For quite awhile, design and construction processes involved paper designs and physical prototypes. But such processes can be a rather intensive process. In terms of efficient collaboration, it is rather ineffective. But nowadays, this process is being supplanted with a newer method that uses Product Design Software & Digital Prototyping.
Basically, this new process uses 3D product design software that enables you to use a digital prototype before you produce and test physical models of the designs. While it may involve an additional step between product design and physical testing, it actually makes the whole process more effective.
- Faster prototype production. A digital prototype is clearly much faster to produce than a physical product. That’s an inherent benefit of using the 3D product design program. You have digital designs, and then from there you have digital prototypes in an instant.
In fact, nowadays the use of this type of programs can even accelerate the manufacture of physical prototypes. This is because you can now use 3D printing software that’s integrated with your 3D design software.
- More efficient online collaboration. Since the prototype is digital, it can be shared across town or even to people on the other side of the world in an instant. It won’t have to be shipped like physical prototypes.
Once testers have their digital prototypes, they can then work together to perform various tests. They can then share their results to other team members online.
- More efficient testing. In some cases, you want to stress test parts so you know their breaking points. You may want to see how much pressure a prototype can take, or how extreme a temperature they can handle. With digital prototypes, you don’t mind “destroying” the prototype since building a digital copy of the prototype is a snap.
What’s more, you’re tests on digital prototypes are virtual as well. So that means you can subject the digital prototypes to extreme temperatures (too hot or too cold) as well as extreme pressures without having to recreate these extreme conditions in real world and laboratory conditions. You won’t have to design or buy a testing system that can produce very high temperatures, since you can simulate that with virtual testing models.
- Faster work cycles. Collaboration, testing, information sharing, and even the manufacture of physical constructs are much faster. The process also catches a lot more errors in the design, and it can identify the components that aren’t working as expected.
All these improvements result in a faster work cycle. That can accelerate the schedule from design to getting the products to market significantly.
- Reduced costs. Since you can share info online, cut down on materials for physical prototypes, and catch design errors more effectively, you will realize a considerable reduction on your design and testing costs. In fact, with digital prototypes you can effectively halve your costs.
The use of just physical prototypes is comparatively ineffectual—it’s more costly, slower, and markedly less effective. The use of Product Design Software & Digital Prototyping is not just the future of prototyping—it’s your best option today.
