3D printing is a process in which material is joined or solidified under computer control to create a three-dimensional object, with material (such as liquid molecules or powder grains) typically being added layer by layer. Today, the precision, repeatability and material range have increased to the point that 3D printing is considered an industrial production technology, with the name of additive manufacturing. 3D printed objects can have a very complex shape and are always produced from a digital 3D model or a CAD file. If your mechanical design is very complicated, we will certainly advise you to use 3D printing technology, which can be more cost-effective and time-saving.

CNC Machining is a process used in the manufacturing sector that involves the use of computers to control machine tools. Tools that can be controlled in this manner include lathes, mills, routers and grinders. The CNC in CNC Machining stands for Computer Numerical Control. Metal materials as well as some hard plastic materials could be processed by CNC machining to a certain structure. The precision of CNC machining is very high so it is usually utilized for precision tools or objects that require high precision.

Rapid molding is another way of prototyping. Somtimes, the material for prototyping is too soft and flexible. It is impossible to use either 3D printing or CNC machining. In such occasions, you might take consideration of rapid molding. Here rapid molding refers to fabricate a model by using rapid molds. There are various types of rapid molds, such as silicone rubber mold,vacuum casting mold,wax injection mold,plaster mold, aluminum alloy mold and so on. Compared with conventional molds, the advantages of rapid molds are low cost and fast production while the disadvantage is the poor life time of the molds.