Time is money, and it always seems to fly when a company moves from prototype to production.
Luckily, advances in rapid prototyping are making the process faster, more efficient and less expensive, which might explain why its popularity is growing in the aerospace industry.
In fact, the sky’s the limit when it comes to rapid prototyping. Rapid prototyping gives companies and government organizations the ability to test a variety of materials and designs. As a result, many light-weight, dependable and safe solutions are discovered.
Here’s a look at how rapid prototyping is giving flight to new products in an industry where precision and speed can make the difference between a company reaching new heights and one that remains grounded:
CNC Machining
Computer Numerical Control, or CNC machining, is a rapid prototyping process that offers increased speed and flexibility.
Highly skilled programmers and aerospace engineers are able to create and easily manipulate computerized models of parts. This digitized process allows them to experiment with different cuts, slopes, grooves and designs before a physical prototype is created.
Once every aspect of the model has been designed with pin-point accuracy, a computer program is used to create the component out of one solid piece of material. One huge benefit of using CNC machining is that problems can be identified early in the process before the actual trial and test parts are built. This reduces the need to keep going back to the drawing board, and it also helps get products to market more quickly.
Cast Urethanes
Aerospace equipment manufacturers are always asked for parts and components that are light, durable, reliable and able to withstand high-forming pressures.
Cast urethane answers the call. Using cast urethane to manufacture aerospace parts and components offers an array of benefits — it’s easier to procure than steel or aluminum, has a relatively short mold life, lends itself nicely to rapid prototyping and can be used for short-run productions. All in all, using cast urethanes helps move products to market more quickly.
Aerospace equipment manufacturers know that time and money matter, so the best way to save on both is by requesting a fast quote from Product Development Solutions.