Use of Prototype Tooling for Low-volume Production Programs
Traditional long-life production tooling is expensive – often hundreds of thousands of dollars plus the design costs. For mass-produced parts and components, that does not create much of a problem, as the price can be amortized over tens or hundreds of thousands of parts. However, for a customer with low-volume (hundreds or thousands of parts) production needs, the per-part cost for tooling and manufacturing services increases dramatically. Tooling suppliers that cater to large production runs may thus prevent creative designs from becoming a reality for the small manufacturer. Prototype Tooling to the Rescue Whether parts are needed for internal operations, subassemblies, or items that are new to consumers, there are many instances where large volume production runs are not practical and production tooling is cost-prohibitive. This is something common not only for new entrepreneurs but also for boat builders, the medical industry, and even automakers. For instance, to validate a speci