Appliance Design - October 2007 - (Page 42)

PROTOTYPING Outside SLA model made by Quickparts and primed and painted by NASA. Consider all the options before choosing where to make prototype parts. D by larry adams 42 applianceDESIGN October 2007 ecisions, decisions. With all the innovations in rapid prototyping (RP) technology that have occurred over the last decade, designers now can choose from a wide variety of technical methods to produce a prototype part, with each approach offering its own distinct set of pros and cons. In addition to that, companies needing prototypes must also choose whether to invest in their own prototyping equipment, or outsource the function to a prototyping service bureau. Purchasing the technology has its appeals. When prototyping is needed, the designers can immediately start the process without having to schedule work with an outside prototyping service bureau. And, the designs can be kept in-house with fewer worries of confidential concepts being leaked. But, buying has its downsides, too. The obvious one is cost, especially for higher-end machines. Obtaining equipment also requires obtaining the in-house expertise needed to operate and maintain them, and the needed infrastructure and supporting processes that must be developed. For a smaller company, buying just one RP technology may be cost prohibitive as some machines can cost in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. More affordable machines are on the market, but may not offer all of the capabilities that are needed. The volume of parts, their complexity and size, and the lead times required for them, are other considerations. Part volume needed to make a purchase worthwhile depends on a number of factors. Many experts say that if the prototypes required number more than 10, then outsourcing is the way to go. One rule-of-thumb, writes Joe Hiemenz, public relations manager for Stratasys, is that when an average part size is approximately 6 in. x 6 in. x 6 in., and volume exceeds 50 parts per year (one per week), then it is time to start considering a machine purchase (See “Picking the Process,” Oct. 2006, Appliance Design). For smaller, less durable prototypes that www.applianceDESIGN.com http://www.appliancedesign.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Appliance Design - October 2007

Contents Editorial Shipments/Forecasts News Watch Applying Powder Coatings to Plastic Parts is No Longer a Pipe Dream New Technology Platform Provides the Ability for a single IC to Control Two- Motors in a Single Appliance, Simplifying Motor Control Design Advanced Motor-Control Techniques have Become More Accessible to a Wider Array of Appliances, Helping to Improve Efficiency and Reduce Noise Adding USB Host Capability to Appliances Permits In-Field Programming and Acquisition of Test Data ZigBee Modules Make it Easier to Design Wireless Connectivity into Applications New Concepts such as Rapid Tooling and Rapid Injection Molding Provide Stepping Stones Between Prototyping and Full Scale Production A Number of Factors and New Developments Affect the Decision on Whether to Build Prototypes In-House or Outsource to a Service Bureau DesignMart Advertiser’s Index Association Report: CEA

Appliance Design - October 2007

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