This document provides an introduction to rapid prototyping, including its definition, need, categories of manufacturing processes, steps involved, benefits, limitations, and applications. Rapid prototyping is defined as the layer-by-layer creation of 3D physical models directly from 3D CAD files. It allows for testing of physical designs, trying alternative designs, and saving time over relying on a single design. The main categories of manufacturing processes are subtractive, additive, and formative. The basic steps in rapid prototyping are 3D CAD modeling, preprocessing like STL file generation and slicing, part building layer-by-layer, and postprocessing like cleaning. Benefits include the ability to produce complex shapes with reduced time,