Industry
Why Prototyping In The Automotive Industry?
Rapid prototyping drives automotive innovation
The automotive industry is a complex and huge industry, and it requires frequent design iterations and new design developments in the face of market pressures. However, the automotive design and development cycle is a long process, so fast and efficient prototyping is a must-have bridge for it. Automotive prototyping represents an important step in the validation process between the initial product design and the final production run.
The prototyping process will help design teams figure out how to make new designs appeal to consumers and prove their value, how to communicate ideas and iterate designs more quickly and effectively with stakeholders and project teams, and how to verify and test functionality and evaluate part manufacturing processes.
We Are Experienced In Automotive Prototyping And Auto Parts Manufacturing. We Look Forward To Your Better Experience, And With JX, You Will Find Out Which Process Best Meets Your Needs And Fits Your Product Definition.
What Is The Role Of Prototyping In Automotive Design And Development Process？
In actuality, automotive prototype manufacturing always runs through the entire stage of the automotive design and development cycle, including the proof of concept, the visualizations of CAD digital model, the structure and performance verification, function and engineering test, and even for manufacturing and production process validation.
Concept Prototype and CAD Digital Model
Automotive designers create scale prototypes in the form of clay models to realize ideas for real objects, and will then use reverse engineering techniques to scan the models to get the CAD models and optimize the designs. This back-and-forth conversation between ideas and prototypes creates an iterative process and helps designers better understand the user experience. This works both externally – presenting to clients and stakeholders – and internally – in collaborating more deeply with your team or rallying them to support a new idea.
Structure and Function Verification
Automotive engineers sometimes refer to this as the “mule stage”. During this phase, engineers will create a series of automotive functional prototypes, typically used for form fit checks of the component space and data collection on usage functions. This can reflect the reasonableness of the structure size and the ease of installation. The strategy allows them to see how the prototype components fit into the vehicle and interact with the other parts, and help evaluate design, materials, strength, tolerances, assembly, working mechanisms, and manufacturability. So that problems can be identified and addressed early.
Engineering Testing and Pilot Production Run
In order to achieve the various functions of automotive prototype, certain tests are needed. It includes Aerodynamic test, man-machine engineering, the mechanical properties, thermal properties, mechanical properties, electrical properties and the service life of the product and safety standard test.
Engineering test prototypes allow for rapid iteration of designs based on actual testing and feedback to meet required performance, verification, testing, certification and quality requirements.
The prototype vehicles loaded with test components are placed through different scenarios and subjected to extreme conditions to identify any problems that could hamper the use of the product or cause serious safety concerns to consumers.
Meanwhile, Low volume parts manufacturing for pilot runs allow engineers to spot possible production problems as well as determine the most cost-effective manufacturing processes.
Automotive Lighting Lamps - Optical Component Prototypes
Auto Lamp Lens – Machining Acrylic and Clear Polishing
● Machining experience of thin-walled clear plastic
● Unparalleled hand finishing and polishing technology
● Advanced two-color and multi-material (2K) molding process
Light Guides and Aluminium Reflectors – Precision Optical Machining
● Combine 5-axis precision milling with diamond machining technology
● More complex geometric shapes and precise optical details can be achieved
● Minimum machining radius R0.1mm and surface tolerance ±0.02mm
● CNC milled roughness Ra(μm) 0.2 and mirror-polished Ra(μm) 0.05
Automotive Mechanical Components - Functional Prototypes
JX specializes in functional prototyping of automotive mechanical components with CNC machining, silicone molding, and rapid tooling processes. This will help you get realistic feedback on performance and data in rigorous test scenarios, and help prove and refine your designs.
● Use the same material as the final parts, realistically simulate the mechanical function, electric performance, thermal properties of the end-use.
● Create complex, workable functional components to check the form and fit, and ensure that all parts fit within an assembly.
● Create precision machined prototypes to measure, compare, or check design errors, dimensional differences, and tolerances acceptable.
Custom Auto Parts - Low-Volume Manufacturing
Custom Low Volume CNC Machining
JX has advanced machining equipment and flexible production methods, from simple milling or turning parts to complex and precision 5-axis CNC machining, from production-grade plastic machining to precision metal machining, we offer a well-rounded mix of advantages.
Cost-effective Rapid Injection Molding
We have years of experience in rapid molds of both aluminum and steel and plastic injection molding and can rush parts to you on a schedule that supports your entire engineering testing and pre-production schedule.