Prototype

A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process ,or act as a thing to be replicated or learned from,it means prototypes will help system designers build an information system that is intuitive and easy to manipulate for end users.

There are some processing methods of prototype as follows：

CNC machining

CNC machining of prototypes is the most prevalent form of rapid prototyping in China and is also our major business. why it is the most popular? Because the cost of labour, materials and CNC machinery is very low in China. And what the most important is CNC machining prototypes give the most accurate representation of mass production parts. Based on our skilled technique,our compay can offer one-stop service for the rapid manufacturing of high-quality CNC machining prototypes according to your drawing.

SLA

Sterolithography (SLA),also called Stereolithography, or SLA, produces 3D rapid prototype parts a layer at a time by using the light of a solid-state laser to trace the cross sectional slice information of the 3D CAD data onto the surface of a container of liquid photopolymer. There is a wide range of rapid prototyping materials which is available for the SLA process and it is also famous for the large object sizes that it is capable of producing.

RIM

"Over the last 20 years Reaction Injection Molding (RIM) has emerged as a popular method of producing premium quality molded polyurethane parts. These range is from simple parts to complicated structural components, typically in volumes of one to 5,000 pieces. The case studies demonstrate that RIM is suitable for a wider range of applications than one would expect."

Vacuum Casting

A form of RTV moulding, known as Vacuum Casting, is widely used for producing accurate silicone tools for casting parts with fine details and very thin walls.
Vacuum castings are precise replicas of the patterns, dimensionally accurate without blemishes, but with all profiles and textures faithfully reproduced.
Besides additive techniques, Materialise offers another type of RP: manufacture of components and small series in silicone moulds. Stereolithography masters are used to build these moulds. lead times for Vacuum casting are a bit longer than it for 3D printing technology, but the result is astounding. Because Products made in silicone moulds have a quality comparable to the final product, which makes them especially suitable for fit and function testing and marketing purposes.

Anyway, The Prototype has several benefits: The software designer and implementer can get valuable feedback from the users early in the project. The client and the contractor can compare if the software make matches the software specification based on which the software program is built. It also allows the software engineer to draw some insight into the accuracy of initial project and estimate whether the deadlines and milestones proposed can be successfully met.