Rapid prototyping is the process of quickly creating physical examples from designs and computer images. These prototypes can be scale models for industrial designs or for artistic works, but they differ from industrial prototypes in the speed at which they are produced. Rapid prototyping involves a number of techniques which are employed to get high-quality models at speed.

One of the first methods used in rapid prototyping was stereo lithography, which uses prints small amounts of liquid polymer from a 3D design, which are then stacked together to produce the final image.

Unlike more modern types of rapid prototyping, this form requires extensive finishing, known as post-curing, and can also mean that parts are quite brittle. However, it can be a good prototyping method for designs which are not yet completed, to give the designer an idea of the final product.

Solid Ground Curing, sometimes called the Solider Process, is used for larger parts which are often being replicated several times. This method uses production similar to laser printing to assemble the product, with all of the layers fused together at the same time. This means that there is no post-curing process, and there is also a milling step which ensures that parts are smooth and flat.

Fused Deposition Modelling uses polymers squeezed through machines to produce layers of material which are then cooled rapidly to produce the finished prototype. There is no final milling step, and layers may occasionally be non-uniform, but this is a fast and effective way of creating small and medium prototypes.

Laminated Object Manufacturing involves layers of laminated paper being stuck together to form the final prototype. This method is preferred by companies hoping to keep production costs down, and by firms developing larger prototypes where polymers might not be stable. Accuracy is less than for other types of prototyping, but the finished product is easily made and can be finished by hand if needed.