By Alesandra Blakeston (July 2021)

Put simply, rapid prototyping is the design, fabrication, assembly and delivery of a "part". This could be a rough approximation, e.g., made of a different material so the customer gets an idea of the dimensions; it could be a scaled down version, so the customer can get an idea of what it might look like and how the part might fit into their machine, or it can even be a working "finished" part of the correct, size, material etc., so the customer can test it in their equipment and make sure the solution is the right one before going ahead with a production order.

Prototypes are usually delivered in small quantities and are usually delivered quickly so the customer can make a quick decision on whether or not the solution is the right one for them. Of course, the process followed, the machines involved and the people who take part in prototyping depends on what kind of prototype is needed. Is a bespoke, tailor-made solution needed? Are the specifications and requirements similar to another solution we already make? Could we send a sample? Does the customer want to test the prototype to ensure it meets their critical needs? Will it be tested in-house using our advanced simulation services? The process is as agile and as flexible as possible to ensure a fast response and as short a lead time as possible. Let's take the team in Garden Grove as an example, who is quite familiar with rapid response due to supporting space and aviation customers and their need for speed.

Obviously a lot depends on the design and requirements of the prototype; some of the metal working machines & processes could include:

• Mills

• Grinders

• CNC machines

• Lathes

• Presses

• Etching

• Polishing

• Spring forming

• Sintering

• Welding

When forming the polymer jacket:

• Material preparation

• Injection molding

• Compression molding

• Isostatic molding

• Hot molding

• Bonding

• Assembly

• Skiving

Staffed exclusively by personnel dedicated to making prototypes, the prototyping cells contain at least one of each type of machine needed to create a prototype, sometimes more. Since these machines are only used for prototyping, there is no wait for a machine to be empty before starting the process. The equipment is usually brand new in these areas to ensure the fastest possible speed as well as a reliable process free of errors. 

The staff are not dedicated to only one machine but are experts in multiple machines. When a solution is new, there may be unforeseen challenges in manufacturing that can only be resolved by an operations expert. Each design calls for a different approach and so the team is trained to know how to adjust the plan and liaise closely with the design engineering team throughout. Once the assembly is done, the prototype is either shipped directly to the customer, or it is sent to the advanced simulation services team for thorough vetting, again depending upon the customer requirements.