Rapid Prototyping Experts Must Be Comprehensive Talents
Did you hear about "rapid prototype"? I believe most people do not understand! Prior to contact (Kangding Metal) Zhou Heng, I also knew nothing about rapid prototyping. In fact, rapid prototyping is closely related to our lives, especially the many industrial products we use, such as mobile phones, automobiles, home electronics, medical cosmetic equipment, toys and even military precision instruments. Before mass production, post-industrial designer in the design work is completed, the turn of rapid prototyping experts debut.
(Kangding Metal) Zhou Heng is a senior rapid prototyping expert. When talking about how "rapid prototype" is defined, it states: "Commonly speaking, rapid prototyping is referred to as the hand board. It is a function prototype that is used to check the appearance or structural rationality of one or several samples that are first made based on product appearance drawings or structural drawings without opening a mold. Products that have just been designed and completed are generally not perfect or even useable. If direct mass production occurs, if there are defects, all of them will be scrapped, which will greatly waste human and material resources and time; The prototype is generally a few samples, short production cycle, less loss of manpower and resources, Quickly find out the insufficiency of product design and improve it, and provide sufficient basis for the product's setting and mass production.
A concept (Kang Ding metal) Zhou Heng on the use of sophisticated him plainly logical thinking and accumulated nearly 20 years of industry expressed, This also allows the author to understand the "prototyping" industry. Kevin will start a one-on-one dialogue with (Changding Metal) Zhou Heng and gradually unveil details of the “rapid prototyping” industry, and how (Changding Metal) Zhou Heng has gradually become the secret of a well-known rapid prototyping expert in China.
Kevin: We haven't heard of the rapid prototyping industry. How did you enter this industry?
Zhou Heng: The earliest Chinese rapid prototyping industry originated from Guangdong. When I first studied at school, I was a professional in moulds. In 2001, I was alone in Shenzhen. Because it is to learn mold professional, of course, to find the direction of the mold model, inadvertently entered a Shouban production center, and there is a teacher to teach. The initial rapid prototyping process was mainly an abs prototype and a fatlute prototype, and later it gradually developed into a CNC prototype.
Kevin: Everyone says that it's very difficult to start a technology venture. How did you step onto the entrepreneurial road step by step?
Zhou Heng: After intensively studying my skills for 4 years, I was very famous in the industry because of my master's guidance and my own efforts. In 2004, the market was pushing the prototype industry forward. Especially in the northern market with Beijing as the center, high-end manufacturing has gradually emerged. The demand for prototype production is very large. At that time, many prototype productions in the north still needed processing in Guangdong. It was inconvenient!
Later, more mature prototyping talents in Guangdong advanced northwards and eastwards. Prototype production centers have been set up in Beijing and Shanghai, and have gradually developed into large-scale prototype factories. In 2004, a prototype factory in Beijing was really a lack of high-tech talent. After finding me through the master, he would pay me 5 times the salary to hire me as the factory's production manager. This industry must provide customer satisfaction solutions, and customers are word of mouth to find suppliers. The factory owner asked me to take charge of the entire market and technology. I worked in this prototype factory and did the entire market and technical director for nearly four years.
This four-year period is the golden period for the development of prototypes in Beijing. It is also very easy to make money, and there are many customers. Later, the competition became more and more fierce, and it was increasingly difficult for the boss to see the prototype business. The boss has accumulated considerable wealth over the past few years and is catching up with soaring house prices. He went to the real estate speculation, the factory did not care, the new equipment did not invest in it, and finally simply shut down the factory.
I have been working on prototypes and researching prototypes since my employment. I don't understand other technologies except prototype technology! After the factory was closed, I didn't think I had any rest for so many years. I also wanted to take the opportunity to rest for a few months and find another job. During the rest period, there were always customers looking for me to make products. Several trusted my clients to encourage me to start my own business. They could also provide financial support and help me to contact the equipment rental. After thinking about it for a long time, I discussed with my partner and determined to continue adhering to the previous spirit of service and innovative ideas, and thus embarked on the entrepreneurial road in 2008.
