prototype.
With many technologies, processes and materials to hand, our team of highly skilled model makers can create visual, functional, and low-volume pre-production prototypes, capturing the design team’s vision in real form..
We understand the necessity for prototyping and testing during product development. Our continued success in the fields of consumer, toy & specialist prototyping is driven by our fresh & exciting approach, technical ability & exceptional model making team.
Prototyping serves to evaluate the design and uncover contextual issues they may not be apparent on paper. We have an in-depth knowledge of the latest and most cost effective prototyping techniques and technologies. Our UK facility has the resources and skill to prototype any product. We also have established relationships with local and offshore prototyping agencies offering fast and cost effective services.
designworks offers the following types of prototype:
The ability to realise your concept is vital component in achieving your deadline as efficiently as possible. Whether working from a sketch or from CAD data, we will resolve technical and aesthetic challenges as and when they arise, offering you a fast, effective and reliable prototyping service.
Whilst many of our projects start with an approved design and resolved CAD, we are often required to develop an idea three-dimensionally. By fabricating development rigs mechanisms, we can help realise complex design theories offer practical real-world solutions
The intention here is to precisely simulate the material, colour and aesthetic properties of a product and create an exact visual representation.
Utilising our vacuum casting service, the models can be finished with exacting colour matched cast components, truly representing the translucent properties of production plastics.
These models are fabricated to provide confirmation of functionality and test the accuracy of all integrated components. They will also be visually accurate, simulating finish, texture and colour.
Manufacturing and material considerations are applied at all stages of the design and development of these prototypes, ensuring a seamless transition to tooling patterns and production ready data.
Using our in-house 3D Solid object printer we have developed a number of innovative techniques to enhance the development of components. The end result being the ability to concept, model & output a vacuum-cast resin component in a single day.
From polyurethane modelling boards, high grade engineering plastics to tooling aluminium, our model makers employ clever thinking and advanced machining strategies to output high precision components.
The replication of both individual components and complete assemblies can be achieved in-house, using our soft-tooling & vacuum casting studio. Both a conventional and a unique, technical tooling service are offered for fast and accurate colour-matched polyurethane resin samples.
Vacuum Casting allows single or two-shot moulding and oil-bleed silicones can yield between up to 50 samples per cavity, depending on the complexity of the part. Production plastics can also be replicated (ABS, Vinyl, Nylon, PP) a range of flexibles and heat resistant polymers.
We offer a comprehensive finishing, painting and texturing service. Applying a finish to a prototype is as an important a part of the process as the original concept itself.
A finish can be applied in a variety of ways to enhance the look and feel of a product. From machined, etched & polished surfaces to sprayed finishes & material selections, the ability to both specify and apply the correct texture to a surface is crucial to the prototyping process.