types of machinery.
Step 1. Collection of design and inferring it in 3D printer
This process starts with collecting a design or inference from the Computer-aided design software, then after this, the drawings occupied from that software is made read by the 3D printers and then it starts laying down successive layers.
Step 2. Printing
After this process, the printer starts laying down layers of liquid and powder on a sheet to create a physical model of the concept. The layers are put in designated ways to get the prescribed design of the product and also the printer is instructed to do so in a manner that a series of cross-sections can be made.
Step 3. Getting the final rapid prototype
faAfter the cross-sections are made, these layers are joined with the help of machines and are then cut to get the actual form of the design and to get rid of the excess and unused cross-sections.
Step 4. Time duration of the process
This process is afast prototypingmethod and puts the results in action within a few hours from the start of the process. The process prepares the 3D models within a few hours. But the time is taken to prepare the 3D model also depends upon many factors. If the model to be prepared is big and has some fine designs than it will take more time as compared to other prototypes.
Step 5. Interface File
This process is conducted with the help of some standard data interface file format which is translated from the computer-aided design software to get it printed in a physical form with the help of a 3D printer. This interface file is very useful as it helps in determining the shape and the size of the model. This also helps in determining the actual shape and design of the product.
The Best Rapid Prototyping Tool
The process of fast prototyping is very effective and has created a lot of opportunities for designers and creators. Due to the efficiency and effectiveness of this process, many firms have started offeringrapid prototype servicesto people in the market. One of the tools that offer this service is Wondershare Mockitt . It offers prototyping tools for many things including clickable prototypes for websites and apps. This tool is an effective tool for rapid software prototyping as this tool offers many distinguished features and specifications.
With this tool, you can create a good and attractive interface with the help of a number of widgets it offers. You can also build up your library with the use of a variety of templates that will speed up the design process. The other specific feature that this tool offers is that of the cloud storage which means that you can simply start your work in a browser and without any regard for the speed and storage issues. This tool helps inrapid software prototypingin every possible manner.
This tool also pays importance to the discussion and inspection process. One can any time discuss anything with the team and can give suggestions and inspect the work. They will move forward with the work only after the approval from the person whose design is being prototyped.
