One of the best applications for 3D printing in business is that it can be used to create functional prototypes. The process of prototyping can be expensive, but 3D printing can make this process more efficient and cost effective and can be used to test product design early in the development process. 3D printing can make prototyping fast and affordable. Here’s a look at how this works:

Use the Prototype to Speed Up Product Development

Traditional prototyping methods can be expensive and time consuming, with prototypes often taking months to be completed. Many businesses outsource to companies who do the process manually, which can cause bottlenecks in the development process. With 3D printing, businesses can produce a prototype within hours or days based upon its complexity and requirements. This can speed up the product development process and enable the business to finalize its product design early on.

Test and Make Changes More Easily with 3D Printing

Functional prototypes created with 3D printing technology can help businesses test the product early in the development process. By testing the product before the final design, businesses can identify potential design flaws and make necessary changes before investing further in product development. This eliminates the risk of producing a product that does not meet the consumer’s needs, saving time and money in the long run.

Once a business receives the prototype, they begin their testing phase. After the testing is over, they might need to make changes. When the prototyping is done manually, making changes can be expensive and time consuming, often resulting in the need to start from scratch. With 3D printing, the process of making changes is a lot more streamlined and efficient.

Increasing the Efficiency of a Team and Reducing Downtime

Using 3D printing services to create prototypes can help improve a team’s efficiency and reduce downtime. Think of it this way. If you are waiting for months for a prototype that has been created using the “old” way, you could be waiting for months. This results in downtime for your entire team, which can get expensive and lower morale.

When using 3D printing to create the prototype, it makes the team more efficient and helps improve teamwork. There is less downtime, so the project can move forward faster.

Helps Keep Project Costs Down

Using 3D Printing services to create prototypes saves money for a variety of reasons. This includes moving a product into the production phase a lot faster since the prototypes are finalized quicker, it reduces materials waste, keeps labor costs down, helps create better products, and makes it easier to customize the prototypes. Achieving all of this with older methods of prototyping takes a lot more time and money.

There are a lot of reasons why businesses should use 3D printing technology to create prototypes, mainly because it allows them to create functional prototypes quickly and affordably. Please contact us for more information on how we can create prototypes for your project.