Rapid Prototyping

Rapid prototyping is the fastest, most cost-effective method for building prototypes from three-dimensional computer-aided design (CAD) drawings. Rapid prototyping refers to a set of processes that can automatically construct physical models from CAD data. These three dimensional (3-D) printers allow designers to quickly create physical prototypes from their designs, rather than just two-dimensional pictures. These rapid prototypes have numerous uses. For example, they make excellent visual aids for communicating ideas with co-workers or customers. These rapid prototypes can also be used for design testing.