Rapid prototyping technologies are frequently used towards the beginning of the product development lifecycle to create prototypes or parts used to test and verify designs before full blown production begins. Rapid prototyping services are used in nearly every industry and can be used to prototype everything from a movie prop to a space shuttle component.
Technologies & Applications
The term Rapid Prototyping is typically used in association with additive manufacturing and 3D printing technologies. These technologies essentially “print” very thin 2D layers on top of each other to form a 3D object. Some of these additive manufacturing technologies include PolyJet, Stereolithography (SL), Laser Sintering (LS), and Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). The most frequent uses of rapid prototyping include concept models, design iterations, engineering evaluations, form & fit, presentation models, manufacturing aids and market introductions.