The prototyping phase is unarguably the most important stage of product development. During this stage, you create prototypes of your product, tweaking and refining its design until you obtain the most efficient version. Traditionally, product prototypes were made using physical materials. However, with the rapid advancement of technology over the years, many engineers have turned to virtual prototyping.
Virtual prototyping provides amazing simulations of product manufacturers using computer-based software. Alterations of the simulation is easier with virtual prototyping and this improves efficiency. However, is virtual prototyping better than physical prototyping? In this article, we’ll answer this question by highlighting the pros and cons of virtual prototyping.
Advantages of Virtual Prototyping
Virtual prototyping is the top choice for many engineers, as it has numerous advantages. Meanwhile, click here for some benefits of virtual prototyping you should know:
Saves Time
Creating traditional product prototypes is a time-consuming activity. This process repeatedly reiterates the original design until the best version is obtained, which takes a lot of time. Another reason virtual prototyping appears ideal is because it streamline all the process. Hence, you’ll be able to reduce the total production time significantly.
Budget-Friendly
Optimizing your product’s design is the aim of the prototyping phase of production. One of the process of manufacturing that takes a lot of time is optimizing product design. A virtual prototype, however, doesn’t consume materials. All you have to do is use computer-based software to create a virtual replica of your product. Thus, you can alter your product’s design without using actual materials.
Better Products
Besides making production faster and cheaper, virtual prototyping greatly improves the overall quality of the product. As these tools enable virtual testing, engineers can perform detailed tests without worrying about the influence of external factors.
Disadvantages of Virtual Prototyping
Virtual prototyping greatly improves the product development process. However, are there any potential downsides to using these tools?
Complex Interface
One major disadvantage of virtual prototyping tools is that they usually have complex interfaces. Interestingly, the virtual prototyping allows manufacturers to produce 3D models of their products. They use highly advanced technology to simulate the behavior of these products in the real world. However, their interfaces are usually very complex due to how precisely these tools simulate products. You may have difficulty using this tool to create a product prototype.
High Initial Cost
Virtual prototyping tools greatly reduce the overall cost of production by allowing engineers to refine their products virtually. However, they usually have high initial costs. Besides that, some virtual prototyping tools can’t be purchased permanently—they only allow monthly and yearly subscriptions. Furthermore, these tools may have maintenance and upgrade fees.
Conclusion
Many engineers prefer virtual prototyping tools over physical prototyping tools, which speed up production and make it cheaper. No doubt, virtual prototyping is not perfect because it has some downsides. Fortunately, by considering the benefits and downsides highlighted above, you can determine what type of prototyping you prefer. One of companies that offers apt knowledge about virtual prototyping is eclat-digital.com. Visit their site now.
