Metal Prototypes A Faster Way

By Author: John Moeller
Total Articles: 6
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When making metal prototypes, both precision and speed are important. You want to make sure that you make those prototypes as precise as possible so that you do not risk damaging your machinery when you try them out. You also want to make sure that you get your prototypes done as quickly as possible so that you don't waste valuable time waiting for finished prototypes to try out. It is vital to your production to stay as efficient as possible, and testing out new parts can be a big part of that. Fortunately, it is possible to get a rapid prototype made of a metal part.

The technology that makes a rapid prototype possible is a process known as additive manufacturing. In the past, metal prototypes took a long time to make because they either needed to be cast in molds or formed out of a solid chunk of metal. It takes time to make a mold, and even longer to shave hard metal into the right shape. But additive manufacturing allows you to quickly form metal prototypes to precise specifications by taking a different approach to manufacturing prototypes. Instead of taking away from your raw material in order to form the prototype, ...
... it adds thin layers of material together to form the prototype.

Laser sintering, also known as direct metal laser sintering, or DMLS, involves using lasers to quickly heat twenty-micron layers of powdered metal together in order to form metal prototypes. Because the layers are so thin, you can add them gradually and still get a minute amount of detail. The precision of this method is actually much better than you would get trying to build a hasty mold for a new part, and it also saves you from wasting your money making molds for parts that do not work out. This is yet another benefit of getting a rapid prototype made.

And once you find a rapid prototype that works, you can simply make a mold of the prototype and then cast parts based on the prototype. Because metal prototypes formed by this method are so accurate, the parts you cast from the mold of the original prototype are accurate, too. This cuts down on the time it takes to go from prototype to working part, and time is money, as they say. The faster you are able to incorporate your new, more efficient part into the day-to-day of your production, the more profit you will see.

Visit http://www.directedMFG.com for more information regarding why this company is one of the top rapid prototype companies in the world. As a premier rapid prototypes company, DirectedMFG continues to provide its customers with products and services that meet and exceed expectations. Contact DirectedMFG today by calling 714-546-1113.