Rapid prototype is a high-tech manufacturing technique based on the stacking of materials. It is deemed as an important achievement of manufacturing in past 20 years. Combined with mechanical engineering, CAD, reverse engineering, 3D printing, numerical controlling, materials science and laser forming, prototype or small-batch parts with certain functions can be produced automatically, quickly and precisely according to the design drawing. It provides a high-efficient but low-cost solutionto prototype manufacturing and new product’s verification.
Rapid prototype is the process of making the prototype by stacking of materials with 3D data and 3D printer. It can also be made by CNC numerical center, sending order to machine in the form of numbers or characters. Then CNC machine will process various metal materials according to the order. The cutter will move automatically along the route and finish the processing of the prototype.
The biggest advantage of rapid prototype isthe high speed of processing. The prototypes can be made within several hours when the quantity is small, the structure of the prototype is simple and there is no need of surface treatment. After forming of prototype, to ensure the hardness, strength, and performance can meet the demand of design, a series of surface treatments may be required.
Bordersun focus on rapid prototype for 18 years, helping customers to present their product out of CAD drawing. We have over 20 sets of high precision CNC machines, and the maximum capability is 1.8*0.8*0.6m. With such capability, we can finish CNC metal prototype of any quantity within 7 working days, helping customers verify the accuracy of product’s material, dimension and color quickly.
Precision Sheet Metal Prototype is indispensable in product design. For customized prototype, the technology of supplier determines directly the quality. The sheet metal manufacturer needs to confirm the quantity and sequence of the process. It is called the technology route to list the name of main procedure and the sequence of manufacturing.
The types of CNC machining plastic prototype are various, and different materials need different manufacturing craft. ABS is the most common material for prototype, while PC and PMMA are often used for transparent prototype, like the lens of apparatus, mobile, and glasses. During the manufacturing, it is very important to pay attention to distinct details. Many small workshops chase for the speed and ignore the details, resulting the fall apart of prototype in halfway. It not only results extra cost, but also time-wasting.
Good impact resistance, high strength, stable structure, dampproof, machinability, all of these make ABS can meet the demand of various prototype. CNC machining ABS prototype needs polish and the surface treatment. Because of the different hardness of plastics, the time and difficulty of polish differ. The polish of ABS is much easier, while the polish of PC, PA66 and POM are harder.
PC has good strength and toughness, and its luminousness can be 89%. The impact resistance of PC is 250-300 times of glass, and 30 times of PMMA plate (with same ply). PC is a kind of amorphous thermoplastic resin with comprehensive performance. It has excellent electrical insulation, extensibility, dimensional stability, and chemical corrosion resistance. Because of the mechanical strength, big-sized parts are difficult to be made with 3D printing. Therefore, CNC machining PC prototype has more advantages for big-sized prototype.
CNC machining PA prototype has high mechanical strength, and it is dimensionally stable without water absorption. Besides, it has high tensile and pressure resistance. It is widely used in various apparatus, and accessories of domestic appliance. However, the water absorption of nylon PA66 is too fast, and the tensile and pressure resistance will decrease when the temperature and humidity increase.
POM has good tensible strength, mechanical properties, impact strength, abrasive resistance and lubricity. There are two colors of POM, black and white. The density of POM is 1.42, and the temperature resistance is 100℃. The insulativity of POM is excellent and immune to temperature and humidity, and the permittivity and dielectric loss change little during the wide fluctuation of temperature, humidity and frequency, therefore, it is often used for gear, accessories of automobile, instruments and jigs. The CNC cutting of POM prototype is fast, and the surface can be treated with burnish and polish. CNC machining POM prototype needs to be finished at once. It cannot work with glue.
