Using the correct tools and equipment for specific tasks.

Using the correct tools and equipment for specific tasks

Tooling and equipment should be selected for the material, form, required accuracy, quantity and manufacturing process. The cheapest or fastest method is not automatically the most suitable if it cannot produce the required quality safely and consistently.

Important questions include:

• What material is being processed and how does it behave?
• What shape and features must be produced?
• What level of accuracy and surface finish is required?
• Is the product a one-off, batch or mass-produced item?
• Can the equipment repeat the result consistently and safely?

A process must also suit the material. For example, thin-walled hollow polymer products may suit blow moulding, whereas rotational moulding can suit larger hollow forms. Similar-looking products may therefore require different equipment because their size, material or production quantity differs.

Prototypes used during development

A visual prototype communicates overall form, size and appearance but does not need to work.

A proof-of-concept prototype tests whether the main mechanism or technical principle works; appearance may be unimportant.

A production prototype closely represents how the manufactured product will look and function. It can be used for final testing and user trials before full production.

Choosing the right prototype avoids wasting time and material: a visual model is sufficient for judging appearance, while functional testing requires a model that reproduces the relevant working features.