Material choice.
Per phase.
Right material per stage.
Materials for prototyping reference. Concept stage cheap materials. Functional prototypes production-representative. Pre-production identical to production.
Key principles.
3D print PLA / SLA
Cheapest 3D print materials. Visual concept only.
Painted SLA
SLA + paint for marketing photography. Premium aesthetic.
CNC bar stock
Production-grade bar/sheet stock matching production material.
Aluminum tooling
Aluminum mold + production-grade plastic. Production-representative.
Steel tooling
Steel mold + production injection material. Final production part.
Mixed
5K-50K shots typical bridge between prototype and production.
FAQ
How does material choice scale?
Concept stage: cheap. Iteration stages: progressively production-representative. Pre-production: identical to production.
CNC vs 3D printing for prototypes?
CNC for production-representative material properties. 3D print for fast concept models.
Bar stock matches injection plastic?
Close but not identical. Bar stock has different molecular orientation. Injection has weld lines.
Cost progression?
Concept $50-200/part. Looks-like $200-1000. Functional $300-2000. Pre-prod $1000-5000.
Volume per stage?
Concept 1-3. Looks-like 5-20. Functional 10-100. Pre-prod 100-5K. Production 5K+.
Production-representative samples?
Aluminum tooling produces 5-10K shots from production-grade plastic. Excellent pre-production validation.
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