Prototype Machining Kirkwood, MO
Prototype machining Kirkwood, MO. Prototyping is an essential step in taking your product from idea to shelf. To get it correctly the first time around, you need to work with a prototype machine shop in Kirkwood that can not just make your designs come alive, but have specialists at the ready that can also help refine the product to make it even better.
At Roberson Machine Company, we are a leader in rapid prototyping for 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 Kirkwood, MO.
Kirkwood Prototype Services
We have an expansive factory floor with mills, lathes, and EDM machines for all of your precision CNC prototype needs. The entire staff at Roberson Machine Company is dedicated to ensuring your product development efforts go off without a hitch, which is why we painstakingly oversee the entire design, fabrication, and programming process to make sure every last detail meets your standards.
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 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 offered at Roberson Machine Company:
- CNC Milling
- CNC Turning
- Wire EDM
- 3, 4, and 5-axis machining
- Metal fabrication
- High-level surface finishing capabilities
- Tight tolerances (as tight as 0.0001” inches for some parts)
- Both simple and complex part geometries
- Variety of capabilities such as welding, extrusion, stamping, folding, bending, spinning, cutting, etc.
- Variety of materials such as stainless steel, aluminum, 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 clients 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 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, features, and dimensions of your product
- Generating multiple separate versions of the product with different colors, surface textures, and finishing processes
- Ensuring that all parts are standardized in terms of dimension, shape, quality, and size
- Testing the market with your product before production
- Finding and repairing potentially expensive design defects before reaching market
- Streamlining and improving upon the entire production process
Overall, rapid prototyping in Kirkwood saves time and money by creating one product that can be tested and optimized to peak performance before investing in thousands of units. Contact us to see how this process may help your company realize a variety of cost savings.
Who Uses Prototype Machining?
A large number of Kirkwood, MO industries have recognized the benefits of prototype machining and utilize it to limit the chance of disruptions in the development cycle. Roberson Machine Company has successfully contracted with a notable number of companies, big and small, to achieve their prototype manufacturing needs. We have assisted the following Kirkwood, MO industries and more develop prototypes quickly and efficiently:
- With the of “just-in-time” manufacturing processes, the automotive industry requires new parts to be developed as fast as possible and in any quantity. Roberson Tool contracts with Kirkwood, MO automotive suppliers as small as local custom shops and as large as OEM manufacturers to produce prototype parts in a variety of materials, delivered quickly and within costs.
- Kirkwood, MO oil and energy firms have notable requirements for prototypes: they must be built to withstand the rigors of underground pipeline burial, mining, and refining. Roberson meets these demands by excelling in machining prototypes using exotic materials such as alloy steel, plastics, and brass.
- The Kirkwood, MO medical industry mandates that parts are developed to some of the most demanding tolerances in the machining industry: above all, ensuring that defective parts do not make it to market is quite literally the difference between life and death. As well, medical parts are often extremely small and complicated in design. Roberson Machine Company is equipped with the latest 5-axis CNC machining tools that can not only quickly produce medical part prototypes of any size, but also provide process and tracking reports mandated by the FDA.
- Aerospace manufacturers require parts with specialized geometries and dimensions, and in a majority of cases using rare metals that do not deform at high temperatures and altitude. Moreover, the unique pressures and characteristics of flight necessitate parts built to exacting tolerance and design standards. Our experienced technicians are ready to take on the unique demands of aerospace prototype manufacturing, and our MO machine shop is driven to deliver aerospace manufacturers parts built to the highest standard of quality.
This experience in prototype manufacturing for multiple MO industries allows Roberson Machine Company to be a true partner throughout the manufacturing process. Our experienced team of machinists can help you identify flaws in your product, suggest design and usability improvements, and otherwise build on the quality of your Kirkwood, MO finished product while lowering your R&D costs.
Why Use CNC Machining for Rapid Prototyping in Kirkwood, MO
There are many different methods that can be used to create your prototypes, but CNC machining is far and away one of the most effective. Also known as computer numerical control, CNC allows you to design a product digitally, program the design data into the computer, and let the CNC machine take it from there, cutting away bits from a piece of raw material to create a desired end-shape.
Using computers improves the efficiency of cuts and virtually eliminates human error which, in turn, means that you can make flawless, quick parts the first time AND every time thereafter. There are a variety of other reasons to choose CNC machining for prototyping, including:
- More precise – Computer-controlled machines use modern cutters that are extremely precise and accurate in order to create parts with very tight tolerances.
- Faster – 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 the end-results to market quickly.
- Different materials to choose from – CNC machine tools can work on virtually any material that is machinable, which includes many kinds of plastic substrates and metals. This is a great advantage to product developers who want to test from one different material to the next.
- No fixed tooling necessary – CNC machined parts do not require the use of separate tools and dies, which helps reduce the initial investment costs and lead time for new product development.
- Can easily change design – New products often go through many moderations and iterations to improve upon the original design. With CNC machining, you can easily alter digital instructions as many times as necessary.
Prototype Manufacturing Near Me Kirkwood, MO | Roberson Machine Company
CNC machining is used by many businesses 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 at every point to ensure that your needs are fully addressed, your designs are crafted to perfection, and the final product is delivered to you on time.
Contact us for CNC prototyping Kirkwood services of all kinds. Call 573-646-3996 for a free quote.