Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
A 3D printed life-sized prototype of a truck cab, complete
with working parts
Once a new truck's concept sketches are approved, the prototyping process
begins. Prototypes give both the marketing team and designers a sense of the
truck design's ergonomics and the spatial relationships of its parts. In a truck's
cab, a prototype of dashboard knobs, headlights, and other truck parts enables
a product manager to experience how the truck will look and feel to a future
customer. Prototypes of a truck's engine help mechanical designers make sure
that the engine is repairable.
In the old days, when prototyping was still a slow and expensive process,
it was risky for a company to cut a corner and just trust that a design would
work out in real life. “In the past we ended up with a really pretty design, but
then once it was made, we found other issues,” Mike said. “For example, if
you have a car, you have to repair stuff and do oil changes. There's nothing
like trying to reach through a hole in the engine to do an oil change and your
hand won't it.”
Someday, perhaps the hand-carved foam models will be a relic of the past.
Most companies now skip the foam or clay prototyped models entirely and,
instead, jump directly to 3D printed prototypes. If a company uses both hand-
carved and 3D printed prototypes, the hand-carved prototype typically comes
irst. Then, a skilled service provider such as Mike will capture its exact physi-
cal dimensions using either an optical scanner or a coordinate scanner.
