Rapid Prototyping Facilities

ARA’s Littleton office boasts 6,000 square feet of laboratory space, including a machine shop, a wide range of instrumentation and optics, and rapid prototyping capabilities, all of which can be used for electro-mechanical design, simulation, and fabrication.

At ARA, we’re focused on putting technology into the hands of our customers, turning concepts into reality through rapid development of hardware. We leverage small batch fabrication techniques which allows us to perform precise quality control early in the development process. This technique also allows us to maintain tight operational testing standards, with key stake holders, throughout the fabrication process ensuring the final product meets end user requirements.

Our rapid prototyping process allows for spiral development before moving to low-rate initial production (LRIP), accelerating innovative concepts, and saving our customers time and money.

Starting from scratch or with mature hardware, ARA can perform a trade-space analysis, replace end-of-life components, update and improve current designs to meet new size, weight, and power requirements, then fabricate and test the final refined prototype.

Previously Prototyped Systems:

  • Expendable ocean sensors
  • Wearable biosensors
  • Acoustic hailing and warning systems
  • ROV-mounted sensors
  • Passive and active eye and ear protection
  • Remote explosives mixing
  • Explosive ordnance disposal device defeat
  • Stair climbing robotic platform
  • Intrusion detection and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) systems
  • Aero-optic effects measurement
  • Disrupters for explosive ordnance disposal (EOD)

Design Through Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP)

Machine Shop:

  • Large scale Forest Scientific Industrial CNC router
  • Tormach 1100MX 3-axis CNC mill
  • Drill presses
  • Metal lathes
  • Welding equipment
  • Custom tooling and fixturing

Rapid Prototyping Capabilities:

  • FDM and resin 3D printers
  • Laser cutter
  • Vinyl cutter

Customized Circuit Board Capabilities:

  • Circuit simulation
  • Circuit schematic design
  • PCB design, fabrication, assembly, and testing
  • Bill of Materials creation

Rich Cayer  •  Email: rcayer@ara.com  •  Tel: 303-795-8106

7921 SHAFFER PARKWAY  •  LITTLETON, CO 80127