The automotive manufacturing industry highly relies on urethane casting prototyping for the verification of complex interior parts, functional components and aerodynamic parts. For example, during the Model Y research and development stage, Tesla utilized this technology to produce over 200 different versions of the ventilation deflhood prototype (using high-temperature resistant resin with a hardness of 75 Shore D) within 45 days, and the surface roughness Ra value was as low as 0.8μm. The dimensional accuracy is strictly controlled within the tolerance range of ±0.2mm (conforming to the ISO 2768-m standard), the assist wind resistance coefficient is reduced to 0.23Cd, and the mechanical property deviation of the final mass-produced component from the prototype is less than 5%. Industry statistics show that about 70% of mainstream automakers adopt this method to verify plastic components, reducing the average R&D cost per vehicle by 300,000 US dollars.
The medical equipment industry is a heavy user of polyurethane injection molding prototypes, especially in the development of human-machine interaction interfaces, implantable device simulation parts, and diagnostic equipment shells. When Medtronic developed the new insulin pump, it used biocompatible resins (such as the MED® series) and made 25 sets of operation panel prototypes in an ISO 13485-certified environment. The key travel tolerance was controlled within ±0.05mm, and the impact strength reached 85 kJ/m². And it passed the 50,000-press life test (with a failure rate of less than 0.1%). Regulatory data shows that 94% of medical device enterprises that have passed FDA 510(k) applications have adopted this technology, accelerating the product launch cycle by 45% and reducing the design change rate during the clinical testing stage by 37%.
The consumer electronics industry leverages this technology to meet the demands of high iteration. Each year, global mobile phone manufacturers produce approximately 1.5 million polyurethane prototype housings (accounting for 65% of the total industry prototypes). For instance, during the development of SONY’s Xperia series, the prototype verification of five generations of shells was completed within 21 days through transparent resin (with a light transmittance of 93%) and a metallic texture imitation solution. The surface treatment achieved a 16K mirror effect (gloss GU≥95), and the error between the drop test data and the mass-produced parts was kept within 8%. Market analysis shows that on average, each flagship mobile phone consumes 15 sets of prototype shells (with a unit price 75% lower than that of CNC processing), helping enterprises shorten the new product launch cycle to 35 days.
This technology is used in the aerospace field to manufacture non-load-bearing components, cockpit control levers and custom tooling fixtures. In the research and development of 787 cabin components, Boeing used flame-retardant resin (UL94 V-0 grade) to make a prototype of the vent grille. Its dimensional stability (deformation rate ≤0.3% at a heat deflection temperature of 160°C) and weight reduction effect (45% lighter than metal parts) helped save over 250,000 US dollars in wind tunnel testing costs. Industry reports indicate that 40% of the prototype budget of aerospace enterprises is allocated to polyurethane injection molding, whose material elastic modulus (adjustable within the range of 1.5-3.5 GPa) can precisely simulate the behavior of carbon fiber composites.
Industrial equipment manufacturers rely on this technology to verify the operation panels, seals and mechanical components of heavy equipment. When the ABB Robotics division was developing the IRB 6700 grasping module, 120 sets of joint protection sleeve prototypes were made with wear-resistant resin (wear rate <40mm³). After undergoing 1 million dynamic load tests (load 500N), the thickness was reduced by only 0.2mm, significantly shortening the equipment research and development cycle by 20 weeks. Engineering data shows that polyurethane injection molding can deliver a functional prototype with an impact strength of up to 17MPa within 15 days (at a cost of only 12% of metal molding). Currently, 85% of the new product verification processes in the global mechanical engineering industry incorporate this technical service.