Online RP comes to CNC parts

June 18, 2010
Sometimes stereolithography won’t cut it for making prototypes. This was the situation for a handheld electronic communication device used by SWAT teams.

Sometimes stereolithography won’t cut it for making prototypes. This was the situation for a handheld electronic communication device used by SWAT teams.

“The handheld’s plastic enclosure, which consists of three separate parts, was a tricky assembly,” says Kroll Associates president David Kroll. The Westerfield, Mass., product-development firm was on a tight schedule and needed to verify fit and function, while at the same time proving-out the electronic packaging. “Typically, we would have used stereolithography at this stage of prototyping,” he says. But in this case, we needed a stronger prototype part than possible with STL,” he says.

First, Kroll went to online facilities from Proto Labs, Maple Plain, Minn. At the First Cut custom portal, he got an automated quote and ordered a set of three machined plastic prototype parts. “The parts were well within our fit tolerance of 0.010 in.,” he says. “Better yet, the machined parts’ quality was so good they could have been mistaken for injection-molded components. So we ordered more parts and were pleasantly surprised to receive them in just two days.”

Kroll used the prototypes to get customer feedback. “Based on this, we moved some internal bosses, repositioned a few internal walls, and expanded the case slightly to accommodate new, larger batteries,” says Kroll. “An additional set of machined prototypes from Proto Labs confirmed we had a finished product.”

Kroll then submitted a 3D CAD model of the part geometry to Proto Labs’ Protomold online-quoting service. As is often the case, design requirements for injection molding varied slightly from those for CNC machining. Protomold’s automated system suggested several minor design changes regarding wall thickness and draft.

“It took just 30 days from when we ordered the machined parts to receiving the production, injection-molded components,” says Kroll. “Without Proto Labs, this part of the project could easily have taken six to eight weeks.

Sources:
Proto Labs, http://www.protolabs.com/
Kroll Associates, www.krollassoc.com

Sponsored Recommendations

NEW Low Profile, Ultra Compact Power Supplies

March 13, 2024
Learn more HERE about Altech's Power supplies!

Altech's Liquid Tight Strain Relifs Catalog

March 13, 2024
With experienced Product Engineers and Customer Service personnel, Altech provides solutions to your most pressing application challenges. All with one thought in mind - to ensure...

Industrial Straight-Through Cable Gland

March 13, 2024
Learn more about Altech's cable glands and all they have to offer for your needs!

All-In-One DC-UPS Power Solutions

March 13, 2024
Introducing the All-In-One DC-UPS, a versatile solution combining multiple functionalities in a single device. Serving as a power supply, battery charger, battery care module,...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Machine Design, create an account today!