Prototyping and Small Series Manufacturing
Download as PPTX, PDF0 likes833 views
The document outlines the importance of prototyping in product development, emphasizing its role in idea generation, user testing, and communication. It discusses various materials and methods for creating prototypes, from low-cost everyday items to advanced techniques like 3D printing and CNC machining. Additionally, it highlights the significance of local professionals and iterative processes in small series manufacturing.
Prototyping and Small Series Manufacturing
- 1. Prototyping and Small Series Manufacturing Dina Neishtadt
- 2. Who am I? ● Product Manager & Software Engineer ● Industrial Designer ● Tinkerer and Maker Checkout my website: www.dinkaworks.com You are welcome to contact me at: dina@dinkaworks.com
- 3. Why do we prototype? ● Explorative idea generation ● User testing ● Communication ● Try to execute your plans for reall ● A picture is worth a thousand words, but a prototype is by far more valuable when it comes to physical products The iterative aspect of prototyping is Key!
- 4. 3D Computer Modeling instead of Prototyping ● A 3D model is not a replacement for a physical prototype ● In a 3D model you don’t have a sense of size (nothing to reference) ● You can’t sense the temperature of the product when one will touch it ● You can’t try it on or try using it in context ● It doesn’t smell ● IT OFTEN TAKES MUCH MORE TIME TO 3D MODEL than to physically prototype
- 5. So how do I start? Use objects in your surrounding area! Use paper, cardboard, foam core (also referred as foam board), wire, play dough or anything else you can find. These are going to be the fastest way for one to demonstrate an idea and the most cost effective ones (see 3) Checkout the Look-Alikes series for inspiration about what you can do with day to day objects!
- 6. Next stage At a later stage, once you have completed a number of iterations of very low quality prototypes (to test the size, proportion etc) you can move to Looks-Like prototypes: ● Foam - Polyurethane foam (compleat sculpture nyc), leftovers of polystyrene packaging for a cheaper alternative ● Polymeric clay ● Wood ● 3D Printing ● Laser cutting ● Plexiglassacetatewhatever you can find in an art supplies store
- 7. Materials ● In prototypes, materials of mass production are typically substituted by for simple and easier to work with materials and processes. ● Avoid materials requiring tooling ● Try using materials that most accessible to you, always think about the time it will take you to get a certain material and how difficult it is for YOU to work with it (geography changes availability of materials and tools0
- 8. The Spiky Ball Example “I want a spiky ball made out of this pleasant to touch material”
- 9. Spiky Ball? ● All of these are Spiky balls ● What if you would bring a prototype that is made out of: o $1 stores ball of the right size - ball size reference o Spike made out of play dough or made out of paper rolled into cones - spike shape and size reference o A piece of your favorite rubber - material reference o A paper weight - weight reference o Usage example
- 10. Tools 1. Good hand tools are essential 2. Use maker spaces, hacker spaces and studio places you can rent by the hour. For example: a. TechShop - not available in NYC :(((( b. Hack Manhattan & NYC resistor have some tools at their disposal c. Makeville - you can rent a woodworking shop by the hour
- 11. Rapid Prototyping ● Usually people mean 3D Printers, Laser Cutters and CNC machines when they say that. ● These tools are awesome! ● Consider additive manufacturing vs subtractive manufacturing
- 12. How to create a plastic prototype? ● Machinable plastic board ● Casting - allows you to create flexible rubbersilicone or plastic products I highly recommend the 2-day mold making workshops by Smooth-On and Polytek
- 13. So… how do I create a mold to cast into…? ● 3D printing is an option, although the cheap ones are going to leave very rough surface ● CNC is great, but you need to have one available and your CAD skills will require some polishing ● Laser cutter is wonderful, but thats 2D...
- 14. What are my other options? Machining Everything that falls under “chip-forming”, any cutting techniques that produce “chips” of materials as a result of the cut. Turning, boring, drilling, routing etc… If you are working with hard type foam, you can manually cut it out, file it and seal it for casting.
- 15. Modeling clay ● Polymer that can be reused ● Every single car in the world is first made out of modeling clay See 4
- 16. Wood working ● You can carve and shape wood to produce perfect masters for your molds! ● Woodworking is still quite accessible and efficient ways to product prototypes
- 17. Metal Spinning and Stamping Metal Spinning For forming round shapes out of metal sheet Watch Metal Stamping For forming rectangular shapes out of metal sheet
- 18. Finishing for your models Bondo It smells, but can give your really smooth finishes for your models, once you file it and sand it. The are various types of adhesives and Fillers (see 2) Spray paint Its a great and cheap alternative to expensive coatings. Probably you don’t have a spray booth, so make sure you are doing it outside on the parking lot or something, with no kids breathing that thing in around.
- 19. Production of small series Use local professionals These are great! They will give you advice and guide you through your planning and feasibility processes Small scale - below 10,000 units Almost never its going to be worth it going to China Refer to The New Industrial Revolution by Chris Anderson, for some more information on the subject A useful resource - http://makersrow.com/
- 20. Designing for Manufacturing ● A good industrial designer, will be able to consider manufacturing best practices when creating a CAD model for you. ● Creating a 3D drawing is not enough! ● You need to make sure that the plastic snaps you are creating can be indeed manufactured! ● Physical prototypes are very important
- 21. Packaging and graphics This is the face of your product!!!
- 22. Steve Jobs ● Everything written about product development and design in Steve Jobs, Book by Walter Isaacson is true! ● This is how things work for great products! ● Read the book...
- 23. How to manufacture? ● Project management best practices ● Buffers, both time and $ ● Risk analysis - what will happen if we overrun the budget? ● Locally vs. China ● Iterative processes!!!
- 24. This is a nice summary http://www.marthastewart.com/264329/how-to-get-your-product-made-finding- and
- 25. Professional Product Design ● Create physical prototypes for you ● Create CAD for you ● Advice regarding the usability, ergonomics and manufacturability of the product ● In case of a technological product - work closely with a mechanical engineerelectricalelectronics engineer ● Will know what manufacturing methods could be potentially more expensive than others ● Will offer alternatives in case that manufacturing is too expensice ● Consider sustainability of material used ● Advise on materials
- 26. Working with a product designer ● Your verbal descriptions are not worth much ● Provide physical prototypes o Looks like o Works like o Supply a material reference, describe what is it good for (if not perfect): I want my product to be warm to the touch, like wood I want it to smell fresh, like Nickel I want it to be nice to touch, like an eraser ● The more physical samples you provide, the more there is chance that the product designer will understand you
- 27. Reading Material ● Folding Techniques for Designers - Paul Jackson ● Prototyping and Low-Volume Production (The Manufacturing Guides) - Thompson, Rob ● Making It - Manufacturing Techniques for Product Design - Chris Lefteri ● Prototyping and Model Making for Product Design - Bjarki Hallgrimsson ● Look a likes - Joan Steiner
- 28. Any Questions?
- 29. Thank you!