prototype production

[EJDITRENTO]

I have a product I'm looking to get into the automotive industry. I am looking to get a prototype made up with 3D printing, and or have someone who has some experience with mold injections. I have a friend on here who has had success with a manufacture in China, but was looking to see if anyone had some other options. I already had an engineer draw up plans and dimensions, and he said who ever is making this up would be able to off of the drawing.
Any help would be greatly asppreciated

 

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[SteveO]

Perhaps you could consider Mexico as well.

 

[SteveO]

There are companies in the US that could make the dies for you. This would give you the option of tweaking the design here first before you send it somewhere for production

 

[EJDITRENTO]

@SteveO I would like to try & have the product manufactured in the US if at all possible. And what do you mean make dies???? Like a mold? I'll Google search it. Would I need to have the dies made up for a prototype?
Like this?
'http://generaltoolanddie.com/

 

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[SteveO]

@SteveO And what do you mean make dies???? Like a mold?

Yes, they are the pieces that make up the mold.

You would make the parts depending on what you are trying to test. If you want to see how the parts work in a mechanism, you could have the parts machined initially. If you want to see how they act with the plastic compound coming out of the injection mold equipment, you don't have a choice but to have the dies made.

 

[SteveO]

It does not make sense for you to determine where the parts are going to be made before you put together a pricing model.

 

[IAmTheJeff]

@SteveO, can you elaborate on Mexico? How are their prices vs china? Obviously shipping would be MUCH simpler...

 

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[SteveO]

@SteveO, can you elaborate on Mexico? How are their prices vs china? Obviously shipping would be MUCH simpler...

I am a real estate guy. Not the right person to be talking about this. Although the Holiday Inn Express is making me an expert on everything.

I was tossing out another option for manufacturing is all. Anyone having parts manufactured should shop around as there are MANY variables.

 

[SteveO]

I did work in R&D for hp many years ago. I worked for a number of years in the prototype department building printer mockups for testing. I did learn a lot about parts at that time.

 

[EJDITRENTO]

Appreciate the insight @SteveO - good holiday inn reference btw. And its a new design for an Oil Drain Pan....

 

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[randomnumber314]

shapeways.com upload your 3D file, choose your material, get printed prototype in the mail.

 

[EJDITRENTO]

shapeways.com upload your 3D file, choose your material, get printed prototype in the mail.

Will it take it as a PDF?

 

[CarrieW]

steve you are fricking hilarious I love you man

 

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[randomnumber314]

Will it take it as a PDF?

http://www.shapeways.com/create

 

[Mike.B]

Will it take it as a PDF?

Have the person that drew it up for you send you the file in STL format.

 

[Eskil]

What I did was use CNC machining for the initial small batch of prototypes. Works well for both metal and plastic, and will give you very exact accuracy, tolerances, and smooth surfaces. For 3D printing, those attributes aren't always there but it depends on the printers used of course.

Find a company locally who has a CNC machine, and ask if they will make a piece for you. All they will need is some file format that the machine will take - typically IGS or STL.

 

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[EJDITRENTO]

What does IGS & STL stand for I googled it but there's so many acronyms


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[SteveO]

What I did was use CNC machining for the initial small batch of prototypes.

I don't think this will work for this product. If I understand you correctly, you need something along the lines of a plastic container with fairly thin walls. Sort of like a milk jug but wider and a bit thicker. Your prototyping might be a bit more costly and time consuming.

 

[Robbypz]

Depending on the design of the oil pan, you might look into other ways to manufacture it besides injection molding. You could have it vacuumed formed which is a fairly easy process and the cost involved are much less than injection, many times the molds can be made from MDF, very cost effective.

 

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[randomnumber314]

What does IGS & STL stand for I googled it but there's so many acronyms


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You need to call a manufacturer and start talking to them. All of these questions could be answered in one 5 minute phone call.

 

[Robbypz]

Here is just an example of how much detail you can get from a vacuum formed piece.

 

[SGBoise]

Do you have any local manufacturers? If so I would recommend going to them first. You may also want them to sign a non disclosure agreement.

Beware of going to China. There are a lot more risks doing business in China then here such as having someone steal your idea, poor quality, shipping delay, communication, etc etc.

 

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[Eskil]

What does IGS & STL stand for I googled it but there's so many acronyms

Not sure what they stand for, but it doesn't really matter. They are just file format extensions just like .PPT .ZIP and .JPG
You only need to worry about having someone with CAD experience take your original drawings and create one of those file formats for you.

something along the lines of a plastic container with fairly thin walls.

Oh I didn't know that. Yeah in that case CNC machining might be out. It's better suited for more solid objects - and also objects that aren't too complex.

 

[Mike.B]

What does IGS & STL stand for I googled it but there's so many acronyms

These are just file formats that are native to most CAD programs and can be used to "nest" the product model. The files contain all of the necessary information such as material, measurements, tolerances, angles, mates, and so on.

 

[Catalyst]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/STL_(file_format)

Step 1: draw what you want

Step 2: go to odesk

Step 3: hire a product designer that will work off your drawing

Step 4: have them supply you with a parasolid model and an stl

Step 5: 3d print your stl

Step 6: supply a manufacturer with your parasolid for tooling

Step 7: make product

And google is your friend, every question asked thus far could have been answered with 30 mins of your own research either here or on a search engine. That's not being mean, it's the truth.


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[SteveO]

@Catalyst . rep transferred

 

[Robbypz]

Step 3: hire a product designer that will work off your drawing
Step 4: have them supply you with a parasolid model and an stl
Step 5: 3d print your stl
Step 6: supply a manufacturer with your parasolid for tooling

Just wanted to add to this. You have to make sure that your manufacturer can use the format in which your model was created, if not you my be stuck with conversion or redesign fees.

 

[EJDITRENTO]

Thank you all for all the information, I really appreciate it. Sorry for all the questions, my typing gets ahead of my thoughts & next thing you know their on the screen.


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[EJDITRENTO]

Here is just an example of how much detail you can get from a vacuum formed piece.

This is sick btw- just a prototype huh?


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[Robbypz]

No, that is an actual product made by line 6, a company in China does their vacuum forming. IMO your final prototype should be an exact representation of what you take to market though


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