Large Prototypes
Do you need large prototype parts and industrial models? Is your vision bigger than the build tables of today’s 3D printers? Fathom transforms your big ideas into reality.
Our unique capabilities and expertise enable us to build large, fully functional demonstration models that are tailored to your needs, time constraints and budget. Innovative examples include 3D-printing parts in sections and bonding them together to create large assemblies, to building large, customized panels using fiberglass hand layup. You won’t find our combination of in-house fabrication and post-processing skills under one roof anywhere else.
Types of Prototypes
There are many different kinds of prototypes, and depending on the stage of your project, the product development process will determine which type of prototype will work best.
Visual Prototype // A visual prototype can illustrate product color, size, and geometric features, but may not include the desired texture, feel, or weight. Visual prototypes are primarily used for photography needs to create marketing assets.
Working Prototype // A physical prototype allows a designers to test product functionality. Working prototypes may not have the same appearance as a finalized product. The purpose of the physical prototype is to determine if the final product will withstand the rigors of its intended use. Further design changes may be required after testing.
User Experience Prototype // A user experience prototype has the same appearance and functionality as a final product. It can be presented to the end-user for research and allows for consumer testing. This will help designers determine if a product is user-friendly and provides customer satisfaction. Customers can interact with the prototype, allowing valuable data to be gathered. There may still be opportunities for improvement made possible by the user experience prototype.
Functional Prototype // A functional prototype has the same appearance and full functionality as the final product. It may be made using different materials or manufacturing methods than the final product. Functional prototypes are ideal for fund raising or for licensing.
Applications & Industries Using Large Prototypes
- Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM)
- Photo-Ready Consumer Products
- Exhibition Models
- Machinery
- Trade Shows
- Military Equipment
Prototyping Strategies
Iterative Prototyping
Iterative Prototyping starts with a single version of the part. The part is tested, the design is refined, and the old design is scrapped in favor of a new iteration. The process then starts over with the new part design. This prototyping strategy could be time consuming depending on the complexity of the project and the required design changes. Traditional manufacturing techniques would then add to the required turn around time each time the process started over, but iterative prototyping is now an economical choice thanks to the speed and lowered cost of 3D printing.
Parallel Prototyping
Parallel Prototyping is a strategy designed to reduce turnaround time by building multiple different prototypes and testing them concurrently. Qualities that work best on each prototype are then forwarded to the next set of parallel designs until a final version is reached. Parallel prototyping allows for greater creativity by giving designers the opportunity to explore design possibilities across multiple iterations. This strategy can be more expensive as it requires multiple sets of differing prototypes. Major or minor design changes can be made as each successive prototype is printed, simply by making changes to the digital file.
Rapid Prototyping
Rapid prototyping leverages the speed and agility of digital manufacturing. The design process, prototyping, and production can all be controlled and manipulated digitally, and breaks down many of the barriers of conventional prototyping. Part production can be done anywhere the machine is available, whether that is in-house or half way around the world. Design changes can be made immediately and then parts can be reprinted in hours instead of days and weeks. Rapid prototyping even allows designers to use Iterative or Parallel strategies without the time and cost constraints associated with traditional manufacturing. Rapid prototyping is especially useful for large prototypes. Oversized models and large prototypes can be built quickly and efficiently, reducing cost and speeding time to market.
Comprehensive Capabilities
Fathom offers a full-spectrum of in-house manufacturing technologies for building large prototypes and industrial models.
Our comprehensive capabilities include:
Thermoformed
& FRP
(Fiberglass-Reinforced Plastic)
Case Study //
Agricultural Equipment
One of Fathom’s biggest strengths is the many unique technologies and skillsets we can incorporate to solve challenging problems for our customers. A perfect example is a project where the Fathom team went the extra mile to quickly build a set of body panels for a leading agricultural equipment manufacturer.
The manufacturer needed photos and video of its new machine for a major product launch, but production body panels couldn’t be produced quickly enough. Fathom built prototype body panels out of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) that looked as good as the production panels and incorporated 3D-printed and CNC-machined components.
Solution //
The team 3D-printed mounting pads and bosses, which were designed to be bonded to the inside walls of each body panel. Custom threaded inserts supplied by the customer were placed into the bosses. The team also built “bridges“ – wooden arms that spanned the FRP tools from one side to the other. These were used to precisely position the mounting pads on the inside of each panel so they could be attached to the agricultural machine’s superstructure.
In addition, the team designed reusable wooden shipping containers with foam inserts to hold each body panel securely during shipping to the manufacturer’s painting partner and then to its factory for assembly of several pre-production machines. No panels were damaged in transit.
The Fathom team completed this high-profile project in a matter of weeks – a process that normally takes several months.
Why Choose Fathom for Your Large Prototyping Needs?
Fathom has the expertise and technology to help you meet your needs faster.
- Comprehensive prototyping services
- State-of-the-art equipment and technology
- Extensive experience building large prototypes for many industries
- In-house post-processing services
- Solutions tailored to specific customer needs, budget and timing
