Using different vendors for prototyping and production can result in a range of problems as you work to scale your part. From discrepancies in quality to mismatched equipment, a lack of continuity when transitioning between these manufacturing phases can spell disaster for your project.
Fortunately, at Ricaurte Precision, we have the in-house expertise and machine capabilities to seamlessly take your parts from prototype to production under one roof.
In-House Prototyping Expertise
Our team has extensive prototyping experience that sets us apart from other precision machine shops. For many years, our skilled programmers have advised customers on optimizing their part designs for CNC machining services.
We base our guidance on the machines we have in our shop, a practice that allows us to review, design, and machine prototypes with excellent results. We often create prototypes on the same high-end machines we use for production, ensuring efficiency and consistency from one phase to the next.
Planning for success
When a customer hires us to create a prototype, we first schedule a meeting to discuss their manufacturing objectives and ensure that we fully understand the part’s application.
We conduct these meetings with full transparency, sharing information on the costs of tooling and machining processes. We may also suggest design modifications to part dimensions that are challenging to machine, such as a radius that might be difficult or impossible to cut with standard tooling.
Our end goal in the prototype stage is to inform the customer of the most efficient, quality-focused, and cost-effective way to eventually machine their part at a high volume. We aim to be as pragmatic as possible to avoid wasting customers’ valuable time and resources.
From the moment we begin a prototype discussion, we create extensive documentation on the part’s specifications, tooling, and processes using our digital MRP software. The objective is to complete much of the heavy lifting before we move into production.
Technologies for Scalability
Once a customer’s prototype has been validated, we can take it straight to production with our powerful fleet of equipment. Many of our machines have automated features that enable 24/7 lights-out manufacturing, allowing us to produce even highly complex parts in the thousands within just a few days.
Multi-axis milling machines
Our 3, 4, and 5-axis milling machines can remove material from multiple sides of a part with a single setup, creating precision CNC machined parts exponentially faster than less-advanced milling equipment.
5-axis pallet systems
Pallet systems increase our 5-axis machining capacity even further by facilitating lights-out machining. Our Matsuura MAM72- 35V 5-Axis Vertical Machining Center, for instance, can process parts on 32 pallets without any human intervention past the initial setup, producing high volumes of CNC machined parts with tolerances down to +/- 0.0002″.
Multi-axis live tooling lathes
Lathes with live tooling capabilities machine parts at exceptionally high speeds. Many of our multi-axis lathes also support lights-out machining. For instance, our twin turret live tooling lathes, equipped with 12-foot automated bar feeders, enable us to machine parts that require both milling and turning operations completely unattended.
Wire EDM
Our wire EDM machines round out our 24/7 manufacturing capabilities, completing parts and features that can’t be achieved with a mill or lathe. Many shops that provide CNC machining services don’t offer wire EDM services, so this capability is an important differentiator for Ricaurte Precision.
Choose Ricaurte Precision as Your Full-Service Precision Machine Shop
When you work with the same shop for prototyping and production, you benefit from continuity throughout the manufacturing process—from the machinists working on your parts to the equipment they use. And when that shop is Ricaurte, you can be confident that we’ll bring a disciplined approach to prototyping guaranteed to pay off when you’re ready to scale to production.
Investing heavily in the initial stages of a job enables our team to hit the ground running, creating quality parts with excellent consistency. And our lights-out machining technology ensures fast and easy scalability.
Need a full-service manufacturing partner you can trust for your CNC machined parts? Request a quote today!
