Rapid prototype process small batch processing
Rapid prototype process small batch processing
In the production of rapid prototype, we often meet the demand of small batch production. Do customers choose the injection and die casting process for mas production? Or can the production of rapid prototype be more cost-effective? This article will be a concrete analysis for you.
If the order has the following conditions:
3. Product immaturity: if a product has just been developed, its structure or appearance design is not reasonable enough etc;
In this way, we suggest that it is produced using rapid prototype process, and the batch process requires mold opening, the cost of mold opening is high and the time is long, which is not conducive to the rapid listing of products.
We can achieve small batch production through CNC, simple mold, vacuum silica gel complex mold, 3D printing and other hand plate processes, which may involve manual processing.
What are the advantages of CNC machining, simple mold, vacuum casting and 3D printing?
The details are as follows:
CNC small batch production:
In the current machining and manufacturing industry, CNC batch processing has entered the rapid development of the current, there are two types of production: small batch processing (production), that is, multi-variety, single piece, small batch production and few varieties and single piece production.
CNC small batch processing (plastic parts small batch processing and hardware small batch processing) is generally vehicles, milling, planing, grinding, pliers and other common mechanical processing process, fitters blanking, drawing lines, drilling, tapping, etc.CNC is suitable for the fields with high precision and low demand for output. Its representative industries include aerospace industry, shipbuilding industry, automobile industry, construction machinery industry, machine tool industry and other precision parts.Compared with injection molding and die casting, small batch CNC can save mold opening time, reduce mold opening cost, shorten production cycle, and effectively reduce the time and cost of new product design and development.
Small batch production of vacuum casting :
Mainly used for small batch prototypes, short cycle, low cost, but there is no CNC processing performance and precision processing of good, make the finished product, will be affected by heat bilges cold shrink, cause to size has shrunk, but small batch model to the prototype done wrong probability is small, as long as the prototype no problem, the vacuum casting of product also won't have what problem, under normal circumstances the service life of the silicone mold is 10 to 20 times or so. Model to small batch products suitable for accuracy is not high, the product structure is relatively complex, uniform wall thickness, satisfy a certain functional requirements of parts of the cost of company is a good choice, but the quantity is large, to tens of thousands of pieces when mass production, cost is relatively high, the injection molding is a good choice.
3D printing small batch processing:
3D printing has high precision, low cost, high efficiency, zero time delivery and zero skill manufacturing, which are effective means to make prototypes in small batches. However, 3D printing is not suitable for high-hardness products like drill bits. 3D printing is suitable for parts with low requirements and low professionalism, creative products or customized products.
Injection molding is the process of transforming plastics into desired plastic products.Injection molding is suitable for mass automatic production, short molding processing cycle, high production efficiency, product molding and processing shape can be diversified, the scope of application of the process is wide, but the processing equipment price is higher, the production cost is high, not suitable for the single small batch of plastic production
Die-casting products of good quality have high dimensional precision, high strength and hardness, high production efficiency and excellent economic effect, but the material is only limited to aluminum alloy and zinc alloy material, it is not suitable for small batch production, the main reason is that the die-casting aluminum mold manufacturing cost is high, the die-casting aluminum machine production efficiency is high, small batch production is not economic.
Small batch production is the production of special products in small batch demand. Aiming at the small batch manufacturing needs of thousands, hundreds, even dozens, or even dozens, the use of CNC, vacuum casting, and 3D printing processing methods avoid traditional manufacturing methods such as injection molding and casting, which are difficult to overcome high cost, low efficiency, and product quality.
In the production of rapid prototype, we often meet the demand of small batch production. Do customers choose the injection and die casting process for mas production? Or can the production of rapid prototype be more cost-effective? This article will be a concrete analysis for you.
If the order has the following conditions:
- Usage of products: such as research projects, gift customization, souvenirs and other series products, only a dozen or hundreds of sets, thousands of sets, no need to open molds for mass production
- Market demand for the product is uncertain: if the product has just been developed, the market demand cannot be predicted.
3. Product immaturity: if a product has just been developed, its structure or appearance design is not reasonable enough etc;
- In industrial production, materials, process, cost, quantity and other issues are involved. Many parts cannot be mass produced by machines, such as aluminum alloy parts that need anodizing.
In this way, we suggest that it is produced using rapid prototype process, and the batch process requires mold opening, the cost of mold opening is high and the time is long, which is not conducive to the rapid listing of products.
We can achieve small batch production through CNC, simple mold, vacuum silica gel complex mold, 3D printing and other hand plate processes, which may involve manual processing.
What are the advantages of CNC machining, simple mold, vacuum casting and 3D printing?
| CNC process | Vacuum casting | 3D printing | |
| Material | Can process metal and plastic parts, can not process soft glue | Can process plastic and software | Can do plastic, soft glue and metal materials, the surface effect is relatively rough |
| Quality | Optimal | Second | Worst |
| Efficiency | Slow | General | fastest |
The details are as follows:
CNC small batch production:
In the current machining and manufacturing industry, CNC batch processing has entered the rapid development of the current, there are two types of production: small batch processing (production), that is, multi-variety, single piece, small batch production and few varieties and single piece production.
CNC small batch processing (plastic parts small batch processing and hardware small batch processing) is generally vehicles, milling, planing, grinding, pliers and other common mechanical processing process, fitters blanking, drawing lines, drilling, tapping, etc.CNC is suitable for the fields with high precision and low demand for output. Its representative industries include aerospace industry, shipbuilding industry, automobile industry, construction machinery industry, machine tool industry and other precision parts.Compared with injection molding and die casting, small batch CNC can save mold opening time, reduce mold opening cost, shorten production cycle, and effectively reduce the time and cost of new product design and development.
Small batch production of vacuum casting :
Mainly used for small batch prototypes, short cycle, low cost, but there is no CNC processing performance and precision processing of good, make the finished product, will be affected by heat bilges cold shrink, cause to size has shrunk, but small batch model to the prototype done wrong probability is small, as long as the prototype no problem, the vacuum casting of product also won't have what problem, under normal circumstances the service life of the silicone mold is 10 to 20 times or so. Model to small batch products suitable for accuracy is not high, the product structure is relatively complex, uniform wall thickness, satisfy a certain functional requirements of parts of the cost of company is a good choice, but the quantity is large, to tens of thousands of pieces when mass production, cost is relatively high, the injection molding is a good choice.
3D printing small batch processing:
3D printing has high precision, low cost, high efficiency, zero time delivery and zero skill manufacturing, which are effective means to make prototypes in small batches. However, 3D printing is not suitable for high-hardness products like drill bits. 3D printing is suitable for parts with low requirements and low professionalism, creative products or customized products.
Injection molding is the process of transforming plastics into desired plastic products.Injection molding is suitable for mass automatic production, short molding processing cycle, high production efficiency, product molding and processing shape can be diversified, the scope of application of the process is wide, but the processing equipment price is higher, the production cost is high, not suitable for the single small batch of plastic production
Die-casting products of good quality have high dimensional precision, high strength and hardness, high production efficiency and excellent economic effect, but the material is only limited to aluminum alloy and zinc alloy material, it is not suitable for small batch production, the main reason is that the die-casting aluminum mold manufacturing cost is high, the die-casting aluminum machine production efficiency is high, small batch production is not economic.
Small batch production is the production of special products in small batch demand. Aiming at the small batch manufacturing needs of thousands, hundreds, even dozens, or even dozens, the use of CNC, vacuum casting, and 3D printing processing methods avoid traditional manufacturing methods such as injection molding and casting, which are difficult to overcome high cost, low efficiency, and product quality.
