Process Encyclopaedia

Rapid prototyping (generic)

Overview

Prototyping is the making of a test component before full manufacture begins. These prototypes provide an important means of assessing a design in a "hands-on" way. Conventionally, prototyping was performed by machining the component from a solid block. With the advent of CAD/CAM and CNC machining, this approach has greatly speeded up – but "rapid" prototyping techniques are even faster. They all work by building-up thin layers in sequence to produce the whole component.

Recent trends in rapid prototyping include:

• The techniques are now being used with scanning techniques to produce exact replicas of delicate objects such as antique carvings.
• Rapid mould development (rapid tooling), where prototypes produced by one of these techniques is coated and can be used directly for injection moulding dies etc.
• Making shapes not possible any other way – e.g. custom jewellery, ‘sculptures’ etc.