Rapid Prototyping
Rapid Prototyping
• Aesthetic Visualization
• Form-fit-and-function testing
• Casting models
• Shorten time to market & reduced development cost
• Improved product quality
• RP enable more design iterations in a given time
3D visualization of product designs ensure that customers have
a clear understanding
“A picture is worth a thousand words; a model
is worth a thousand pictures.”
Trends in manufacturing industries
emphasis the following
• Increasing the no of variants of products.
• Increase in product complexity.
• Decrease in product lifetime before
obsolescence.
• Decrease in delivery time.
• Product development by Rapid prototyping by
enabling better communication.
Conventional Machining
• Its not suitable for complex shapes because
they are difficult to machine.
• Time consuming
• Very costly
• Tedious or very laborious.
• Skilled operator is required.
• Accuracy will be less.
• Increased product development time.
Characteristics of RP
• A technology that produces models and prototype
parts from 3D CAD model data, CT and MRI scan data,
and model data created from 3D object digitizing
systems
• RP systems join together liquid, powder and sheet
materials to form parts
• Layer by layer, RP machines fabricate plastic, wood,
ceramic and metal objects
• RP also known as Solid Freeform
Fabrication (SFF) or Layer Manufacturing
(LM)
Basic process of RP
Three stages: pre-processing, building, and
post processing
• 3D Printing (3DP)
2.1 Stereo-Lithography (SL)
• Intermediate (from
hundreds to thousands)
- Metal filled Epoxy
Tooling
- Powdered Metal
Aluminum-filled epoxy mold, SL master, and
Tooling
molded thermoplastic parts