The automobile industry is forever pushing the boundaries of better technology and smarter production practices. Driven by the need to keep up with today’s fast-paced economy, newer models focused on top performance and efficiency are now crafted using rapid prototyping. What is this new method of development, and how does this change benefit both the industry and the driver at the same time?
Understanding Prototyping
The need for more intelligent, or at least safer, cars comes from a process called scene mapping. You can read about it on PhotoModeler (source: http://www.photomodeler.com/applications/accident_recon/SceneMapping.html), but the process arose as a way to quickly review the aspects of an auto accident in a cost friendly manner. As more data is collected, it becomes easier to see what changes need to be made in order to save lives when an accident occurs, or how the accident could have been avoided altogether.
Creating safer cars requires precision parts crafted from durable materials. Back in the days of your great grandfather’s Model-T, crafting parts by hand lead to inconsistencies from one car to the next. Although minor at first glance, one mishap in production today could mean the difference between life and death in a collision.
To meet these strict standards and still churn out enough horsepower for the populous, companies have adopted rapid prototyping. Imagine a series of machines that tens of thousands of car pieces, all made to the exact same specifications with 0% error…that’s what rapid prototyping is.
Incorporating the latest technology, rapid prototyping keeps the assembly line moving like clockwork while allowing manufacturers to stay flexible in their designs. A line of machines can quickly change from one style spoiler to another, or any part you can think of, without losing an ounce of precision consistency.
Risks such as inaccurate delivery dates, interruptions in production, and the forecasting of special requirements can quickly be eliminated or resolved thanks to the amount of time these machines save. Even better, they save on cost with their ability to handle multiple tasks or completely change their role in production. Plus, their recyclable materials and ability to create cars with low emission rates are environmentally friendly.
You can learn more about rapid prototyping on this website, hosted by one of the leaders in this aspect of the auto industry. Machines that could save this much time while remaining entirely flexible during production were unthinkable only a few decades ago, but their ability to produce the safest and most efficient cars on the market has been proven time and time again.
What Does Prototyping Do For You?
This process is certainly beneficial for manufacturers, but what does it do for the driver? On the surface, all of those fancy new features you can pick up on newer models are made possible by the prototyping process. You know, space for lights in illuminated handles, larger cargo beds made possible by thinner yet stronger siding, and simple integration with high-tech gear from 15” GPS touchscreens to USB chargers.
Secondly, you’re driving a safer car. Whether it is more durable construction or impact ready bodies that can save your life, prototyping ensures that every inch of your vehicle meets rigorous safety standards.
Finally, you get the benefit of owning unique body contours, lights, and other body features that have ushered in a new era of automobile. The sleek designs and mean looks of some newer models are all made possible by prototyping. Plus, you have access to these newer designs year after year instead of the multiple years it would have taken to produce them just a decade ago.
Rapid prototyping is making major changes in the automobile industry for manufacturers and drivers. From safety to design and more productive assembly lines, it seems as though there’s nothing these new machines can’t do.