Rapid Prototyping (RP) Services
3D Printing is the fastest and often most economical way for companies to create prototypes of new products. With the ever-increasing wide range of 3DP technologies and materials, rapid prototyping can easily satisfy fit, form, and functional testing. Plus, beautiful tradeshow or focus group prototypes can be made to test consumer interest. Many types of plastics, nylons, metals, urethanes and more can be used to closely simulate the future end-use product. Agile Manufacturing
Many of our in-house 3D printing prototype technologies can produce a part or prototype within 1 day, and therefore even multiple revisions of one design can be tested in a matter of days or weeks. If you need to bring a product to life quickly, talk to us here at Agile about how a 3D printed model can help. FDM, SLS, SLA, Markforged
Explore the various technologies we offer by using the Additive Services menu above, or use the “Get Started” button below to submit your file to us for a recommendation.
Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
SLS manufacturing uses a high-powered C02 laser to fuse small particles of powdered material to create 3 dimensional parts. The laser selectively fuses powdered material by scanning X&Y cross-sections on the surface of a powder bed. Once a layer is completed, a roller distributes another layer of powder across the entire bed and the sintering process begins again, adding height to the previous layer. The model is built complete to the supplied 3D CAD data.
Once the build is complete, the build is removed and excess powder is carefully broken away from the model. The part is then finished in a tumbler, bead blaster, or by hand to the desired finish level. SLS parts can be coated, smoothed, or dyed.
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
Fused Deposition Modeling uses an thin extruded filament as the raw material. The spool of material is fed through a heated nozzle and deposited at the bottom of the printer platform, where it solidifies. The machines build the 3D part one layer at a time, fusing each layer together from the bottom up.
Most FDM printers will outline the perimeter of the part first, moving to the interior edges next, and follow with the specified middle fill of the layer. All of this is accomplished in a temperature controlled build chamber with properly dried raw materials.
