Virtual manufacturing uses computer programs to create 3D models, saving time and materials. It also helps with faster production, lower tooling expenses, and fewer errors. This approach gives upper management a better idea of the final product and can give facilities a competitive edge.
Virtual manufacturing uses computers and design programs to assist in creating patterns, and there are many benefits to using this approach. When a new product or model is being made, it is easier to create one in a computer program than to produce one. Virtual manufacturing programs usually contain geometric and dimensional information about the model, so creating a model also generally takes less time. There is rarely a need to make spare prototypes, so this approach uses fewer materials overall. In addition to saving money by purchasing fewer materials, these programs also help the plant save money through lower tooling expenses, faster production, and fewer errors.
In traditional manufacturing, a model can only be seen as a drawing, therefore as a complete and packaged model. While looking at a drawing can help upper management decide whether the model will be good, it can be hard to tell until the model is actually created. With virtual manufacturing, you can design a complete three-dimensional (3D) model that will look exactly like the item when it was manufactured. This should make it easier for upper management to decide on the use of the model, and it may also be easier to correct any errors.
Not only does virtual manufacturing usually make designing and approving a model easier, it also makes production faster. Most programs used to create 3D models store geometric information, so this can be used to quickly and accurately set up the tools to produce the model. Designing the model this way usually takes less time, especially if improvements are needed before production begins.
Materials are needed to make prototypes and models, and some complex models that require dozens or hundreds of modifications can use many materials. These materials often cannot be reused except as recycling. Virtual manufacturing, however, can prevent these materials from being used, as a 3D model requires only a little electricity to power the computer.
In many ways virtual manufacturing can help save money for a facility, and not just in material costs. The tooling expenses are not that high, because they can be set up easily with the program, and there are often fewer trips due to fewer prototypes being made. Production is often faster and with fewer errors due to virtual program accuracy. These products can be made faster, so they can also be sold faster, which can give a virtual manufacturing facility an edge over other facilities.
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