National Nanotechnology manufacturing Center (NNMC) announces the launch of Multi Proto Labs, an entirely new concept in rapid prototyping. MPL is capable of 3D printing, precision milling, drop-on-demand printing, extrusion deposition, plus much more-all in one machine.
Benefits from performing these processes in a machine are many, including lower up-front cost, faster prototyping, great accuracy, lower production costs for the prototype, plus much more.
Multi Proto Labs is also capable to produce fully functional, multiple-material components in a single machine.
Rapid prototyping technology allows for inventors and engineers to visualize and test new concepts in a way that was unthinkable just a few years ago. But even with these advances, can be expensive and time-consuming prototypes for prototype operators.
Traditional prototypes often involves moving the prototype piece from a prototyping machine to another. In some cases, the prototype developed in the days of several different machines. Each of these machines can be very costly.
"What makes Multi Proto Labs differ from conventional rapid prototyping is that it can perform many different prototyping processes in a machine," said Calvin Close, NNMC's media spokesman for Multi Proto Lab.
Patent-pending Multi Proto Labs is a multi module machine. Each module or attachment, execute a unique process, such as 3D printing, Drop-on-Demand printing, laser hardening and many others. MPL picks up a module (for example, 3D Dual additive printing head) and perform the process on the prototype part. When the process is complete, Multi Proto Labs then picks up another header (which Drop-on-Demand printing head) and perform the process on the same prototype piece.
This process can be repeated with an unlimited number of different modules until a fully functional component is produced. The number of modules and their individual processes is limited only by the imagination and needs of the user.
Multi Proto labs open mockups to significantly more organizations due to its lower up-front and operational costs.
Currently, the Multi Proto Labs in two models, the compact MPL-1000 and the larger MPL-2000.
The main differences between the models is maximum prototype size machines are able to produce, and the number of modules that platforms can hold.
For either machine, you can increase the capacity of the machine by manually changing out modules.
More than five years and more than $ 1 million has been spent on developing Multi Proto Labs.
For more information, go to http://www.RapidPrototypingMachine.com.