Rapid Prototyping

Rapid prototyping R
Rapid prototyping is to computer-aided design (CAD) what the conventional

printer is to a word processor. It outputs representative physical parts
directly from CAD design files.
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BASIC FACTS in short

Producing a prototype always the ideal solution. Even This is where rapid prototyping Rapid prototyping
by traditional methods, if computer-assisted design (CAD) comes in. Thanks to its “3D printers” makes use of digital files
like sheet metal stamping, tools can deliver excellent results, it is it can ensure delivery in two to five
containing CAD virtual
metal part die-casting, or plastic important to be sure that no problem days of parts like door trims, and in
injection can take several months. is likely to arise in final assembly. two weeks of more complex pieces design data.
However, determining the tools for The only solution is therefore like dashboards, that need finishing They enable 3D real-life
manufacturing a car begins to produce a physical part from and assembly. Each part can then parts to be produced
a long way upstream from the actual digitized CAD files. Similarly, true be finally approved and the tools in just a few days, instead
production process and development judgements can be formed only from required to make them engineered. of the several weeks
lead times are growing shorter. actual parts like a dashboards or
necessary in traditional
Traditional protoyping is thus not handles in their real-life environment.
prototyping.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Digital milling and hot plastics to those of the definitive part. parts become brittle and distorted.
are still widely used for rapid It is even possible to make flexible This downside restricts the use of
prototyping. However an approach or elastic parts by adding specially stereolithograpy for components
that is developing fast is for treated powder. Radiator hoses, requiring multiple assembly and
a machine to use a laser to for example, can be fabricated in disassembly on a prototype.
fabricate a part from a digital CAD this way. The powder can contain
file, outputting the data to a 3D powdered glass to make it stiffer Fused deposition modelling
printer, which builds an actual, and more heat-resistant, which can (FDM) is the only one of these
physical part. There are three be useful for parts in the vicinity new techniques not to use laser.
different fabrication techniques: of the engine block. The only A nozzle extrudes filaments
sintering, stereolithography, drawback of sintering is the of hot, melted ABS polymers
and fused deposition modelling. roughness of the surface or polycarbonates. The movements
Each method has particularities of the fabricated parts. of the nozzle are determined by CAD
which make it more less suited They require considerable manual software. A part takes shape as it is
to fabricating specific items finishing work before their built up from layers of melted plastic
according to the required design can be fully assessed. that harden immediately. The main
mechanical or visual properties. advantage of the technique is that
Stereolithography involves it uses the same material as the
Sintering involves the fusing, solidifying a liquid resin contained definitive part, so can be used
or polymerization, of powder in a vat by tracing a laser beam to validate bonded or thermowelded
materials, including polymers on its surface. A part is fabricated parts. The downside is that parts are
(plastic). The fusing is carried out by layer by layer, with the laser beam very porous because imperfections
a laser which moves by scanning tracing shapes from data in CAD form between each pass of the
cross-sections from CAD files, files. Stereolithography is the most nozzle. What’s more ABS polymers
building the part layer by layer. commonly used prototyping typing are sensitive to heat and are not
This method is particularly wellsuited technique. It is particularly well resistant to high temperatures.
to fabricating parts, like dashboard, adapted to making small items like FDM should not therefore be
that are likely to be assembled buttons, handles, and vent grills. used to make parts exposed to
and disassembled during testing. Its main drawback is that parts high temperatures, like those in
The mechanical properties of the are sensitive to ultraviolet rays. the vicinity of the engine block.
sintered part – how flexible Daylight and sun rays impair their
or stiff it is – are relatively similar mechanical properties. Gradually
December 2008

Rapid Prototyping

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Rapid Prototyping

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Rapid prototyping R

Rapid prototyping is to computer-aided design (CAD) what the conventional

BASIC FACTS in short

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