This article looks at the critical factors that influence the accuracy of prototypes and provides practical guidelines to ensure that they are delivered to the required specifications including the prototype dimensions.* By understanding the common pitfalls associated with low-quality prototypes and implementing effective strategies, you can streamline your development processes and achieve successful product launches.
*Note: Not all of this is possible, or even applicable, for every single type of prototype parts ordered by suppliers.
7 steps for getting accurate prototype dimensions
As part of the NPI process, prototypes are a critical step towards final product realization. They allow for testing, refinement, and validation of design concepts before investing heavily in tooling and production. However, the effectiveness of this process relies on correct prototype dimensions and good quality. Poorly constructed prototypes can lead to significant delays, increased costs, and even product failures. Here are 7 steps you can follow that will result in more accurate and better quaity prototypes, and a shorter time to market.
1. Essential Information you need to give to your Supplier
The supplier requires comprehensive and clear information to ensure your prototype dimensions’ exact specifications are manufactured. The information you should send includes:
Functional Requirements: Detailed specifications of the product’s intended use, performance criteria, and specific functional requirements. This information helps the supplier understand the purpose of the prototype and ensure that it meets the desired performance standards.
Assembly Considerations: Detailed information on how the prototype will be assembled, including tolerances for mating parts and any specific assembly instructions. This helps the supplier design and manufacture the prototype to fit seamlessly with other components.
Material Properties: Detailed specifications of the materials to be used, including their mechanical properties, thermal properties, and compatibility with other materials. This information ensures the supplier selects the appropriate materials for the prototype and avoids potential issues such as material degradation or incompatibility.
3D CAD Model: A high-quality 3D CAD model of the product, providing a complete representation of its geometry and dimensions. The file format should be compatible with the supplier’s systems.
Detailed 2D Drawings with Tolerances: Provide clear, accurate 2D drawings that complement the 3D model, including additional views, dimensions, and explicitly defined tolerances for critical-to-quality features. This information is essential for ensuring the prototype meets performance requirements and can be manufactured to the desired specifications.
Getting prototype parts with the right properties is very important to avoid going into yet another round of prototyping that takes time and money as you can see here every time the design cannot be signed off as acceptable after prototypes have been tested and validated:
2. Effective Communication and Understanding
Open and clear communication is essential for a successful prototype project. Establish a strong working relationship with the supplier, ensuring a shared understanding of the project goals, requirements, and expectations.
Regular Collaboration: Maintaining open communication channels throughout the project is crucial for promptly addressing questions, concerns, and potential challenges. This can be achieved through regular meetings, email correspondence, or video conferencing.
Design Reviews: Regular design reviews are essential for validating the supplier’s interpretation of the design and ensuring that it aligns with the intended fit, form, and function. These reviews should involve representatives from both the design and manufacturing teams to discuss any changes, modifications, or potential issues. By identifying and addressing discrepancies early on, you can prevent costly rework and delays.
3. Evaluate Supplier Capabilities
Carefully evaluate the supplier’s capabilities and experience to ensure they can meet the specific requirements of your project. This involves:
- Technical Expertise: Assessing the supplier’s expertise in relevant manufacturing processes, materials, and technologies.
- Equipment and Facilities: Evaluating the supplier’s access to necessary equipment, machinery, and facilities to produce high-quality prototypes.
- Quality Control Systems: Review the supplier’s quality control systems and procedures to ensure they can maintain consistent quality standards.
- Capacity and Lead Times: Assessing the supplier’s capacity to handle your project within the desired timeframe and considering any potential lead time constraints.
- References and Case Studies: Requesting references from previous clients to evaluate the supplier’s performance and reputation.
- Achievable tolerance: Verify what tolerances can be achieved with the desired process and equipment.
4. Clarify Supplier Deliverables
To ensure the quality of prototype parts, the supplier should provide a comprehensive inspection report outlining the inspection process, measurement results, and any deviations from the specifications. This report should be sent before shipping the parts to allow for early identification of issues.
