As part of PRIMO Corporations turnkey Inspection & Maintenance Systems capability, we possess advanced on-site machining and prototyping facilities. Our Machining and Prototyping group is focused on the achievement of innovative solutions for the specialized needs of the power generation industry.
Our Machining & Prototyping team facilitates rapid Design/Prototyping/Testing cycles to ensure compliance with stringent industry requirements in a short time span.
- 5-Axis CNC Machining Capability
- Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) down to 0.001” wire diameters
- Micro-machining of metallurgical samples down to 1 micron (0.00004”)
- 3D CAD/CAM capabilities to enable rapid Design/Prototyping/Testing cycles
- Manufacture with “difficult to machine” materials – zirconium, tungsten, nitronic, titanium
- Repair and maintenance of irradiated components
Prototype CNC machining is an ideal process for mid-stage functional prototypes. RpProto can help you accelerate development cycles with rapid prototyping by providing instant online quotes, intelligent DFM feedback, and quick lead times.
- Finishing, masking & hardware installation
- CNC Milling, CNC turning, gear hobbing, EDM
- Tolerances as tight as +/- 0.0002″
CNC Machining for Rapid Prototyping
Prototyping, also known as prototype manufacturing, is the process where a manufacturer creates a small batch of products from digital design drawings. Manufacturers can use these functional prototypes to find flaws in the design and fix them before producing large numbers of parts. Companies can also use prototypes to participate in exhibitions and do market testing.
Traditionally, prototypes are mainly created by hand, which is time-consuming and labour-intensive. Currently, the development of CNC machining has allowed engineers to produce prototypes more quickly and inexpensively than ever before.
CNC machining uses computer control equipment like drills and lathes, so it’s fast, precise, versatile and consistent. In addition, it can process a wide range of compatible metal and plastic materials. It is used across almost all industries for various prototype and end-use parts.
Compared to other methods, CNC prototype machining is an excellent option since it can produce small quantities of a prototype quickly. In addition, it can process almost all solid metals and plastics, such as the most commonly used aluminum alloys, stainless steel, ABS, etc. CNC machining can be an ideal solution for product developers who need small volumes of high-quality appearance or functional prototypes.
CNC prototyping machining can make all kinds of prototypes easily. For instance, presentation prototypes might visually represent the product’s appearance or functionality. On the other hand, functional prototypes need tight tolerance and focus on the product structure. CNC machining is always the best option for these functional prototypes that require tight tolerance, mechanical structure, or other characteristics that additive techniques cannot provide.
Contact
- 2401 S. 7th St., Phoenix, AZ 85034, United States
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+1 (480) 378-0800
- [email protected]
Brochures
Advantages of CNC Machined Prototypes
CNC Machining is Rapid
CNC machining with a sophisticated computer system can build final parts from the design idea quickly. In addition,
CNC prototype machining does not require any mold or time-consuming preparations. Its ability to modify design files
also gives the machining centers the option to make adjustments to the prototype in time. It is a fast procedure suited
for short lead times and delivering items to market as soon as possible.
CNC Machining Needs No Tooling
Unlike pressure die casting or plastic injection molding, CNC machining does not require separate tools and molds.
This effectively reduces the cost of product development and shortens the time to launch new products to the market.
It takes a few months to make and test the injection and die-casting mold. In comparison, vacuum casting uses silicone molds, which also take days to complete. This is worthwhile for many tasks, particularly when duplicating fine surface textures reproduced from a master design. However, CNC machining does not need these preparations.
CNC Machining is Easy to Adjust
With CNC prototype machining, the manufacturer saves money in the long run. This is because the defects and errors can be rectified in the small prototype batch instead of carrying out the defect in large quantities of the final part in the production stage. Improvements and modifications to the original design are easy with CNC machining, where altering digital instructions is simple and only takes a few minutes. Additionally, future changes require minor modifications to the CAD designs instead of creating a new design from scratch.
Structural Integrity
CNC machined prototypes offer superior structural integrity than 3D-printed items. The material’s strength, stiffness, and hardness might be referred to as structural integrity. These properties are crucial.
Geometric discontinuity is less likely to occur since CNC machining is cut from solid, consistent material stock. In contrast, 3D printing may result in voids, porosity, or layer shifting. Therefore, 3D printed parts can adversely affect the structural integrity of the finished product.
High Precision
Compared to other rapid prototyping techniques, CNC machining is one of the most reliable manufacturing processes for parts with tight tolerances, whether the prototype is made of plastic or metal.
Computer-controlled machine tools using modern cutters are accurate and precise, reliably making parts tolerances of+.05 mm or better. Therefore, CNC machining can efficiently and accurately make parts with complex geometries. Additionally, this is a repeatable tolerance, easily achieved over unlimited part numbers production runs.
It is precise enough for the great majority of prototypes and commercial applications.
Material Selection
CNC machining is so versatile. It can be performed on virtually all solid materials ranging from metal alloys to wood to plastic. You can machine vinyl, fiberglass and carbon fiber materials, laminates, fiberboard, and corrugated plastic!
Metal materials commonly used in CNC machining are Aluminum, Steel, Stainless Steel, Magnesium, Titanium, Zinc, Brass, Bronze, and Copper.
Commonly used plastic materials for CNC machining are ABS, PC, PP, PS, POM, PMMA, PAGF30, PCGF30, Teflon, LDPE, and HDPE.
Get Quick Quotes for CNC Machining Prototyping
Operated and managed by PRIMO Corporations‘ experienced highly-qualified personnel, the Machining and Prototyping Group is prepared to meet your specialized manufacturing and technology development needs. Contact PRIMO Corp team to get quick quotes for CNC machining prototyping.
