Prototypes

Customer Concepts

In this phase, the basic form and characteristics of the product are defined. This may include aspects such as product functionality, strength, aesthetics, cost, ease of manufacture and regulations that may apply. Factors such as size, geometry, tolerances, functional and aesthetic requirements are considered. Designers use design software to create virtual prototypes of the product.

3d print

Prototypes of the product are created to evaluate its design and functionality before moving to mass production. This can be done using various techniques such as:

3D printing: to validate the geometry and fit of the product.

Pilot lot

Once the prototype is validated, the manufacturing process must be optimized to ensure the efficiency and quality of the product on a large scale.

Tests are performed to verify that the product meets performance, strength and durability specifications. For example, if it is an automotive component, impact tests, temperature tests or fatigue tests may be performed.
Aesthetic characteristics, dimensions and tolerances of the final product are verified. This includes visual inspection, measurement of dimensions and analysis of surface finish.
In addition, material properties can be verified by mechanical (such as tensile, compression or bending), thermal (such as melting temperature) and chemical (such as acid and base resistance) tests.

Product/Testing

Once the product has been tested and validated, production is scaled up. At this stage, mass production of the product begins and processes are optimized to reduce costs and improve efficiency.