For many years, 3D printing has helped the plastic industry improve prototypes for customers in an array of industries, including automotive, food, and medical. Whether a company is creating a point-of-purchase display or clamshell packaging, it’s crucial to create a prototype first before placing a mass production order. The guide below discusses how 3D printing and prototypes are useful. 

What Makes Prototypes Useful?

Companies need to get a lot of people on board before they launch a new product line. They need to prove to investors that it’s worth funding. They must ensure it’s something customers will find useful. They’re also required to show it to regulators to make sure it complies with all applicable laws.

Prototypes are essentially a draft of a product. They may not be as extensive, but they’re easier to create and have a similar design to the end product the creator is aiming for.

Why Is 3D Printing an Optimal Choice?

When a company needs a prototype, they’re often working on a tight deadline. It’s also likely they want to create the prototype for as little money as possible. Luckily, 3D printing offers an affordable, speedy production process to make this happen. 

Using 3D machinery, a designer creates product drawings or computer renderings, and the machine transforms them into physical objects. It can create as many models as necessary, often in as little as an hour. The company then analyzes these models to enhance and polish the product.

How Is It Helpful Throughout Production?

Even after the first prototype of the product is created, a 3D printer remains useful. For example, say a product’s initial design is praised by investors and customers, but regulators have one or two features they would like to change. Those features can be changed in the initial prototype, so another 3D rendering can be created.

Prototyping is useful for creating base canvases of products that can be tweaked and modified. This gives the company a head start on the actual version they’ll put into mass production.

When you need 3D printing services, choose Faro Industries in Rochester, NY. They offer a variety of plastic components and prototypes, handling both the design and assembly processes in low, medium, or high orders. They specialize in crafting plastic components for an array of industries, including electronic packs, blister packaging, point-of-purchase displays, and medical packages. Visit their website or call (585) 647-6000 to learn more about their services.