Here at Bennett Engineering we provide a mechanical design engineering service where we create bespoke designs to solve your challenges; this can be anything from large scale machinery, access platforms, lifting jigs and smaller equipment. For some projects it’s important to create a prototype before going to mass production or even making 2 more machines, for example. In this blog we talk about how we approach to manufacture and assembly of prototypes here at Bennett Engineering.
The critical role of dry fitting in prototype development
Precision is non-negotiable for many of the projects that we work on; whether that’s building a complex mechanical assembly with thousands of parts or testing a new component design for an OEM. When approaching our detailed design work we will specify every single part, the tolerances, the material, and other elements that are crucial. One of the most practical and underestimated steps in developing a prototype once it has moved from design to manufacture is dry fitting. The temporary assembly of components without the use of adhesives, welding or permanent fasteners. Here at Bennett Engineering we view dry fitting not as an optional extra, but as a critical phase in the prototyping workflow.
Why dry fitting matters
Prototyping is inherently iterative. Whilst CAD modelling can provide the predictability of part behaviour and system integration, there is no substitute for hands on assembly whether it is a prototype or the actual machine. Tolerances, manufacturing variation and real-world material behaviour (it’s cold here at Bennett Engineering’s industrial unit for most of the year!) can all combine to create subtle, but important, deviations from digital models.
Dry fitting allows us to:
- Validate fit and alignment: parts that look perfect on CAD can reveal fitment issues when physically assembled. Dry fitting identifies if there are any misalignments, interference and incorrect tolerances before any irreversible steps are taken during the build phase.
- Assess assembly order and accessibility: in more complex prototypes, the sequence of assembly can have a dramatic impact on build time and maintainability. Dry fitting helps refine the assembly process itself.
- Evaluate design intent in practice: ergonomic and mechanical functions can be verified early, including how easily parts are manipulated, connected or adjusted.
- Reduce waste and rework: discovering issues before the final assembly prevents the need to scrap parts or undertake time consuming and costly rework. This is particularly important when dealing with low volume or custom-fabricated components which is a large part of the work that Bennett Engineering does.
A tool for agile engineering
Dry fitting is especially valuable in the low to mid volume production runs where feedback loops are short and agility is key. Dry fitting allows our team of engineers to make the right modifications, test our design hypotheses and integrate improvements without stalling the project. Combined with our inhouse capabilities for rapid prototyping this approach we used supports a more responsive, cost-effective engineering process.
By having dry fitting as standard practice and part of our project process whatever we are delivering, whether it’s custom assemblies, bespoke machinery, complex sub-assemblies or jogs, our engineers de-risk the build and provide clients with confidence in the physical execution of their design.
It might be considered a small step but it delivers high value both in terms of quality assurance and long term project success.
Talk to our team today to see how Bennett Engineering can bring concepts to life with precision, intelligent insight and engineering rigour.