The injection molding prototype to production process is great for product development and accelerating time to market. In this blog, we will explore the process and how to choose the right manufacturer for your project.
The Prototype to Production Process
Design for Manufacturability Review
The first step in the prototype to production process is the Design for Manufacturability review. During this step, the manufacturer will make sure your product is properly designed to ensure efficient production, as well as giving the manufacturer time to address any problems or design flaws. Your manufacturing partner will also review the requirements of your product or part and their applications so they can hone in on specific improvements that will make sure your product functions as expected, saving you time and money.
Review Requirements of Your Product
Your manufacturing partner will also review the requirements of your product or part and their applications so they can hone in on specific improvements that will make sure your product functions as expected, saving you time and money. This review includes any regulations or standards that are set by your industry to ensure that your product meets those requirements prior to production.
Manufacture Prototyping Tooling
Once the design review is complete, your prototyping tooling can be created. Prototyping tooling is typically created from aluminum because it is easy to machine and cost-effective. This tooling is usually effective for up to 2,500 shots. When you partner with Quickparts, we will guarantee the quality of your tooling for the duration of the 2,500 shots and will make repairs or replacements should you need them.
Ramping Up to Production
Once you are happy with your design and prototyping product and have determined there is demand for your product, you will be able to ramp up to production. During this process, your production tooling will be created from steel, since it is more durable and can be used for 10,000 to millions of shots. At Quickparts, we guarantee the quality of your product in your production process and if they don’t meet all of the standards and regulations, we will absorb that cost.
Choosing the Right Prototype to Production Manufacturer
There are a few things to consider when choosing the right prototype to production manufacturer for your project. Two of the biggest considerations are if the manufacturer has the ability to scale and if they offer domestic production.
Ability to Scale
When your prototype to production manufacturer has the ability to scale, your project will easily be able to transition from the prototype process to full-blown production. Your manufacturer will be able to quickly manufacture your production tooling and start the full production process as soon as you are ready.
Domestic Production
Domestic production provides your production process with many benefits. Not only will your products be produced quickly on domestic soil, but they will also be held to a higher quality standard, yielding you better parts and products. Additionally, when your products are produced domestically, your transportation and storage costs are decreased because you don’t have to pay for them to come across the ocean.
How Quickparts Helped Schneider Electric Get their New Product Development Moving Quickly
Schneider Electric is a multinational corporation focusing on energy management and automation. They are constantly developing new products and need a skilled, experienced partner in rapid prototyping to production to facilitate new product development and reduce time to market. And, while they had existing suppliers, their needs weren’t being met in the timeline they desired, so they turned to Quickparts.
Our team provided Schneider Electric with rapid prototyping services that helped to facilitate the project, improving their speed to market. To do this, we communicated constantly with the Schneider team, understanding their goals and working with them to improve processes to ensure all of their expectations and standards were met. This included an upfront Design for Manufacturability (DFM) assessment.
We created durable steel tooling in a short turnaround time, allowing production on their prototypes to start much faster than if they had outsourced their tooling production to another company. When it came time for production, we closely followed Schneider Electric’s internal Flow Analysis to replicate gating, parting lines, and venting conditions in the soft tooling that would meet the requirements of the hard tooling. Our team made multiple modifications to the molds to ensure proof of concept without having to fabricate entirely new molds.
Quickparts also supported rigorous qualification criteria by providing First Article Inspection Reports (FAIR), Product Performance Evaluation Plan (PPEP), Critical Quality Control Standards (CQCS), and more. We were able to collaborate with Schneider Electric to produce rapid prototypes for their new developments and scale these prototypes to production all while maintaining critical quality standards and keeping all of their production domestic.
Turn to Quickparts for Your Prototyping to Production Process
At Quickparts, we offer prototyping to production processes for various industries including medical, electronics, automotive, and more. From injection molding to CNC machining to 3D printing, we have all of the capabilities needed to complete your projects to the tightest of tolerances.
If you are looking for a new prototype to production partner and want to experience the benefits Schneider Electric did, reach out to our team today.