The very purpose for producing a prototype is to uncover potential problems in the product being prototyped. But what happens when problems you did not anticipate occur in the prototyping process?
That is the nagging question, especially when it comes down to crunch time. Every prototyper has a story about speedy turn-around of a prototype casting project and he may assure you that record turn-around of your casting is not a problem. But be careful about accepting this kind of promotional bravado at face value, especially if you are banking the success of your project on a record turn-around because you have run out of time.
Here are some of the advantages of releasing your part files to the prototype supplier before you complete the design.
Having your part fail in prototype testing may seem like a minor catastrophe, but in reality it is a blessing in disguise. It is better to discover part weaknesses in the prototype process than in the production process, with hundreds, if not thousands of parts out in the marketplace. After all, prototyping is done to test the design.
Well, that’s a good question and the answer you get will vary. Some folks will tell you it will take four to six or maybe even eight weeks to deliver prototype castings. They could be right. Some jobs are more challenging than others. But what you, as a designer, need to know is that when someone tells you, “I can have this prototype casting for you in about four to six weeks..” I would suggest you make a few more phone calls.
If this seems like a silly question, it’s not. We all know that prototypes are created to accomplish a variety of things such as testing the mechanical strength of a part, measuring heat dissipation characteristics, fit and whatever else may be required to ensure the success of the design before it goes into production.
Have you ever wondered what makes one vendor an absolutely terrific asset to your company and another vendor is just run-of-the-mill? Your vendor’s expertise in specific areas such as prototyping can be your insurance policy for new product success.
Once in a while all the time you thought you had to get a part out of design, through prototype, testing and into production just evaporated. The deadline for required production parts is approaching like a speeding train and you are in a real time-crunch. If you’ve been there before, you know it’s not where you want to be. So is there a way out when caught in this time dilemma?
Cost is relative. Something is either expensive, cheap or a good buy depending upon the value received. And so it goes with prototyping. Obviously every buyer, no matter what, wants to make sure that he gets the best value for the money invested. So in the prototyping process, how do you quantify value received?
