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MECHANICAL COMPONENTS
FEATURE
WHY SHOULD YOU CHOOSE STANDARD COMPONENTS FOR PROTOTYPES?
design context that we will be exploring a prototype is a preliminary version of the end- product, and is used to evaluate the design, test the technology, analyse the working principle, and provide final product specifications. Engineering product design and new product development both require the use of prototypes. Rapid prototyping is a relatively new term. This entails creating a prototype quickly for the purposes of evaluating a part, or the features of a part, from a visual and functional perspective. Sometimes, individual parts are rapidly created separately and assembled to test the prototype product – and this is usually achieved through 3D printing, which actually first came into prominence as a way of making prototypes quickly. However, despite being a viable solution
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for design purposes, 3D printing does not provide the material properties to truly test prototypes for their given uses. So, standard components can be used to further enhance the product design process. Our customers predominantly work in areas such as maintenance, toolmaking and special machinery, and the workers in these industries have specific needs when it comes to the product development process – needs that cannot be fulfilled by rapid prototyping processes such as 3D printing. Standard components, on the other hand, are readily available and quality compliant, making them the ideal solution for prototyping. norelem offer services for the easy
ordering of standard components suited to the product design phase, including the provision of CAD data and supporting technical information. With products on short delivery times, a fast construction process from design to completion is possible.
STANDARD COMPONENTS FOR PROTOTYPING There are many reasons why standard components should be used even in situations where solutions such as 3D printing would be a suitable answer. All of norelem’s common standard components
have been designed to increase efficiency and flexibility in the development of prototypes. Therefore, a lot of these components are single articles that can easily be incorporated into a larger existing assembly or can be used in conjunction with each other to create an entirely
he concept of prototyping is used in every field of manufacturing. Being a somewhat broad phrase, in the engineering product
Despite rapid prototyping solutions becoming
more and more commonplace, Marcus Schneck, CEO of norelem, explains why standard
components still have an important role to play in the development of prototypes
new one. Furthermore, all of the company’s standard components can be modified to meet application requirements – for example, a different thread length on a clamping lever, or even changing the colour, the length, or other product attributes. Quality is another feature of the
standard components, as they are unlikely to break or deform under the stress of testing. This also means that the products have a long lifetime and can therefore be used multiple times for different prototypes, which makes standard components both more sustainable and economical. In fact, some may purchase products with the sole intention of them being used to make prototypes. When used in conjunction with the
accompanying technical documentation and assembly instructions, norelem products offer reduced downtime and therefore a lower energy consumption. In order for prototyping by use of standard components to be more efficient, the products have to be used correctly in the first place.
ENSURING FLEXIBILITY When deciding on which standard components to purchase, engineers should first consider whether the components can be adapted to the requirements of the prototype, and this includes the material of the products. norelem standard components are available in a variety of materials, which ensures that the customer can find whatever material is perfect for their needs. For example, A4 quality stainless steel components can be used for saltwater applications, while standard components in ceramics will perform even in high temperatures. This material flexibility provides a clear price
advantage for customers, giving them the option to save on the components that will perform with less expensive materials, so they can opt for the more costly components where the choice of
material is of paramount importance for the performance of the prototype. After all, the importance of the standard
component’s material largely depends on the application. In some cases, a strong and durable material like steel will be required, while in other cases a more cost-effective material such as plastic might suffice.
HIGH QUALITY norelem’s standard components provide the high quality, flexibility and durability expected of a final product, and so it stands to reason that they would be used in the make-up of a final product as well. The company provides many services to help engineers and manufacturers select the right components for the purposes of prototyping and product development.
norelem
https://norelem.co.uk/en/
APRIL 2023 DESIGN SOLUTIONS 35
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