Rapid Prototyping

The Rapid Manufacturing Alternatives

Rapid prototyping manufacture can provide you with a number of alternatives:

SLA or Stereolithography Rapid Prototyping- The construction of a component from 3D data using a tank of resin and a laser to create the model, this is then removed from the tank and stabilised under a UV lamp (lead-times of around 2-3 days depending upon complexity)
SLS or Selective laser sintering Rapid Prototyping- The construction of a component from 3D data using resin powder and a laser. Some simulant injection moulding grades can be used providing some of the properties, including “living hinge” components (lead-times of around 2-3 days depending upon complexity)
Vacum casting Rapid Prototyping - Using a model created from SLA, hand finished to generate a “master” part to cast a silicon tool around, this will then be used in the vacuum casting process to “mould” up to 25 parts from the tool. Materials can be offered in a number of simulant materials to achieve some of the properties of injection moulded components (lead-times of around 7-10 days depending upon complexity)

A variety of finishes and painting processes can be added to the product giving it that professional mass produced look.

Rapid Prototyping Outsourcing to Specialists

All of the above rapid prototype processes are extremely specialised. Here at Omega we are great believers in sticking to our core competency, plastic injection moulding and specialist injection mould tool, therefore all of this type of work is sub-contracted out to our Rapid prototyping partner Paragon. See link below

http://www.paragon-rt.com/

Paragon, like Omega have a fantastic reputation for rapidly prototyping and delivering very high quality product, cost effectively in a very short lead time.

Tolerances of around 0.1mm to 0.2mm can be achieved using these methods

Rapid Prototyping Parts

Rapid prototyping parts generally give you around 40-60% the strength of injection moulded resins, the parts are very good for:

Advanced level testing
Marketing tools
Functional testing
Brochure photography
Assembly test

Omega Plastics Added Benefits

Using this rapid prototyping service through omega plastics also allows one of our experienced plastic injection moulding toolmakers to look over your product development in order to optimise your design for manufacture.

Rapid Tooling
Design For Manufacture
Rapid Prototyping
Injection Mould Tools
Plastic Injection Moulding
Bridge to Production