登录查看更多内容

Last updated on 2024年9月25日

You need to create a lightweight model for your project. What are the best prototyping materials to use?

由人工智能和领英社区提供技术支持

Prototyping is an essential part of industrial design, as it allows you to test your ideas, communicate your vision, and get feedback from users and stakeholders. However, not all prototypes are created equal. Depending on your project goals, constraints, and resources, you may need to choose different materials to create a lightweight model that is easy to handle, transport, and modify. In this article, we will explore some of the best prototyping materials for industrial design, and how to use them effectively.

此文章中的业界达人

由社区从 15 条内容中精选。了解更多

Jesse Silva

Owner, Fastparts Prototipos
Samanta Vargas de la Llata
Thiago de Souza Pinto

Designer Industrial | Desenvolvimento de Produtos | Manufatura Aditiva

1 Cardboard and Paper

Cardboard and paper are among the most accessible and affordable materials for prototyping. They are easy to cut, fold, glue, and tape, and they can be shaped into various forms and structures. You can use cardboard and paper to create mock-ups of products, packaging, furniture, and other items that require a low level of detail and functionality. Cardboard and paper are also great for sketching, brainstorming, and testing different layouts and concepts. However, they are not very durable, stable, or realistic, and they may not be suitable for complex or interactive prototypes.

添加您的观点

Samanta Vargas de la Llata
举报内容
If you seek to explore dimensions and overall shapes, the fastest you can, cardboard layering or paper mapping will be your best friend! Cheap, fast, and reliable, this accesible materials can help you to validate first thoughts and go forward with any idea.

已翻译

赞
Thiago de Souza Pinto

Designer Industrial | Desenvolvimento de Produtos | Manufatura Aditiva
举报内容
Material fácil de manipular e muito barato, quando se trata de formas mais básicas acredito ser um bom caminho para um estudo volumétrico.

已翻译

赞
Pavan Tejaswi Velivela
举报内容
Any sort of 3D printable materials (plastics) will do good. It is very important to generate a scale model of a product. Modern AM techniques enable us to realize complex products.

已翻译

赞
Carlos Maetakaya

Analista técnico en IDEA ILUMINACION S.A. - Prof. INSPT - UTN
举报内容
The prototype serves a specific function. Representation in a rapid prototype may be to evaluate ergonomics, aesthetics, weak points, usage scenarios, and even assess manufacturing processes. It's always important to keep in mind the aspect we are evaluating, and which parameters we need to record, and what type of test we are going to subject it to. This observation will guide us in the choice of materials, the time to invest in a prototype, and the data will be more specific and realistic.

已翻译

赞
Endi Ahmed

Teaching Assistant | Product and industrial designer | Master researcher
举报内容
You mentioned only two materials for prototyping, but in fact, there are many other materials such as:- 1- Foam and Foam Boards Materials: Polystyrene (Styrofoam), Polyurethane foam, Foam core boards. Uses: Early-stage models to explore basic forms and dimensions. 2- Clay Materials: Modeling clay, polymer clay (e.g., Sculpey). Uses: Sculpting fine details, making ergonomic studies. 3- Wood Materials: Balsa wood, MDF (medium-density fiberboard), plywood. (Laser cutting can only produce parts with 2-dimensional shapes.) Uses: More detailed models, often used for functional or semi-functional prototypes. 4- Plastic Materials: ABS, PLA, acrylic sheets, PVC, polyethylene. Uses: Both rapid prototypes (via 3D printing) and more refined models.

已翻译

赞

2 Foam and Styrofoam

Foam and styrofoam are another popular choice for prototyping, as they are lightweight, inexpensive, and versatile. They can be cut, carved, sanded, and painted, and they can be used to create models of various shapes and sizes. Foam and styrofoam are ideal for prototyping products that require a higher level of detail and realism than cardboard and paper, such as toys, appliances, and electronics. They can also be used to create mock-ups of human body parts, such as hands, feet, and heads, for ergonomic and aesthetic testing. However, they are not very environmentally friendly, and they can be messy and difficult to dispose of.

添加您的观点

Jesse Silva

Owner, Fastparts Prototipos
举报内容
O material é bem prático para atividade manual e também para atividade em maquina de comando numérico. O ideal é que o projeto tenha as seguintes configura??es: - Modelo 3D - Pode ser Manual se a complexidade for baixa - Se tiver complexidade ideal é Fresar em Maquina de Comando Numérico. - Nivel de acabamento exigido Com estes elementos definidos é só deixar a criatividade solta.

已翻译

赞
Samanta Vargas de la Llata
举报内容
Foams are great when you need to explore both concept and shape. It’s a malleable material that can achieve all type of forms, both organic and geometric, and combined with a good uso of plaster, these prototypes can get you closer to your idea.

已翻译

赞
Thiago de Souza Pinto

Designer Industrial | Desenvolvimento de Produtos | Manufatura Aditiva
举报内容
Espuma e isopor s?o excelentes para um constru??o volumétrica e defini??o de formas. Material barato também e de fácil manuseio, nada que um estilete e um lixa n?o ajude a você construir um bom modelo para estudos, tanto para formas mais geométricas ou organicas. Dependendo do acabamento que você pode dar para esses modelos, eles podem ficar facilmente muito semelhantes há forma final de apresenta??o, com um bom acabamento, massa plástica ou gesso, lixamento, pintura e polimento.

