Rapid Prototyping - Filter Development
Rapid prototyping is vital to the successful creation and implementation of critical air filters. Through this process, APC can lab test a custom filter design quickly before committing to mass production.
Our design team begins the HEPA filter rapid prototyping process by developing an exact design based upon your specifications. Once the design is complete, we create CAD drawings of the filter in SolidWorks. CAD files are then programmed into a 3D printer, which produces the body or frame for the prototype filter.
The rapid prototyping process offers your company numerous advantages. It is a fast and economical way to create production-quality parts before investing in molds, machinery, or complex production processes for mass production. We can create a single or small number of custom air filter prototypes for testing and equipment and/or appliance performance evaluation.
As a manufacturer of equipment and/or appliances, you can test the prototype filter in real-world situations, at various temperature levels, with different airborne contaminants and other relevant conditions.
APC’s goal is to ensure your custom HEPA filter meets all necessary specifications and meets or exceeds your performance requirements before mass production.
Rapid Prototyping with APC Filtration
APC employs rapid prototyping in many of its custom air filter projects. This service is an essential component in our efforts to design, and manufacture and test air filters for every OEM of industrial, commercial and domestic equipment and/or appliances. A well-made prototype can be the difference between success and failure in a product launch.
We understand the vital importance of ensuring a custom HEPA filter meets your company’s exact specifications. This is something we pride ourselves upon achieving.
Before creating a prototype, we employ 3D fluid dynamic simulations in our filter design and filter housing process. This helps us understand how airflow and particle capture will interact with the filter before we develop your prototype filter.
Prototype filters are manufactured with precision and speed. APC has created prototype filters for client testing within 7 days. This fast turnaround helps our clients expedite equipment/appliance compliance testing, and allows us to provide faster production timelines.
As part of the prototyping process, we also test filters in our state-of-the-art filter testing lab. APC’s testing facility can analyze air permeability, filter efficiency, pressure drop, filter integrity, leak detection, along with a host of other testing services.
APC has built prototype air filters for biopharm, pharmaceutical, medical, transit, and off-road vehicle HVAC systems. Our combination of on-site filter manufacturing and laboratory filter testing provides our clients with a fast and effective product development timeline.
Client Case Study: Prototyping for the Transit Industry
A manufacturer of Tier 1 batteries contacted APC to design high-performance air intake and exhaust filters for a roof-top mounted battery pack for Hybrid transit buses. The manufacturer had specific environmental conditions the filter must perform in addition to meeting pressure drop, level of filtration and filter life expectations. They also needed prototype filters in two weeks!
APC received a retainer from the prospective client to cover R&D and filter testing costs – with remaining funds put towards eventual filter production. APC’s engineering team had two prototypes ready for client testing within seven days.
Three months later after initial client testing and feedback, our engineering team fine-tuned the filters and created a third filter for further testing. APC produced 20 prototype filters to be tested in a fleet of buses in New York City, Arizona, and California with different altitudes, road elevations, air temperatures, pollution levels, etc… Over the course of six months, our client was able to see how they held up in real-world situations across a diverse range of climates and environmental conditions.
The Right Filter for your Company’s Needs
APC is dedicated to creating custom air filters that meet exceptional quality standards that our global OEM clients have come to expect. Our filter design, engineering, manufacturing, testing and prototyping capabilities have served our clients well, providing 98% client retention over the last 34 years.
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