Tools and molds are the backbone of the manufacturing industry. Cutting the tools for a production run can be among the most expensive costs associated with production. Even before mass production and prior to the advent of rapid prototyping technologies such as 3D printing, building a functional prototype was costly and time-consuming, putting it out of reach for many entrepreneurs and small to medium enterprises. However, rapid tooling is quickly becoming a cost-effective and lean option for prototyping, and short-run or low-volume production. To learn more about how rapid tooling can save manufacturers money, engineering.com recently spoke with Raymond Cheng, founder of WayKen , a rapid prototype manufacturing service based in the manufacturing super-mecca, Shenzhen, China. (Image courtesy of WayKen Rapid Manufacturing.) “With today’s product lifecycles shortening, product developers must move from design to manufacturing to lean production oriented short-run or low-volume production solutions. Rapid tooling is an extremely […]
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