已翻译

赞

3 Wood and Plywood

Wood and plywood are more durable and stable than cardboard, paper, foam, and styrofoam, and they can be used to create prototypes that require a higher level of strength and rigidity. They can be cut, drilled, nailed, and screwed, and they can be used to create models of furniture, tools, and other products that need to support weight or withstand stress. Wood and plywood are also easy to paint, stain, and finish, and they can provide a natural and warm look to your prototypes. However, they are more expensive and heavier than other materials, and they may require more tools and skills to work with.

添加您的观点

Thiago de Souza Pinto

Designer Industrial | Desenvolvimento de Produtos | Manufatura Aditiva
举报内容
Aqui talvez para protótipos grandes, pode ajudar na constru??o de um esqueleto para receber outros materiais de acabamento. Também para ser usado na constru??o de protótipos que já utilizaram madeira, em vez de construir um protótipo em madeira maci?a, use o compensado até a defini??o final e escolha ideal do tipo da madeira.

已翻译

赞
Angelo Schulz

defortec: Industrialdesign
举报内容
Wood is always a bit tricky, as it is not that homogeneous, as man-made materials are. But it is great to work on and stable. And you can finish it really good aswell, so that is doesn't look lile wood at all. I would recommend to use it for lager models.

已翻译

赞

4 Plastic and Acrylic

Plastic and acrylic are synthetic materials that offer a wide range of options for prototyping. They can be molded, extruded, injection-molded, 3D-printed, or laser-cut, and they can be used to create prototypes of products that require a high level of precision, functionality, and aesthetics. Plastic and acrylic are suitable for prototyping products that involve electronics, lighting, sensors, or moving parts, such as gadgets, devices, and machines. They can also be used to create transparent or translucent prototypes, such as windows, screens, or lenses. However, they are more costly and less eco-friendly than other materials, and they may require special equipment and safety measures to work with.

添加您的观点

Thiago de Souza Pinto

Designer Industrial | Desenvolvimento de Produtos | Manufatura Aditiva
举报内容
ótimo para protótipos de cortes e dobra de chapas, sendo uma op??o mais rápida e viável para um teste simples. Assim como o papel, você pode construir modelos bem geométricos mas com muito mais rigidez e com uma estética melhor.

已翻译

赞
Angelo Schulz

defortec: Industrialdesign
举报内容
Plastics and Acryliics are great, if it comes to precicion and high-end apperance of your model. Can be CNC machined, if you really have some parts to work and fit together precisely.

已翻译

赞

5 Fabric and Textile

Fabric and textile are soft and flexible materials that can be used to create prototypes of products that involve clothing, accessories, or upholstery. They can be sewn, knitted, crocheted, or glued, and they can be used to create prototypes that require a high level of comfort, fit, and style. Fabric and textile are ideal for prototyping products that need to adapt to the human body, such as garments, bags, or cushions. They can also be used to create prototypes that need to provide insulation, protection, or decoration, such as blankets, curtains, or rugs. However, they are not very durable or stable, and they may not be suitable for prototyping products that need to perform a specific function or have a complex structure.

添加您的观点

Thiago de Souza Pinto

Designer Industrial | Desenvolvimento de Produtos | Manufatura Aditiva
举报内容
Assim como a madeira, acredito que o uso desse material está mais ligado ao que será produzido, se você esta fazendo um design de uma bolsa, acaba sendo inevitável o uso de algum tecido para criar uma replica volumétrica, podendo até usar tecidos de baixo custo como feltros ou TNT (tecido n?o tecido/nonwoven).

已翻译

赞

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

添加您的观点

Samanta Vargas de la Llata
举报内容
Be patient. The process of prototyping is reiterative and repetitive. You’ll, maybe, need to use several materials to solve each problem that appears. Maybe you’ll also need to assemble and disassemble the same model tons of times, just to validate one detail. Take it easy, but assertively.

已翻译

赞
Ekaterina F.

Product designer / artist.
举报内容
Let's not forget about plasticine or clay either. They are great for initial shape searching and can be reused. When sculpting with the hands we also "upload" this form to our brain (feels like it :)) And so we sense the form better.

已翻译

赞

Industrial Design

+ 关注

给文章评分

我们借助人工智能创建了此文章。您认为这篇文章怎么样？

很棒不太好

举报此文章

查看全部

You need to create a lightweight model for your project. What are the best prototyping materials to use?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Cardboard and Paper

2 Foam and Styrofoam

3 Wood and Plywood

4 Plastic and Acrylic

5 Fabric and Textile

6 Here’s what else to consider

Industrial Design

给文章评分

感谢您的反馈

更多Industrial Design相关文章

更多相关阅读内容

You need to create a lightweight model for your project. What are the best prototyping materials to use?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Cardboard and Paper

2 Foam and Styrofoam

3 Wood and Plywood

4 Plastic and Acrylic

5 Fabric and Textile

6 Here’s what else to consider

Industrial Design

给文章评分

感谢您的反馈

查看其他技能