What is Rapid Prototyping?

In simpler terms, you use technology to transform a product idea into a physical model.

This early physical model is a prototype. You’ll then refine this until you get the final version right. At that point, you’re ready to use or sell this into a product. So the faster you produce and refine your prototypes, the faster you can start going to market.
All rapid prototying jobs begin with digital models, but manufacturing hardware can range between CNC machining, 3D printing, and more.
You can make rapid prototypes from any material that’s compatible with the manufacturing hardware that you use. This might or might not include surface finishing treatments.
As its name implies, rapid prototyping puts an emphasis on fast turnarounds. Because when you want to develop and ship a product using rapid prototyping services, faster is always better.
Advantages Of Rapid Prototyping
How can partnering with Tinheo to quickly manufacture a prototype help you and your business? Here are a few ways:

Show your customers and investors a physical model of your product
Demonstrate the appearance, dimensions, and features of your product
Test the market with your product before production
Save time and money by identifying and reducing design flaws
Improve and streamline the production process
Create multiple versions with different colors, surface textures, and finishing processes

At Tinheo, we provide prototyping services include CNC Machining Prototype, Urethane casting Prototype, 3D Printing Prototype, Sheet Metal Prototype, Extrusion Prototype, Injection Molding Prototype and so on. Let's see how we achieved prototyping. Here are the main rapid prototyping processes we offer:

CNC machining is an excellent way to make high-fidelity, end-use prototypes from a variety of raw materials. It’s fast, accurate, and versatile. It’s also easy to make minor changes to the cutting program in order to perfect the final product. CNC machining can also make tapped and threaded holes, which can’t be done with other methods. CNC machined prototypes are full strength, so they’re suitable for engineering testing.

Finally, it’s possible to make small numbers of housings and enclosures without investing in expensive plastic injection mold tools. However, product developers should note that the corner radii of a machined part will not be the same as a corner made from an injection mold tool. There may be other slight design differences as well, so it’s best to consult us in advance. Our CNC machining prototype includes CNC milling and CNC turning. Tinheo achieves the best tolerance of +/-0.01MM with 5axis CNC machines from Hass in the USA.

Vacuum Casting also call Urethane casting at Tinheo is a copying technique which is used for the production of small series of functional plastic parts, is a widely used process in rapid prototyping. When starting a vacuum casting order, we usually make a master first, then use this master to make a silicone mold, and then copy the part from the silicone mold, one silicone mold can cast about 15 to 20 pieces of parts. Tinheo owns 10 sets of vacuum casting machines, which can cast prototypes with the max dimension up to 2200mm*1200mm *1000mm. We can accurately reproduce the prototypes with original color, over-mold, texture and geometries from the master model and components. We’re experts in making production quality cast copies from master patterns.

Not only will you benefit from our exceptional attention to detail, but we also provide a full suite of finishing services to bring your part up to showroom quality. Learn more about what our vacuum casting service can do for you.

Sheet metal is the most cost-effective choice for custom sheet metal parts and prototypes with uniform wall thickness. At Tinheo, we support different processes to help build your part rapidly. Tinheo can support projects from simple bent sheet metal prototypes to complex mechanical assemblies. We offer a comprehensive service. From punching, stamping, drilling, laser, insert pinning and embossing right through to surface finishing to produce what you need at a low cost without compromising quality.

Tinheo provides the service for extrusion prototype. Extrusion is the process of shaping material, by forcing it to flow through a shaped opening in a die. Extruded material emerges as an elongated piece with the same profile as the die opening. To provide end to end services for customers, Tinheo provide surface finishes like anodizing, and powder coating, etc., saving you double-handing and freight costs in the whole process.

These three values define Tinheo's rapid prototyping services. Working closely together, we can bring your product vision to reality in a few days, at a fair price.

●No MOQ
We are flexible for one-off prototypes and low-volume parts. No matter the size of your order, we can handle it.

●Competitive Pricing
We have built up an efficient rapid prototyping system which allows us to offer competitive prices that can match any offer.

●Rapid Turnaround
Our capacities allows us to finish your rapid prototyping projects in days.

●Experienced Engineers
Our team has years of experience in a wide range of industries and can handle even the most challenging projects.

●Tight Tolerances
We service the aerospace and medical industries and can produce precise parts with tight tolerances.

●Wide Range of Materials
We serve a wide range of clients and can offer a variety of rapid prototype materials and finishes.

Stem Cell Isolator Chamber
Services: CNC Machining, Annealing, Polishing
Material: Ultem 1000 Polyetherimide
Color: Natural (amber)
Quantity: 3 sets of 3 parts each
Lead Time: 6 days

Biorep, an ISO 13485:2016 certified medical product development company, enables advancements in medical technologies by offering the single source solution for healthcare professionals and researchers worldwide through a collaborative commitment to the design, development, and manufacturing of innovative biomedical products to improve the quality of life for patients. We were approached by Biorep to help them make a stem cell isolator chamber to support their work with the Cure Alliance. They are a U.S.A. non-profit working together with their Italian counterpart Fondazione Cure Alliance ONLUS. Their group of multidisciplinary scientist, doctors, and technicians are applying their expertise in stem cell research towards creating an IV infusion of umbilical cord stem cells to prevent acute lung inflammation caused by COVID19.

Together with Dr. Camillo Ricordi of the Cure Alliance, engineers at Biorep designed a stem cell isolator that will be used in the second wave of trials which will start after proof of safety and early efficacy with the current trial. Validation runs on the cell products obtained with the stem cell isolator are underway prior to using them clinically.

Because of the urgent nature of the unprecedented COVID19 outbreak, Biorep Technologies contacted Tinheo and asked for a rush job to make parts for the stem cell isolators. We at Tinheo want to do our part to support these life-saving efforts, so we quickly rearranged our production schedule and placed an immediate order for Ultem 1000 polyetherimide plastic resin.

Our partners at BioRep needed a quick-turnaround solution to make stem cell isolators in the fight against Covid-19. Tinheo responded in a matter of days.
Although it’s possible to plastic injection mold Ultem, we used CNC milling and turning for this project. This is because the customer only needed a few parts and we had to produce them fast while also maintaining tight tolerances.