prototyping |rapid prototyping

Rapid Prototyping sometimes referred to as solid free-form manufacturing, computer automated manufacturing, and layered manufacturing. RP has obvious use as a vehicle for visualization. In addition, RP models can be used for testing, such as when an airfoil shape is put into a wind tunnel. RP models can be used to create male models for tooling, such as silicone rubber molds and investment casts. In the case of Model Making RP part can be the final part, When the RP material is suitable, highly convoluted shapes can be produced because of the very nature of RP. Other Systems include Stereolithography (SLA), Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM), Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), Solid Ground Curing (SGC), and Ink Jet printing techniques
The reasons of Rapid Prototyping are

To increase effective communication.
To decrease development time.
To decrease costly mistakes.
To minimize sustaining engineering changes.
To extend product lifetime by adding necessary features and eliminating redundant features early in the design.

Rapid Prototyping decreases development time by allowing corrections to a product to be made early in the process. By giving engineering, manufacturing, marketing, and purchasing a look at the product early in the design process, mistakes can be corrected and changes can be made while they are still inexpensive. The trends in manufacturing industries continue to emphasize the following:

Increasing number of variants of products.
Increasing product complexity.
Decreasing product lifetime before obsolescence.
Decreasing delivery time.

Rapid Prototyping improves product development by enabling better communication in a concurrent engineering environment.