Kevin: After starting a business, have you encountered anything that you find particularly difficult? How do you overcome difficulties?
Zhou Heng: The first two or three years of starting a business are certainly the hardest! The capital turnover is inconvenient because the factory environment is poor and it is difficult to recruit workers. Fortunately, our industry business is not bad, we can always receive orders, plus customers and contacts accumulated in the prototype industry. We are adhering to the service philosophy of “every rapid prototyping of machining is a craftwork, the prototype is exactly the same as the finalized drawings, and is delivered on time and in accordance with the quantity”. As long as the promised delivery date is guaranteed, we must do it!
I remember that when I first started my business, I could say that I worked day and night. And I Always insist on two days and two nights without leaving the post, When you are sleepy, you rest for an hour or two and then work. This kind of work is a common thing. Our hard-working and professional customers are in the eyes, and customers increasingly recognize my service spirit. Through considerable accumulation of time, the factory environment was gradually improved, and some skilled workers were trained to slowly liberate themselves.
Even now, the opening of the factory has been going on for more than a decade. As long as the orders are rushed, the spirit of my personal production work for two days and two nights is still there! Heaven gentleman to self-improvement, we are relying on an spirit like this, what difficulties can not overcome it?
Kevin: In the process of starting a business, there must be something that will impress you even proudly. Can you speak a few words?
Zhou Heng: In the graduation season of each year, graduates of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, the Qinghua University, and other colleges and universities design. For example, graduates of "Auto Design" not only need to put their own design ideas on the drawings, but also need to present the final model. Usually at this time I am always the busiest time. Because the graduation design of students is a big issue and it is related to the future, many of the students’ avant-garde designs lack practical experience. Some design drawings must be properly revised when prototypes are to be presented.
I started rapid prototyping in 2001, and my practical experience has been accumulated for 20 years. The solutions proposed to these graduate students and doctoral students of the Academy of Fine Arts are often overwhelming! When I heard that these top students in China’s highest aesthetics school called me “teachers,” I really felt a sense of accomplishment. I am proud that my prototype production experience can help these graduates get their graduation designs.
Kevin: You are now the top expert in domestic rapid prototyping. Can you predict the development trend of the rapid prototyping industry? What advice do you have for young people who want to achieve certain professional achievements in the "rapid prototyping" industry?
Zhou Heng: Top experts are really afraid! I only made some achievements in the accumulation of experience in the rapid prototyping industry. From now on, CNC prototypes are becoming more and more mainstream. If they can be replaced with automated machinery, they will never be made by hand. There are fewer young people with experience. The rapid prototyping of 3D printing has also emerged in a sudden and dynamism, and the rapid prototyping will eventually become more and more intelligent, more and more efficient, and more and more automated. This must be a trend.
When it comes to becoming a "rapid prototype" expert, it's too hard! I think the first thing is "to persist." The prototype industry is not only hard, but the main thing is that a good rapid prototyping practitioner needs to know too much! First of all, we must understand the design of 3D drawings, we will draw a plan, understand the design, and then we must understand the structure, to understand materials, all surface treatment process must understand! “ Rapid Prototyping is a typical multi-disciplinary industry.
In any case, we use "rapid prototype" to produce materials that we use every day, including "metals, plastics, acrylics, etc." The surface treatment process involves "electroplating, screen printing," etc. There are many drawing software waiting for you to learn. It can be said that "rapid prototype" production experts must be an interdisciplinary and comprehensive talent and expertise. To achieve remarkable achievements in the prototype industry, in addition to their own learning ability, the most needed is the accumulation of time!
Let's take a look at some of the industry spans covered by some "rapid prototype" productions and we know that "rapid prototyping" is not easy. The rapid prototype now basically covers “electronic home appliances, toy animation, medical beauty equipment, model aircraft military, UnionPay security, automobile transportation, architectural display, and craft jewelry”.