Additionally, the supplier should provide clear photos or videos of the finished parts to capture details of the product’s appearance and dimensions.
Finally, a detailed report on any problems or challenges encountered during the manufacturing process, including potential root causes and corrective actions taken, should be provided to help identify areas for improvement and prevent similar problems in future projects.
5. Perform Incoming Quality Control (IQC)
Upon receiving the prototype, conduct a thorough inspection to verify the supplier’s inspection report and ensure the parts meet the required specifications. This involves a comprehensive examination of all dimensions, features, and characteristics of the prototype to identify any discrepancies or defects.
Compare the supplier’s inspection report with the actual measurements and findings to ensure accuracy and completeness. This step helps verify the supplier’s quality control processes and identify any discrepancies between the reported results and the actual condition of the parts.
Create detailed inspection reports documenting the entire inspection process, including the results and any non-conformances. These reports serve as a valuable record of the prototype’s quality and can be used for future reference and analysis.
6. Identify and Deal with Discrepancies and Defects
If any discrepancies, out-of-tolerance conditions, or other defects are found during the IQC process, take immediate action to address the issues. These discrepancies leading to incorrect prototype dimensions and other problems could be due to manufacturing errors, design flaws, or other factors.
Clear Documentation
Document all discrepancies and defects with detailed descriptions, measurements, and supporting evidence, such as photos or drawings. This documentation will be essential for conducting a thorough root cause analysis and implementing effective corrective actions.
Root Cause Analysis
Investigate the root cause of the issues to determine whether they are due to manufacturing errors, design flaws, or other factors. This analysis will help identify the underlying problem and guide the development of appropriate corrective actions.
Corrective Actions
Develop and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence of the issues. This may involve working with the supplier to make necessary changes to the manufacturing process or design. By addressing the root causes, you can improve the overall quality of the prototypes and reduce the likelihood of future defects.
7. Part Acceptance and Release
Only release parts for further use after a thorough inspection and verification that they meet all specified requirements. This ensures the quality and reliability of the components used in the subsequent stages of product development.
Final Approval
Sign off on the inspection report to formally authorize the release of acceptable parts for subsequent processes or testing. This serves as a record of the inspection and acceptance of the parts.
Non-Conforming Parts
Clearly identify and segregate non-conforming parts to prevent their accidental use. This helps avoid potential issues and ensures that only high-quality components are used in the product.
Supplier Feedback
Provide clear and constructive feedback to the supplier regarding any issues or concerns identified during the inspection process. This feedback can help the supplier improve their manufacturing processes and prevent similar problems in future projects.
Conclusion: A Collaborative Approach to Prototype Dimensions and Quality
Ensuring the delivery of parts with accurate prototype dimensions requires a collaborative effort between the design team and the supplier. While internal actions are crucial, it’s equally important to monitor and manage the supplier’s performance.
Internal Actions:
- Comprehensive Design Documentation: Provide detailed 2D drawings with tolerances to ensure clarity and accuracy.
- Effective Communication: Maintain open and clear communication with the supplier, addressing questions and concerns promptly.
- Rigorous Inspection: Conduct thorough incoming quality control inspections to identify any discrepancies or defects.
- Supplier Feedback: Provide constructive feedback to the supplier to help them improve their processes and prevent future issues.
Supplier Monitoring:
- Supplier Capabilities: Evaluate the supplier’s technical expertise, equipment, and quality control systems.
- Performance Tracking: Monitor the supplier’s performance through regular inspections and reviews.
- Feedback and Improvement: Encourage open communication and provide feedback to the supplier to help them improve their processes.
By taking these steps, you can significantly improve the quality of your prototypes, reduce risks, and accelerate time-to-market. A collaborative approach that involves both internal actions and supplier monitoring is essential for achieving successful product development.
For more information on prototypes, visit our prototyping services page.
