Introducing Large-Format 3D Scanning for High-Resolution Prototyping
Prototyping provides an opportunity to fine-tune a part’s form, fit, and function before moving forward with full production. By working with an investment casting supplier who can efficiently create precise prototypes to test components’ designs, OEMs can ultimately save a lot of time and money and get their finished parts and products to market quicker.
Naturally, the faster and more accurately a prototype can be developed, the more quickly you can solidify your final design and begin making your parts. Lamothermic is well known for our rapid prototyping capabilities, and now we’ve added new large-format 3D scanning to our arsenal of advanced prototyping technologies and expertise.
Before we share more about our expanded abilities, here’s a quick overview of the advantages of working with an investment casting partner with the skills, experience, and cutting-edge tools necessary for perfecting prototypes that lead to precision parts.
Benefits of Rapid Prototyping
Rapid prototyping using additive manufacturing to produce 3D patterns, figuratively and literally, breaks the mold on traditional prototyping techniques:
- Enables you to meet tight turnaround times – With a prototype created in just a few weeks, you can get a jump start on testing and validating the integrity of your design, which helps reduce lead times and cut production timelines (by as much as 8 weeks!). In short, it helps you bring parts or products to market faster than your competitors.
- Delivers the most value on your investment – Modifying a prototype that doesn’t require hard tooling is cost-efficient and fast. Advanced prototyping allows for refining and adjusting designs to your specifications before committing to final tooling.
- Guarantees performance you can have confidence in – 3D-printed prototype castings offer the same quality for testing and assessment as those made from labor-intensive wax patterns. Their reliability and efficiency allow you to move with confidence from concept to full-scale production.
Large-Format 3D Scanning for High-Resolution Prototyping
We are pleased to welcome the Keyence VL-800 to our shop! The large-format scanner provides high-precision 360-degree measurement for any geometric or freeform shape. It produces prototypes with micron-level resolution, meeting highly specific tolerances and dimensions—even for components with complex geometries—with no need for fixtures. Besides its ability to provide precise results for a broad range of projects, it saves time and money. With automated scanning and data processing, it reduces inspection time compared to traditional CMMs that support higher throughput. It also helps reduce scrap, costly rework, and inspection bottlenecks.
Other Features and Benefits Highlights
- Provides statistically consistent results, which is especially useful for conducting capability studies.
- Enables our engineering and quality team to reverse-engineer parts and easily share the resulting three-dimensional models, which is immensely helpful for root-cause analysis discussions.
- Allows us to export measurement data into our CAD and quality management systems, enabling detailed and streamlined PPAP, FAIR, and continuous-improvement documentation.
Ready to Reduce R&D Time and Speed Up Time to Market?
Discover how an investment casting supplier committed to your success can make all the difference. Contact us today to learn more about how Lamothermic’s advanced rapid prototyping services increase efficiency, improve ROI, boost profitability, and ensure superior outcomes.