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Medium Complexity Parts
Simple Complexity Parts

Let them see and feel what your thinking!  Nothing communicates design ideas faster than a three-dimensional part or model.

Remember the old adage that a picture is worth a 1000 words.  A working model or a part that you can hold in you hand can prove priceless.

Did you know that the first 10% of the product development process can affect about 80% of the product’s total cost?  Functional 3D models and parts, enable you and your design team to make smarter design decisions. The result: Fewer design changes, better product designs, lower production costs and a shorter time to get your product to market.

KTM Solutions will produce durable, working models in ABS (acrylnitrile butadene styrene) plastic using Stratasys Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology.  Dimensionally accurate ABS models allow you to test for form, fit and function before investing in tooling and other production costs.  Our prototypes can withstand rigorous functional testing. ABS is the material of choice by leading manufacturers.

Our prototype machine uses an imported STL file.  Stratasys proprietary software orients the part, slices the file, generates support structures (if necessary) and creates a precise deposition path to build your ABS model. Multiple models can be packed within the build envelope to maximize efficiency.

Some Common ABS uses

Create new multi part assemblies - Since ABS plastic has superior mechanical properties and dimensional accuracy, test the fit and look of multi part systems before you invest in manufacturing set ups.  ABS plastic parts snap together.  With dimensional tolerances at .013 inches, you can prototype all individual pieces and "snap fit" your design.  Toys are only the beginning of the parts and assemblies you can test through prototype design.

For more information ... contact KTM Solutions!

Vacuum formed parts - before investing in expensive form blocks, build a prototype of of the part ... or ... if you have the vacuum capabilities, let us build a prototype form block.  ABS plastic will stand up to temperatures below 400° F.  ABS models are porous.  Once the 3D electronic model has been created, small changes to your form block are easy.  New form blocks are inexpensive versus machined metal blocks.

For more information ... contact KTM Solutions!

Marketing trials - When testing a new product market, particularly a product that will sell based on appearance more than functionality, only a prototype will let you know if your product meets the mark.  Producing an actual part, particularly a molded is expensive (tooling costs).  ABS Plastic prototypes are your answer.  You can produce multiple variants of your product for a fraction of the cost of one production part.

For more information ... contact KTM Solutions!

Key Benefits

• Proof of Concepts - Quickly receive inexpensive ABS models so you can design and test multiple concepts.  That allows everyone on the design team to review the concepts for real time collaboration on a global scale.
• Product Mockups - Create mockups of your product within hours. It’s an efficient, cost-effective way to catch design flaws and make the appropriate adjustments early and often throughout the design process.
• Product Cost Reduction - Reduce or avoid costs. A modest engineering change costing $100 in the Proof of Concept phase could escalate to a staggering $1,000,000 when the product is in the field.
• Snap Fit Functional Testing - Our prototypes allow you to accurately test form, fit and function. Models created using FDM technology have been used in wind tunnel testing to camera mounts on an M1A Bradley tank and a spray gun running at 60 psi.
• Vacuum Forming - ABS models are excellent masters for the vacuum forming process for applications in the automotive, consumer products/blister packs, aerospace and medical industries.  ABS models are porous.
• Marketing Tools - Imagine showing a functional model to a new prospect. You’re able to place a real-life product into someone’s hands in a day. Now that’s impressive!

Typical Applications

• Inventions Proof of Design  
• Marketing Visual Aides
• Manufacturing Training Aides
• First Article Demonstrations
• Design Reviews
• Market Testing

Typical Pricing

Each prototype job is unique.  The cost to develop your prototype part is dependent on manufacturing time and material required.  If you provide the STL file, you can save on prototype costs.  However, for slightly more, we will electronically model your design and create an STL and STP/IGES file for you.  STP and IGES files can be used by manufacturers to produce your production parts.

Click on the parts below to see an example simple, medium, and complex parts.

Send mail to solutions@ktmsolutions.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2009 KTM SOLUTIONS, INC.
Last modified: 08/07/09