Production Oriented Prototyping is an approach that aims to build production standards into the prototype, while minimizing cost and delivery time optimising safety.
The importance of accurate prototype manufacture is great and a detailed testing and performance validation reveals whether any further design modification is needed. But it is expensive, may lead to change crucial deadlines, drive through delays and budget overruns.
The solution comes from Product Oriented Prototyping.
Production Oriented Prototyping (POP) is an approach to prototype development involving both the individual component and full assembly designers from the start of the application development phase. Using virtual builds, simulation and validation via CAD, manufacturers can ensure that all the components fit together for each design release and can be accessed and manipulated during the build. Any issues with component compatibility, design or accessibility can be tackled at a much earlier stage and, crucially, before time and money have been invested in one-off component manufacture for the prototype.
Using this methodology, the team can develop operation sheets as they go, making the final assembly process easier and more intuitive. Fixturing and work-holding are also considered at an earlier stage, meaning that manufacturers have more time to specify and produce a bespoke system, if required.This is especially true when dealing with larger or more complex assemblies, which do not lend themselves to easy movement or manipulation.
In effect, assembly process design – including process, flow, tooling and fixturing – is completed before the physical components are ready to be assembled.
By adopting this holistic approach, it’s easier to identify and fix issues faster than would be achieved during final assembly, with programme time savings of over 25% often achievable.What’s more, the extra efficiency afforded by POP allows assembly technicians to identify cost reduction opportunities for components and processes through ‘practice runs’ for future assembly.
Productiv has been developing and testing this method, and the results have been impressive. In one instance, we were able to reduce the assembly time for the first prototype build of a complex transmission for an automotive manufacturer from their typical eight weeks, to just eight days.
The benefits of the POP approach can be applied in any sector for which precision and replicability are vital to enable accurate testing and validation. In fact, any engineering business can achieve lower costs and a faster route to market. We hope this will finally give prototypes the attention they deserve.
