Depending on the type of product and the material for which your product is designed, there are specific prototyping methods best suited for a particular process. In this section we will try and cover the most common methods of prototype using the latest technologies available.

Plastic Prototype Part
    For Plastic injection molded parts, the most common high tech method of prototype is the Rapid Prototype process. Rather than try and explain the details of the process, let us simply say the process is like building up the part in layer's which deposits material only in that layers slice from roughly 0.005" thick to 0.015" thick per layer. This process requires a Solid Model file in order to export to STL file format for growing of your parts. We can create a solid model part file, then create the appropriate file for growing of your finished part.

Metal Cast Prototype Part
    The process for metal prototype parts are similar in some ways to plastic parts, except these are created from a rubber mold which is made from the prototype part as outlined above. The difference is once the part is "grown" from the STL model file, that part is then cast in a rubber mold which is then used to pour a 80% aluminum composite material into it. The resulting poured part does not have the same strength properties as a machined or Die-Cast prototype part, but it is an excellent alternative to a plastic rapid prototype part when higher temperatures are required.
    This process requires a Solid Model file in order to export to an STL file format for growing of your parts. We can create a solid model part file, then create the appropriate file for growing of your finished part.
    At this stage of the process, typically what is being prototyped is only the form and fit of the product, not necessarily the function with strength testing. If form, fit and function testing are required, then you would need to prototype the part in its final specified material, whether it be plastic, Cast Aluminum, Zinc or sheet metal.

Prototype Tooling
    Another method for prototyping your product is to have a prototype tool made. This will allow you to test the product in its final environment, taking in all the considerations of form, fit and functionality. This is usually a more expensive route to take, however, it is also highly dependent on the configuration of your part. As a general rule, the more complex the part is, the more the tool will cost to produce the part. In comparison, the Rapid Prototype Process does not care about the complexity, only the time it take for the machine to run your part which is determined by the typical wall thickness and the overall dimensions.

Sheet Metal
    Original Concepts Design, Inc. is experienced in, and have the 3D parametrically linked software, to design your sheet metal project providing complete final product drawings with bends and stamping cutouts, as well as unbent in the flat as stamped mode prior to the bends. This makes the stamping house's job easier and provides for minimal interpretation errors. Original Concepts Design, Inc., provides "Top-down" assembly design. We create the first component starting in the assembly environment and use all relative geometry to define the subsequent components. This gives us the confidence your parts will fit together without incident.

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