Choosing the right prototype material depends on budget, presentation, timing, and quantity. Materials range from simple household items to silicone molds and liquid plastics. Rapid prototyping uses stereolithography to create detailed prototypes quickly and inexpensively. Silicone molds and liquid plastics are cost-effective for small quantities.
Choosing the best prototype material for your particular product or invention depends on a number of factors including budget, presentation, timing and quantity. The final function of a prototype part or product usually determines the material from which a prototype is made. Building a working prototype can be as simple as throwing together a few materials or simple items found around the house. The materials used in rapid prototyping (RP) can provide a more detailed prototype needed for presentation to investors, engineers, marketers, designers or manufacturers. Other prototype material includes models made with silicone molds and various types of plastics or combinations of resin and other materials.
Initially, the prototype material may be wood, clay, resin, or a combination of these and other materials. Consider costs before deciding what materials or prototype processes will be used. Some of the most successful products were initially made with very crude prototype materials or found items around the house, such as cardboard, wire, and duct tape. As long as it shows how the product works, any type of material can be used for a prototype. One type of inexpensive prototyping material is a special plastic that becomes soft and malleable when heated in a microwave oven or with a hair dryer.
Rapid prototyping uses a technique called stereolithography (SLA) to create tangible prototypes from a computer-aided design (CAD) drawing. The prototype material used in this process is a liquid resin that is roughly formed using ultraviolet laser radiation and cured in an ultraviolet oven. The finished SLA prototype is then hand finished to meet the designer’s specifications. These SLA prototypes look and function like the real thing and provide a working, practical model of the finished product, ready for presentation. The biggest benefit of using these resin materials is the quick turnaround and low cost of even multiple iterations or design revisions.
Silicone molds and liquid plastics are probably one of the most cost-effective prototyping materials when only a small number of prototypes are needed. Called room temperature vulcanization (RTV), this process uses an RP pattern to create a silicone rubber master mold. Liquid silicone is poured around the RP model or master model to create a negative mold. This process is best suited for prototypes that are needed in a short amount of time. The finished prototype material is usually a combination of two-part polyurethane, wax, and silicone rubber.
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