Por que os protótipos personalizados são o futuro da manufatura?

Why are custom prototypes the future of manufacturing?

Custom Auto Parts Prototypes

When Henry Ford invented his first automated assembly line to manufacture cars, he sparked an entire industrial revolution. Within a few years, we will be able to see perfectly identical, high-quality products manufactured by automated assembly lines in stores. And people were happy with the cheap products that would otherwise cost them a fortune if ordered in person. Today, the modern consumer is tired of being like the guy next door with his standard car, his iPhone and his clothes. People have become richer and have an urgent need for individuality. This is where custom prototypes come into play. Without further ado, let's look at why custom prototypes will replace mass production in the future.

Personalization highlights your individuality

Like I said, the public is tired of stamps. Thanks to modern banking and many accumulated assets, we can even buy expensive gadgets and cars with relative ease. That's why everyone has everything. When purchasing a new Lexus model, you definitely won't go a day without seeing an exact copy of your car.

However, let's imagine you ordered custom light prototypes for your Lexus. No one will have the same lights, and what's more, you can help with the design and make them as unusual as you like, for example by adding light guides. This is how personalization works. You can make each object unique or modify it to make it unique.

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The result suits you perfectly

I'm sure every one of you has purchased something, like clothes, shoes, furniture, etc., only to find that it doesn't fit as perfectly as you'd like. The same goes for phones, cars and appliances. Maybe there's a feature you'd like to have but wasn't included in mass production. Previously, we could simply choose one of the mass-produced products that suited us best, or we had to accept it.

Modern custom manufacturers can customize any product to perfectly meet your needs. Just look at 3D scanning technologies. This allows engineers to take their measurements in minutes and perfectly fit the designed part, whether it's your foot, a mounting hole for a car light, or a prosthetic.

Rapid product development reduces the efficiency of automated production lines

When mass production was introduced, you could set up an automated line and produce the same model for years. Modern society wants more. A new iPhone comes out every year, a new car modification every few years. There simply isn't time to design and manufacture complex mass production lines. The industry needs rapid prototyping, rapid manufacturing, flexible equipment and a greater level of customization to satisfy even the most demanding customers.

The latest technologies aim to develop customized prototypes

As we know, modern industry is developing at a tremendous speed. New techniques and equipment appear to increase manufacturing efficiency in line with customer desires. And what do we see from this analysis? The unmistakable trend towards customer-specific prototyping, individual orders and small-batch production of highly personalized products. Evidence of this trend is visible in recently invented and improved manufacturing techniques. Most of them are related to fast and flexible prototyping methods and rapid machine manufacturing. Generally speaking, each method aims to increase the personalization of the product the consumer receives.

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3D printing

Additive manufacturing or 3D printing is the ultimate method for quickly producing plastic and metal prototypes. The unique layer-by-layer technology combines the most advanced developments of the 20th century: lasers and computer-programmed movements. Not only does it produce plastic prototypes with a wide range of material properties, it also requires no special tools, instruments or parts.

Custom prototyping is the perfect area for 3D printing because it does not take geometric complexity into account and does not need to be configured before each part is manufactured (as is the case with CNC machining). The pinnacle of customization in 3D printing is the creation of artificial bones in titanium, dentures and dental implants in metal.

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Vacuum Casting

Vacuum casting is the advanced version of silicone casting – a method of making plastic prototypes by pouring liquid polymer into a previously created silicone mold. Currently, this method is perfect for small batches of prototypes for small groups of people who want custom products or want to perform real-world testing on previously developed prototypes. Silicone casting has always been a hobby, but with the development of vacuum casting, prototyping shops have adopted this method as well. Just don't forget that you need a master template for this. I suggest ordering a metal model from a CNC machining shop for durability. So you can easily make many silicone molds and your small batch can become medium or even large.

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CNC processing

Machining was and still is a very basic and complex manufacturing method. When we mention machining, people think of large factories and tough machinists who operate complicated-looking machines, producing thousands of parts and packing them into boxes for later transportation. Modern metal cutting workshops have nothing in common with this. A site with just a few CNC machine tools can now produce a wide variety of products. And modern CNC machining services have made everything easier. You no longer need a technical degree. Just bring sketches of your personalized electronic cigarette, your car steering wheel or even a sculpture. Choose any material or ask the workshop which is most suitable depending on the material properties and functionality of the part, and leave everything else in your capable hands.

Modern machine tools are programmed using computer-aided numerical control. The cutter moves according to a program with extreme precision, so that even very complex parts can be produced quickly and economically.

The speed of custom prototyping has increased dramatically

Thanks to modern technologies, the time required to produce rapid prototypes has drastically decreased. For example, a 3D printer can produce a medium-sized part in two days. Batch silicone molding can take a week, just like CNC machining. At these speeds, it is possible to produce customized products almost as quickly as mass-produced products. Mainly because the shipping costs and delivery time are the same.

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