Back in the day, people had to make models by hand. This was a painstaking process that required a steady hand, a keen eye for detail, and a lot of time. Because it took so much time, it was also expensive to make models, which meant that you had to be pretty sure about a design before making it come to life in a model. Also, if the design were unsuccessful, you would have to start the entire tedious process all over again. Fortunately, modern technology has changed the way that models are made. Now, 3D printers can be used to create models quickly, accurately, and affordably. 3D prototyping is becoming more and more popular, and it is easy to see why.
3D prototyping is a process by which a resin model is made from CAD (computer-aided design) files. These models can be made at varying levels of detail, although making a higher-resolution model will take longer to make. Instead of having to pay minute attention to detail, you can let the 3D printers do the thinking for you. The resulting models are accurate, detailed, durable, and can even be painted to give you a better idea of what the finished product would look like.
Models made by 3D prototyping are created from thin sheets of resin. While a typical resin thickness for an application like this is 0.004″, higher-resolution models use even thinner resin, 0.002″ to make sure that the details really shine through. Most 3D printers will allow you to choose Industry Environment Analysis the level of detail that you want in your model, but you should keep in mind that higher levels of detail will require more sheets of the thinner resin, as opposed to fewer sheets of the thicker resin. This process will take longer; so make sure to time the prototyping process accordingly.
Using 3D printers, even for higher-resolution models, is a great timesaving measure. Gone are the days in which models were expensive and took a long time to produce. These days, making models through 3D prototyping is so easy that more and more people are doing it. It is growing Steps To Start A Small Business in popularity simply because it’s a better process: faster, easier, and cheaper. It can drastically cut down on the amount of time that it takes for you to go from model to finished product in development. You should be sure to take advantage of the technology of today.…
Tag: prototype
Robotic High Rise Parking Structure Modeling for Prototype Manufacturing During Testing Process
There is a real challenge that occurs between the prototype phase of research and development and then moving into the manufacturing stage. Often you learn things between the two stages, but you’ve already committed yourself to a specific assembly line process, and worked out all of your Six Sigma best management practices.
How do I know this? Well, because before I retired I was a franchisor and we built our own equipment and often changed the specifications in the early going of new prototypes as we learned of new advantages, and challenges. Industrial Engineering And Management Scope Okay so, let’s talk about this for second shall we? Maybe it’s time to turn the manufacturing assembly line on its head, rebuilding from the ground up. What model should we use, or could we use for this?
Well, what if we used a similar format that is found in high rise robotic parking structures? Why not have 4 or 5 units being built along the assembly line with their own schedule, along with the main assembly line with the new added features, which come with feature creep, as you learn new things, and figure out more applications for whatever it is you are producing? Are you able to picture this in your mind?
Okay so, why not imagine the first floor of your robotic parking structure with all the new prototypes, and each subsequently moves up the line, each floor is the next phase of the assembly line. You can still run a finite capacity scheduling model this way, on each floor the unit you are producing simply goes around in a counterclockwise position, and any prototype that needs to be refitted, is moved down to a prior level where those modifications can be made while everything else runs through the assembly line.
Eventually you’ve got all the bugs worked out, and you simply move everything into a more constant pattern without deviation. If you’ve noted some assembly lines now have loops for extra add-on features which may have been ordered by the customer which are up in beyond the base model. This scheme I am discussing and envisioning is similar in nature, but it would better take into consideration prototypes which are between production phases, without wasting the prototypes, which are already partially built.
A company which prides itself on being efficient, and running with zero waste would be wise to consider such a technique strategy. Perhaps this is Importance Of Service Marketing Slideshare a concept you might consider if you are designing your production processes. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.…
Tips For Outsourcing PCB Assembly and Prototype Manufacturing
It often does not make sense to invest in expensive production equipment if you just want to spin a few prototypes and instead outsource your PCB assembly and prototype manufacturing to a reliable vendor. I will give some tips as to what to watch out for when looking for a contract manufacturer.
Many contract manufacturers will offer an instant quote mechanism on their website for manufacture of circuit boards and assembly of prototypes. This will save you time when comparing different vendors. Make sure that the quote system allows you to enter all of the details, such as board material, thickness, copper thickness, milling etc. so that you can get an accurate quote without any surprises later on.
Usually the cost per board will decrease as quantity increases. This is due to the fairly high setup cost of circuit board manufacturing and component assembly. Some vendors will use a system where they combine boards from several customers. This way the setup cost will be distributed amongst several customers. When you manufacture a product, you obviously do not want to have to manufacture a large quantity of boards right away while you refine your design.
One limitation with small-quantity prototypes though is that the choice of materials and material thicknesses will be limited. If you are using a special material then chances are there won’t be any other customers using the same material. In addition, lead time plays a big role in determining cost. A longer lead time allows the manufacturer more freedom in slotting your production. This is typically reflected in lower costs which you will see in the quote section. Obviously if you are in a rush and want to be moved to the top of the pile you will need to spend more money.
Make sure that your contract manufacturer will support the file format for manufacture that you provide. The most common format for PCB manufacture is the Gerber format but some vendors will also accept board files from common PCB software products. Some suppliers also offer in-house PCB design. Even if you design your board yourself, picking a vendor with design services may prove useful in case there is a problem with your files. In this case your vendor can make quick changes which will avoid costly delays.
When subcontracting PCB assembly, ensure that your vendor can assemble all of the package types that your board uses. Some vendors cannot assemble certain type of IC packages such as BGA, chip-scale packages or very small component types. If in doubt be sure to contact your vendor ahead of time.
Some contract manufacturers will carry an inventory of standard SMT and through-hole components. You will save time if you can pull from your vendor’s inventory Secondary Industry Def rather than purchasing each component yourself. Make sure to specify which components you wish to consign yourself when you upload your bill of materials.
Most vendors will also offer manufacture of the SMT stencil which is required for PCB assembly. …