Prototype Machining in Rhode Island | CNC Prototyping
Prototype machining in Rhode Island. Creating a prototype is not just the first step, but probably one of the most important in the manufacturing process. To get it correctly the first time around, you need to work with a prototype machine shop in Rhode Island that can not only make your designs come alive, but have engineers on staff that can also make revisions to the product to improve upon it.
At Roberson Machine Company, we specialize in rapid prototyping in a variety of industries. No matter the design complexity, if you can think it up, we can help make it a reality! Our team of contract manufacturing professionals are prepared to support your product development goals.
Contact us or call 573-646-3996 for a free consultation on CNC prototype machining in Rhode Island.
Rhode Island Prototype Services
We have an expansive factory floor with mills, lathes, and EDM machines to meet your CNC prototyping expectations. The entire staff at Roberson Machine Company is committed to ensuring your product development efforts go off without a hitch, which is why we painstakingly oversee all designing, programming, and fabricating to make sure every last detail meets your standards.
Finally, we know how important it is to move a completed prototype to production so that it can get on the market as soon as possible. Once you’re completely satisfied with a product’s final design, we can transition it easily and efficiently into production, all in-house! This allows us to be your one-stop shop for prototyping services of all kinds.
CNC prototyping services we offer:
- CNC Turning
- CNC Milling
- 3, 4, and 5-axis machining
- Wire EDM
- High-level surface finishing capabilities
- Metal fabrication
- Both simple and complex part geometries
- Tight tolerances (as tight as 0.0001” inches for some parts)
- Variety of materials, such as aluminum, stainless steel, etc.
- Variety of capabilities, such as stamping, extrusion, bending, cutting, spinning, folding, welding, etc.
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 can be used for many purposes and is usually the first step in the mass-production of a product. For example, many businesses turn to Roberson Machine Company to produce a physical part swiftly in order to capture a sales opportunity or validate a design.
Prototyping is an advantageous process 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, dimensions, and features of your product
- Generating multiple separate versions of the product with differing textures, colors, and finishes
- Ensuring that all parts are standardized in terms of dimension, shape, quality, and size
- Testing the product on the market before bringing it to full production
- Finding and correcting potentially expensive design flaws before it ever touches the market
- Streamlining and improving upon the whole production process
Overall, rapid prototyping in Rhode Island 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 see how this process may help your business realize a variety of cost savings.
Who Uses Prototype Machining?
Multiple Rhode Island industries are cognizant of the benefits of prototype machining and utilize it to reduce potential disruptions in the development process. Roberson Machine Company has successfully contracted with a sizable number of companies, of all sizes, to realize their prototype manufacturing requirements. We have helped the following Rhode Island industries and more develop prototypes efficiently and under budget:
- With the widespread adoption of the “just-in-time” manufacturing process, the automotive industry needs new parts to be developed as fast as possible and in any size production run. Roberson Tool works with Rhode Island automotive manufacturers ranging from small custom shops to well-known OEMs to build prototype parts in several different materials, delivered affordably and on time.
- Oil and energy firms have special requirements for prototypes: they need to be made to withstand the heavy pressure of refining, mining, and underground burial. Roberson responds to these demands by specializing in machining prototypes made of exotic materials such as plastics, brass, and alloy steel.
- The Rhode Island medical industry mandates that parts are developed to some of the most exacting tolerances in the machining industry: above all, making sure that defective parts do not make it to end users is truly a matter of life and death. As well, medical parts are often extremely small and intricate in design. Roberson Machine Company has in our shop the latest 5-axis CNC machining tools that can not only rapidly produce medical part prototypes regardless of size, but also provide process and tracking reports needed by the FDA.
- Aerospace manufacturers need parts with intricate geometries and dimensions, and in a majority of cases using exotic metals that do not deform at high temperatures and altitude. As well, the unique pressures and characteristics of flight require parts built to exacting tolerance and design standards. Our veteran technicians are ready to tackle the challenges of aerospace prototype manufacturing, and our ISO 9001:2015-certified Rhode Island machine shop is focused on delivering aerospace manufacturers parts built to the optimal standard of quality.
This track record in prototype manufacturing for multiple Rhode Island industries allows Roberson Machine Company to be a true partner throughout the manufacturing process. Our highly-trained team of engineers and machinists can help you recognize flaws in your product, propose design and technical improvements, and otherwise improve the quality of your Rhode Island finished product while lowering your R&D costs.
Why Use CNC Machining for Rapid Prototyping in Rhode Island
Prototyping can use a variety of methods to complete projects, but CNC machining is by far the most effective. Short for computer numerical control, CNC allows you to design a product digitally, input that data into a computer, and let the CNC machine take it from there, trimming away portions from a piece of raw material to create the desired end-shape.
Using computers eliminates human error and improves the efficiency of the cuts which, in turn, means that you can make flawless, quick 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 precise – Computer-controlled machines use modern cutters that are very precise and accurate in order to create parts with very tight tolerances.
- Quicker – Modern CNC machine tools work with sophisticated computer programs that can convert files into finished parts within a matter of hours, which is ideal for getting products to market quickly.
- Many different materials to work with – CNC machine tools can work on virtually any machinable material, which includes many kinds 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 require the use of separate dies and tools, which helps diminish the lead time and initial investment costs for new product development.
- Easy to modify – New product development often requires a series of improvements and modifications to the original design. With CNC machining, you can easily alter digital instructions as many times as necessary.
Prototype Manufacturing Near Me Rhode Island | Roberson Machine Company
CNC machining is used by many businesses who need fast-turnaround and high-quality parts in small volumes for prototyping, engineering, and testing samples. When you choose Roberson Machine Company, we will work with you every step of the way to ensure that your needs are fully addressed, your designs are crafted to perfection, and the final product is delivered to you on time.
Call our team at 573-646-3996 or contact us for a free quote on CNC prototyping] services.