In automotive manufacturing, the highly competitive journey from concept to market-ready product involves numerous critical stages. One of the most crucial phases in this process is the development of pre-production prototypes. These prototypes serve as a starting point from design to mass production, ensuring that every detail of a new vehicle is carefully conceived before it hits the market. One of our clients was looking for a pre-production prototype to validate their proof of concept. They came to our sister company, Omni Fasteners, to help them in the process of building a prototype for a compression limiter.
The Role of Pre-Production Prototypes
Pre-production prototypes allow manufacturers to evaluate the design of a product in real-world conditions. This prototype stage is crucial for identifying any aesthetic or functional issues that may not have been visible during the digital design phase. Adjustments can be made to ensure the final product meets company and customer standards. Engineers test prototypes to evaluate the performance, safety, and durability of each piece. This can help fine tune a component to ensure optimal results. Pre-production also helps optimize the manufacturing process, to identify any production issues or assembly difficulties so that problems can be addressed before production begins.
Developing Pre-Production Prototypes
The process of developing a prototype begins with initial designs, sketches, and specifications from designers and engineers. Using digital models, physical prototypes are then built with the same materials and processes as the final product so that it can be tested. At this point in the process, OMNI helped our mutual client create the pre-production compression limiter prototype made from steel, so our client could use it for design validation and testing before mass production.
Mass Production of Compression Limiter Component
Once our client validated the prototype Omni created, we collaborated with the client to order the product at full scale. Our team at NEF leveraged one of our global vendors to procure the pieces that were needed for this project, managing a tight timeframe and delivery. Without our unique partnership with Omni, moving from prototype to custom per print product would have taken months to complete.
Pre-production prototypes are a necessity in the automotive industry. Without testing and analyzing real-world prototypes, problems arise in the manufacturing process and can delay production. By using pre-production prototyping, our clients can ensure their components meet the highest standards of quality, safety, and performance, which leads to successful product launches (and satisfied customers!).
Talk to our team about pre-production prototypes and per print capabilities for your components. We have extensive experience with custom and exotic metals, pre-production prototyping, and a network of global suppliers to fulfill your requirements once the prototype is complete.
National Engineered Fasteners (NEF) is a supplier of quality engineered production fasteners supporting OEMs across many industries including automotive, appliance, military, and more. We offer custom and per print fasteners to suit your specific needs and specifications. To learn more about NEF and our supply chain solutions, click here
OMNI Fasteners is a distributor and manufacturer of standard and custom fasteners. We can build custom pre-production prototypes, and we also stock and source fasteners made in a variety of certifiable materials to meet global and domestic standards (including ASTM and ASME). We have a wide range of fasteners in materials including steel, stainless steel, copper, aluminum, titanium, and many exotic material grades. To learn more about OMNI Fasteners and our custom pre-production prototyping, click here
