The Painfully Slow World of Prototyping Before 3D Printing—#ThrowbackThursday

We live in a world where you can have access to a physical fabrication technology for not very much money. Sure, the better the quality, the higher the price and resin still isn’t exactly “cheap.” But if you’re a creative sort or involved with the development of products, a 3D printer is a relatively low investment that can produce wonderful creations, bringing form to your mind’s eye.
 
For anyone involved in design, this isn’t really anything new. Most reading this are relatively familiar with 3D printing technology at this stage. They may not have used it directly, but they’ve likely seen prototypes created from these machines. It’s wonderful to have the ability to create something on a computer and then, just several hours later, have access to a physical replica of your vision.
 
This wasn’t always the case, however. Not all that long ago, if you wanted to have a physical replica of an idea, you needed to create it with whatever means you could. This resulted in outputs that may have resembled a school project more than a medical device prototype. These were rough assemblies, pieced together as best they could be. Or, substantial money was invested into being able to mold or machine the prototype. With either method, time was yet another issue.
 
Eventually, an alternative began to emerge that would truly revolutionize prototyping capabilities for manufacturers across all industries.
 

Rapid Prototyping: A Combination of Old and New—Medical Design Technology, November 1999

Computers are already a significant part of our daily lives. This is no less apparent in the design and manufacturer of medical devices. At this point, it is certainly fair to say that we have fully evolved into the age of computers.
 
Computer-assisted design (CAD) and computer-assisted manufacturing (CAM) are aiding engineers in the fabrication of new and innovative technologies for the medical device manufacturing marketplace. Creative ideas are being realized daily on computer screens by engineers. However, is computer-assisted design the only future in the development of medical devices? What will occur if all designing is done on the computer screen? While CAD technology has numerous advantages, it still does not completely replace the process of fabricating a prototype part out of real materials.
 
Well, it’s easy to see where this is heading right off the bat. All design done exclusively on computers through simulation? Not likely. Sure, it may have sounded like an attractive alternative at the time, but in a world where 3D printing is so prominent, it’s almost funny to consider. Still, computer simulations do allow for extremely rapid iteration. Failing fast enables an idea to be fleshed out in hours or days instead of weeks or months. Designing rapidly via the computer certainly brings a wealth of advantages.
 

Advantages/Disadvantages

There are inherent advantages and disadvantages to both computer-assisted design and prototyping. CAD enables a device to be realized on a computer screen without the need for fabrication. This enables minor modifications to be made without high expenses. In order for modifications to be accomplished with a model during prototyping, the part or device must be retooled. Depending upon the severity of the adjustment, a new model may need to be created.
 
The CAD model can be sent to a manufacturing facility easily and efficiently in order to be created once the engineer is satisfied with the electronic result. A blueprint of the model in addition to the model itself is required to send for a prototyped part.
 
I can design something on my computer and send it off to a company that will create it for me in just a few days? Wow, the wonders of technology! At the time, no one thought they’d be able to finish a design on the computer in the morning and see a physical replica of that idea before they left for the day.
 
Prototyped parts, however, have the advantage of being a physical object. While CAD parts rely on measurements and calculations, a part made with real materials can be tried into a device or pieced together with other parts, preexisting or prototyped. The engineer can see how the part operates and make minor adjustments to enhance the efficiency of the part. Concerns with the part’s weight, size, or other physical characteristics can be readily addressed with a prototyped part.
 
Not to mention being able to send a 3D-printed prototype out with a sales rep. to gain customer feedback. Or providing a potential investor with something to hold in their hands to help convince them of the fantastic idea you have for a new product. A physical replica of a CAD design provides numerous benefits beyond simply gaining further insight into a design.
 

Rapid Prototyping

The desired result for the design of a medical part or device would be to combine these two types of modeling. Utilizing the cost-effective attributes and enhanced level of communication capabilities of CAD technology and successfully incorporating it with the prototyping of a physical element is a result that would prove vital to the design of medical device parts. A technological process that was introduced around 1986, known as rapid prototyping, does just that.
 
Now, add to that, it being done all under one-roof without having to ship it to another company, have them produce it, and then wait for it to be mailed back. If only…
 
Also known as Computer Automated Fabrication or Free Form Fabrication, rapid prototyping enables CAD images to be manufactured into a physical object without any human intervention. This procedure completely incorporates both types of modeling processes and benefits from the advantages of each. The design of the object can be successfully created without costly tooling of the physical model. Once the model is designed to the satisfaction of the engineering team, it can be produced as an exact duplicate of the computer counterpart. This physical version can then be further examined and tested in real-life scenarios, utilizing it within the device for which it is being designed. This process provides the highest opportunity for the successful manufacturing of a new part.
 
I was honestly surprised to see reference to essentially an earlier versions of 3D printing in a 1999 column. I would love to hear from someone who was involved with rapid prototyping during this time so they could clarify how it resembled 3D printing of today and how it was different. I would be curious to see if it was truly a variation of the processes we know today, or if my understanding of how it was accomplished back then isn’t quite clear.
 

The Future

Until the advent of further advances in computer technology as it relates to the design and manufacturing of medical parts, rapid prototyping is an excellent alternative. Utilizing CAD computers for the prototyping of a physical component, engineers can be assured this cost-effective procedure will significantly assist them in successfully manufacturing new and innovative devices.
 
And again, just wait until they can do it right in their own living room!