With the advent of the artificial intelligence era, the prototype industry will face new challenges. We can't predict what the customer will be going to tomorrow. Maybe we haven't encountered it before, but it's very interesting. It's fun when you use your expertise and knowledge to store one-on-one solutions to unknown customer problems. I deeply love the prototype industry!
(Kangding Metal) Zhou Heng is a senior rapid prototyping expert. When talking about how "rapid prototype" is defined, it states: "Commonly speaking, rapid prototyping is referred to as the hand board. It is a function prototype that is used to check the appearance or structural rationality of one or several samples that are first made based on product appearance drawings or structural drawings without opening a mold. Products that have just been designed and completed are generally not perfect or even useable. If direct mass production occurs, if there are defects, all of them will be scrapped, which will greatly waste human and material resources and time; The prototype is generally a few samples, short production cycle, less loss of manpower and resources, Quickly find out the insufficiency of product design and improve it, and provide sufficient basis for the product's setting and mass production.
A concept (Kang Ding metal) Zhou Heng on the use of sophisticated him plainly logical thinking and accumulated nearly 20 years of industry expressed, This also allows the author to understand the "prototyping" industry. Kevin will start a one-on-one dialogue with (Changding Metal) Zhou Heng and gradually unveil details of the “rapid prototyping” industry, and how (Changding Metal) Zhou Heng has gradually become the secret of a well-known rapid prototyping expert in China.
Kevin: We haven't heard of the rapid prototyping industry. How did you enter this industry?
Zhou Heng: The earliest Chinese rapid prototyping industry originated from Guangdong. When I first studied at school, I was a professional in moulds. In 2001, I was alone in Shenzhen. Because it is to learn mold professional, of course, to find the direction of the mold model, inadvertently entered a Shouban production center, and there is a teacher to teach. The initial rapid prototyping process was mainly an abs prototype and a fatlute prototype, and later it gradually developed into a CNC prototype.
Zhou Heng: After intensively studying my skills for 4 years, I was very famous in the industry because of my master's guidance and my own efforts. In 2004, the market was pushing the prototype industry forward. Especially in the northern market with Beijing as the center, high-end manufacturing has gradually emerged. The demand for prototype production is very large. At that time, many prototype productions in the north still needed processing in Guangdong. It was inconvenient!
Later, more mature prototyping talents in Guangdong advanced northwards and eastwards. Prototype production centers have been set up in Beijing and Shanghai, and have gradually developed into large-scale prototype factories. In 2004, a prototype factory in Beijing was really a lack of high-tech talent. After finding me through the master, he would pay me 5 times the salary to hire me as the factory's production manager. This industry must provide customer satisfaction solutions, and customers are word of mouth to find suppliers. The factory owner asked me to take charge of the entire market and technology. I worked in this prototype factory and did the entire market and technical director for nearly four years.
This four-year period is the golden period for the development of prototypes in Beijing. It is also very easy to make money, and there are many customers. Later, the competition became more and more fierce, and it was increasingly difficult for the boss to see the prototype business. The boss has accumulated considerable wealth over the past few years and is catching up with soaring house prices. He went to the real estate speculation, the factory did not care, the new equipment did not invest in it, and finally simply shut down the factory.
I have been working on prototypes and researching prototypes since my employment. I don't understand other technologies except prototype technology! After the factory was closed, I didn't think I had any rest for so many years. I also wanted to take the opportunity to rest for a few months and find another job. During the rest period, there were always customers looking for me to make products. Several trusted my clients to encourage me to start my own business. They could also provide financial support and help me to contact the equipment rental. After thinking about it for a long time, I discussed with my partner and determined to continue adhering to the previous spirit of service and innovative ideas, and thus embarked on the entrepreneurial road in 2008.
