Why 3D Printing Prototypes Save Time & Money in Production

When the market moves fast, your company has to move faster. Any delays in development can mean losing out to your competitors while you’re still finetuning a prototype. That’s why many startups choose 3D printing for product testing.

3D printing prototyping makes it possible to significantly reduce product development time and cost. For businesses on a budget, this means your team can stay ahead of the competition and make sure new launches meet your expectations, all without breaking the bank. 

What the 3D Printing Prototyping Process Looks Like
You may have heard 3D printing referred to as “additive manufacturing”. This is because, unlike traditional manufacturing, which “subtracts” bits of material from a larger piece until the correct size and shape are achieved, 3D printing adds material one layer at a time until the design is finished.

3D printing prototyping starts with a digital design model. Once the design is uploaded onto the printer, the machine slices the 3D model into multiple flat, 2D layers. Once it’s time to print, the 3D printer starts extruding material (usually plastic) to build the design layer by layer. Lastly, as the plastic cools, it bonds to the other layers like glue.

Depending on the size and complexity of the design, the process can take anywhere from 30 minutes to a few days. 
 

3D Printing vs Traditional Prototyping
If your goal is to build a working prototype for testing, there are several functional prototyping methods your team can choose from. Every method has its pros and cons, but for many, the disadvantages of traditional prototyping outweigh any advantages. Here’s a quick overview of how 3D printing compares to more traditional methods. 
 

3D Printing vs CNC Modeling
Historically, Computer Numerical Control (CNC) modeling has been a go-to for companies prototyping complex parts by creating a 3D digital model that can be used to generate a toolpath for CNC machines. CNC machines offer high-precision end products and are able to deliver the full properties of a given material. At the same time, CNC modeling is expensive and can be tricky to set up.

A 3D printer, on the other hand, requires very little setup and no custom tools. Unlike subtractive CNC machining, which creates waste as it cuts away material, 3D printing only uses the exact amount of material needed to print each prototype, helping to reduce waste.

How Prototyping Improves Manufacturing
Over the past decade, thousands of companies have enlisted factory-level 3D printing to enable rapid iteration in product design. For example, 3D printing prototyping can significantly speed up the development of complex parts used in industries like healthcare or consumer packaged goods (CPG). In some cases, 3D printed prototypes can be designed and printed in under a day, making it possible to rapidly test multiple designs in a short period. 
 

Advantages of 3D Printed Prototypes
3D printing offers rapid prototyping benefits that can streamline product development and support business progress. Here’s a closer look at how 3D printing may help save time and reduce your costs over the long term: 

Cost Savings:
For most businesses, the biggest advantage of 3D printing is being able to reduce production costs with prototyping. Where traditional proof of concepts might cost thousands to achieve, 3D printed prototypes are significantly more affordable, both in material and manufacturing costs. 

Faster Iterations:
3D printing is the only method that can produce functional prototypes in a matter of hours. This puts less pressure on your engineering team to get it right the first time. If the design needs adjustments, it doesn’t take weeks to get a new prototype in your hands. Oftentimes, same-day changes are possible.
Fast iteration also allows you to quickly comparison test different versions of products to find just the right fit for your needs. 

Design Validation:
For medical products specifically, teams need to be able to validate that a design works as intended before it can be approved for production. 3D printing makes it easy to create multiple functional prototypes with slight differences to identify the best option for each specific use case.

Less Waste:
Traditional subtractive manufacturing wastes a lot of raw materials in the production process. 3D printing only uses the exact amount of material necessary, and in many cases, that material can be recycled after testing.

Your Partners in Pre-Production Testing
Old-school prototyping doesn’t always keep up with today’s pace. The market moves too fast for teams to wait weeks for prototypes to arrive. You need a partner that can help you launch new products on time and within budget, without compromising on quality.

At Alltrista, we combine our expertise in design and engineering to offer rapid 3D prototyping before production. We execute precision parts in record time, so you can test and iterate as much as you need before bringing your product to market. Got an idea you’re ready to workshop? Get in touch with our world-class team.