3d Printing Technology and Product Testing

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

3D printing technology saves design teams a considerable amount to time and energy to produce prototypes and the application of design changes.




  • 3D Printer Prototypes

  • 3D Printer Prototype Testing


3D Printer Prototypes

With 3D printing technology come many advantages for the production of prototypes. From the conceptual to testing stage the technology has improve production speed, cost, and simplicity. A 3D printing system using rapid prototype technology enhances the design process by producing a 3 dimensional model. The 3D printing system produces an actual model that can be seen and manipulated by designers during various stages of the development process which helps engineers to facilitate prototype corrections and enhancements. Compared to a 3D printer, usual methods of producing prototypes is time consuming, costly and has to be repeated even if the smallest change is made to the design. Using a 3D printing system to enhance product designs is more efficient and cuts a great deal of time off the various stages of product development.

A 3D printer helps to reduce the bottom line cost of research and development by facilitating the prototyping process. Product development is a costly and prototype design and production can add considerable expense to a project. Multiple design changes, failure to meet deadlines and retooling only add to the bottom line expense of the production process. Utilizing a 3D printer will enhance the design process and cut costs where design changes have to be made by eliminating many of the costs associated with prototype production. With a 3D printing system no additional retooling or reengineering is necessary, because changes only have to be made in the computer assisted design software program. The whole process of creating, changing and constructing prototypes is enhanced through the use of 3D printing technology.

3D Printer Prototype Testing

3D printing technology assists in the prototype testing phase by producing prototypes in a more efficient and time sensitive manner. Where redesigning, retooling and recreating prototypes took a considerable amount of time, the 3D printing system can have a redesigned prototype ready for the next phase of testing in a much shorter period of time then conventional methods. Testing often requires product redesign and retesting, by having a swift technology like a 3D printer, testing can continue according to schedule without any undue delays and expense. It is not very often that a product is able to survive the testing phase of product development without some kind of design change. The 3D printer allows designers and engineers to utilize the advanced technology to their advantage and create better products.

Product testing is an important stage of new product development and a 3D printing system can enhance the testing phase and make the results more effective. Because a 3D printer reduces testing costs the process can be that much more effective. No one wants to be the one who tests a product after they have spent a substantial amount of money on it. As 3D printing technology continues to advance the product testing and development phase everyone will benefit from the technology. When a company can reduce research and development costs by using 3D printing technology, every one will benefit from the savings. The costs or savings for the testing, designing and producing of new products is always passed on to the purchaser of those products.

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