Kevin: After starting a business, have you encountered anything that you find particularly difficult? How do you overcome difficulties?
Zhou Heng: The first two or three years of starting a business are certainly the hardest! The capital turnover is inconvenient because the factory environment is poor and it is difficult to recruit workers. Fortunately, our industry business is not bad, we can always receive orders, plus customers and contacts accumulated in the prototype industry. We are adhering to the service philosophy of “every rapid prototyping of machining is a craftwork, the prototype is exactly the same as the finalized drawings, and is delivered on time and in accordance with the quantity”. As long as the promised delivery date is guaranteed, we must do it!
I remember that when I first started my business, I could say that I worked day and night. And I Always insist on two days and two nights without leaving the post, When you are sleepy, you rest for an hour or two and then work. This kind of work is a common thing. Our hard-working and professional customers are in the eyes, and customers increasingly recognize my service spirit. Through considerable accumulation of time, the factory environment was gradually improved, and some skilled workers were trained to slowly liberate themselves.
Even now, the opening of the factory has been going on for more than a decade. As long as the orders are rushed, the spirit of my personal production work for two days and two nights is still there! Heaven gentleman to self-improvement, we are relying on an spirit like this, what difficulties can not overcome it?
Kevin: In the process of starting a business, there must be something that will impress you even proudly. Can you speak a few words?
Zhou Heng: In the graduation season of each year, graduates of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, the Qinghua University, and other colleges and universities design. For example, graduates of "Auto Design" not only need to put their own design ideas on the drawings, but also need to present the final model. Usually at this time I am always the busiest time. Because the graduation design of students is a big issue and it is related to the future, many of the students’ avant-garde designs lack practical experience. Some design drawings must be properly revised when prototypes are to be presented.
I started rapid prototyping in 2001, and my practical experience has been accumulated for 20 years. The solutions proposed to these graduate students and doctoral students of the Academy of Fine Arts are often overwhelming! When I heard that these top students in China’s highest aesthetics school called me “teachers,” I really felt a sense of accomplishment. I am proud that my prototype production experience can help these graduates get their graduation designs.
Zhou Heng: Top experts are really afraid! I only made some achievements in the accumulation of experience in the rapid prototyping industry. From now on, CNC prototypes are becoming more and more mainstream. If they can be replaced with automated machinery, they will never be made by hand. There are fewer young people with experience. The rapid prototyping of 3D printing has also emerged in a sudden and dynamism, and the rapid prototyping will eventually become more and more intelligent, more and more efficient, and more and more automated. This must be a trend.
When it comes to becoming a "rapid prototype" expert, it's too hard! I think the first thing is "to persist." The prototype industry is not only hard, but the main thing is that a good rapid prototyping practitioner needs to know too much! First of all, we must understand the design of 3D drawings, we will draw a plan, understand the design, and then we must understand the structure, to understand materials, all surface treatment process must understand! “ Rapid Prototyping is a typical multi-disciplinary industry.
In any case, we use "rapid prototype" to produce materials that we use every day, including "metals, plastics, acrylics, etc." The surface treatment process involves "electroplating, screen printing," etc. There are many drawing software waiting for you to learn. It can be said that "rapid prototype" production experts must be an interdisciplinary and comprehensive talent and expertise. To achieve remarkable achievements in the prototype industry, in addition to their own learning ability, the most needed is the accumulation of time!
Let's take a look at some of the industry spans covered by some "rapid prototype" productions and we know that "rapid prototyping" is not easy. The rapid prototype now basically covers “electronic home appliances, toy animation, medical beauty equipment, model aircraft military, UnionPay security, automobile transportation, architectural display, and craft jewelry”.
With the advent of the artificial intelligence era, the prototype industry will face new challenges. We can't predict what the customer will be going to tomorrow. Maybe we haven't encountered it before, but it's very interesting. It's fun when you use your expertise and knowledge to store one-on-one solutions to unknown customer problems. I deeply love the prototype industry!
