Richmond, VA

Prototype Machining Richmond, VA

Prototype machining Richmond, VA. From idea to shelf, prototyping is the first step to creating products primed for mass-production. To do it correctly the first time around, you need to work with a prototype machine shop in Richmond that can not only make your designs come alive, but have specialists at the ready that can also make revisions to the product to improve upon it.

At Roberson Machine Company, we are a leader in rapid prototyping in a variety of businesses. If you can dream it, we have the capabilities to make it a reality—no matter the complexity! Our contract manufacturers are prepared to help in your product development goals.

Contact us or call 573-646-3996 for a free consultation on CNC prototype machining in Richmond, VA.

Prototype Services Richmond

We have an expansive factory floor with lathes, mills, and EDM machines to meet your CNC prototyping expectations. The entire team at Roberson Machine Company is committed to ensuring your product development journey goes smoothly, which is why we painstakingly oversee all designing, programming, and fabricating to make sure every last detail is perfect.

Finally, we understand the importance of moving a finished prototype to production as quickly as possible in order to keep the assembly line humming. Once the prototypes design has been approved, we can easily transition it to our in-house production side. This allows us to be your one-stop shop for prototyping services of all kinds.

CNC prototyping services offered at Roberson Machine Company:

What is a Prototype?

A prototype is a first-attempt physical model of a product that’s made through a special manufacturing process like CNC machining. It is often used for testing or as the first step within the mass-production process. For example, many companies turn to Roberson Machine Company to produce a physical part quickly in order to capture a sales opportunity or validate a design.

Prototyping is an advantageous practice that can be used for:

• Showcasing the physical model of a product to investors and customers in a relatively short amount of time
• Exhibiting the appearance, features, and dimensions of your product
• Creating multiple separate versions of the product with different colors, surface textures, and finishing processes
• Ensuring that all parts are standardized in terms of quality, size, dimension, and shape
• Testing the product on the market before bringing it to full production
• Identifying and fixing potentially costly design defects before it ever touches the market
• Improving and streamlining the entire production process

In general, rapid prototyping in Richmond saves time and money by creating one product that can be tested and optimized to peak performance before having to invest in thousands of units. Contact us to learn more about how this process may help your company realize a variety of cost savings.

Who Uses Prototype Machining?

Multiple Richmond, VA industries have recognized the advantages of prototype machining and use it to reduce the chance of disruptions in the development process. Roberson Machine Company has successfully worked with a large number of companies, big and small, to realize their prototype manufacturing goals. We have worked with the following Richmond, VA industries and more develop prototypes efficiently and under budget:

• With the popularity of “just-in-time” manufacturing, the automotive industry needs new parts to be developed as fast as possible and in any size production run. Roberson Tool contracts with Richmond, VA automotive suppliers ranging from small custom shops to well-known OEMs to produce prototype parts in a variety of materials, delivered affordably and on time.
• Richmond, VA oil and energy firms have unique demands for prototypes: they must be built to withstand the heavy pressure of mining, refining, and potentially being buried underground. Roberson meets these demands by specializing in machining prototypes made of exotic materials such as brass, alloy steel, and even plastics.
• The Richmond, VA medical industry requires parts to be developed to some of the most demanding tolerances in the machining industry: after all, making sure that defective parts do not make it to consumers is truly the difference between life and death. Moreover, medical parts are often quite small and intricate in design. Roberson Machine Company is proud to use the latest 5-axis CNC machining tools that can not only quickly fabricate medical part prototypes no matter the dimensions, but also provide process and tracking reports mandated by the FDA.
• Aerospace manufacturers demand parts with highly technical geometries and dimensions, and in many cases using specialized metals that can withstand high temperatures and altitude. In addition, the unique pressures and characteristics of flight require parts made to exacting tolerance and design standards. Our highly-trained technicians are ready to tackle the unique demands of aerospace prototype manufacturing, and our VA machine shop is driven to deliver aerospace manufacturers parts built to the optimal standard of quality.

This history of prototype manufacturing for multiple VA industries allows Roberson Machine Company to be a true partner throughout the manufacturing process. Our experienced team of machinists can help you recognize flaws in your product, suggest design and reliability improvements, and otherwise build on the quality of your Richmond, VA end product while lowering your R&D costs.

Reasons to Use CNC Machining for Rapid Prototyping in Richmond, VA

Prototyping can use a variety of methods to complete projects, but CNC machining is far and away one of the most effective. Also known as computer numerical control, CNC allows you to digitally design your product, input that data into a computer, and let the CNC machine take it from there, trimming away bits from a piece of raw material to create a desired end-shape.

Using computers eliminates human error and improves the efficiency of the cuts which, in turn, means that you can produce quick, flawless parts both the first time and every time afterwards. There are a variety of other reasons to choose CNC machining for prototyping, such as:

• More accurate – Computer-controlled machines use modern cutters that are extremely precise and accurate in order to create parts with tolerances sometimes as tight as +.05 mm.
• Faster – Modern CNC machine can typically create one part in a matter of minutes, which is invaluable towards getting products to market quickly.
• Many different materials to work with – CNC machine tools can work on virtually any material that is machinable, which includes many types of plastic substrates and metals. Product developers can then test different materials to see which is best for their application.
• No fixed tooling necessary – CNC machined parts do not need to use separate dies and tools, which helps diminish the lead time and initial investment costs for new product development.
• Can easily change design – New products often go through many moderations and iterations to improve upon the original design. Altering digital instructions is simple and only takes a few minutes with CNC machining.

Prototype Manufacturing Near Me Richmond, VA | Roberson Machine Company

CNC machining is an ideal solution for product developers who need high-quality and quick parts in small volumes for prototyping and testing samples. When you choose Roberson Machine Company, we will work with you every step of the way to ensure that your designs are crafted to perfection on time and that all of your needs are met.

Contact us for CNC prototyping Richmond services of all kinds. Call 573-646-3996 for a free quote.