How Large-Format 3D Printing Helped Validate a Production Mold in 9 Days

When an energy company was preparing to invest in an expensive production mold, they wanted one more level of confidence before releasing the tooling.

They needed a full-size functional prototype that could verify fit, function, clearances, mounting features, and overall geometry before committing to the final manufacturing process.

This was not a simple appearance model. The prototype needed to closely represent the production design so the engineering team could evaluate the part at full scale and make any necessary changes while revisions were still relatively inexpensive.

The Challenge: Validate the Design Before Tooling

Production molds can represent a significant investment, and modifying a mold after it has been completed can be costly and time-consuming.

The customer had already received quotes from several online prototyping vendors, but the pricing was higher than their available budget. Lead times were also becoming a concern.

Complicating matters further, a major overseas holiday was approaching. If the production mold was not released before the holiday shutdown, the project schedule could potentially slip by several weeks.

They needed a faster and more economical way to validate the design.

Large-Format 3D Printing Provided the Answer

Using large-format 3D printing, Jaeger Technology Group produced a full-feature prototype in approximately nine days.

The project came in at roughly half the cost of the online quotes the customer had previously received.

More importantly, the prototype gave the engineering team a physical, full-scale representation of the part that could be evaluated before the production tooling was released.

The customer was able to verify:

• overall fit and geometry
• mounting locations and interfaces
• clearances with surrounding components
• functional features
• accessibility and assembly considerations
• whether any design changes were needed before tooling

Faster Prototype Validation Helped Protect the Production Schedule

The shortened lead time had a direct impact on the customer’s schedule.

Because the prototype could be produced and evaluated quickly, the customer was able to confirm the design and release the production mold before the overseas holiday began.

That helped avoid a potential multi-week delay in the tooling schedule.

The value of the prototype was therefore much larger than the cost of the printed part itself. It reduced the risk of tooling changes, helped protect the project schedule, and gave the customer greater confidence before committing to production.

Why Prototype Before Production Tooling?

This is one of the strongest applications for industrial 3D printing and rapid prototyping.

Additive manufacturing does not always need to replace traditional manufacturing.

In many cases, the best use of 3D printing is to reduce risk before machining, molding, casting, or another production process begins.

A full-size functional prototype can help manufacturers identify problems while they are still inexpensive to correct.

Compared with the cost of modifying a production mold, delaying a product launch, or discovering a fit problem after tooling has already been completed, a prototype can be a very small investment.

Large-Format 3D Printing for Industrial Prototypes

At Jaeger Technology Group, we use large-format additive manufacturing to help companies move more confidently from design into production.

Depending on the application, we can support projects involving:

• full-size functional prototypes
• prototype housings and enclosures
• fit and assembly verification
• mold and tooling validation
• large industrial components
• low-volume production
• casting and patternmaking
• design and manufacturing support

Sometimes the 3D-printed part becomes the final product.

Other times, its job is to make sure the next manufacturing process is correct before significant money is spent.

In this case, nine days of large-format 3D printing helped the customer stay within budget, validate the design, and keep an important production tooling schedule on track.

That is exactly where industrial prototyping can provide real value.

Have a large part, enclosure, or prototype you need to validate before committing to expensive tooling?

Jaeger Technology Group can help you move from CAD to a full-size functional prototype quickly and cost-effectively. Contact us to discuss your project, timeline, and manufacturing requirements.