A Passion Project: Why We Love Working with Local Businesses and Oregon State Students

In October, we published a case study detailing a project we assisted and sponsored for an Oregon State University senior’s project. He came to us for design and manufacturing guidance for a fuel tank for OSU’s student SAE, Global Formula Racing team. The team takes two formula racing cars to international competitions. The fuel tank we helped him build traveled to Austria, Germany and Michigan.

Last month, we featured a case study working with a Hillsboro business to produce parts that can help restore treasured heirlooms. With TREKKER Design & Manufacturing, the NW Rapid team manufactured magazines for firearms that are no longer available.

Both local projects allowed us to communicate freely with the client. This close relationship allowed us to collaborate on design and manufacturing specifics. Moreover, we were inspired by each client’s passion.

There are enough “3D Printing Fails” lists floating around on the internet to demonstrate that technically 3D printing is something you can do at home. But this is manufacturing, not printing out paper Blazers tickets. The amateur approach is fine when you’re goofing off but it’s not what you want for a professional product or in the manufacturing industry. These projects, and all of the projects we work on with our clients, reveal the amount of care that needs to go into each and every detail.

For both projects, we needed to revisit the original design CAD files. Our engineers worked with the client to optimize the design for a better print. For a functional product, like a working magazine and operational fuel tank, it is imperative that every aspect of the design is printed perfectly. The precise nature of the end result requires a professional engineer behind the wheel.

At the end of the day, the best products are created when there is a collaboration between our team and the clients. When the client cares enough about their part or prototype to reach out to professionals, instead of trying the DIY approach, we feel their passion and love working with them to create that perfect product. If you’re ready to get started on your next manufacturing project, give NW Rapid a call for a consultation.