What is Rapid Prototyping

Rapid Prototyping: Traditional manufacturing:

additive material subtractive material
Benefits of RP

• 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

CAD Model Pre Process RP Process Post Process

Surface/Solid Generate Build Remove

Model .STL file Prototype Supports

in CAD Build Supports Clean Surface

if needed
Post Cure if needed
in RP
systems Slicing
Part Completed
Methodology of Rapid Prototyping
• Construct a CAD model.
• Convert it to STL format.
• RP machine processes .STL file by creating sliced
layers of model.
• First layer of model is created.
• Model is then lowered by thickness of next layer.
• Process is repeated until completion of model
• The model & any supports are removed.
• Surface of the model is then finished and
cleaned.
 History of RapidPrototyping
• It started in 1980’s
• First technique is Stereolithography (SLA)
• It was developed by 3D systems of Valencia in
California, USA in 1986.
• Fused deposition modelling (FDM) developed
by stratasys company in 1988.
• Laminated object manufacturing (LOM)
developed by Helisis (USA).
• Solid ground Curing developed by Cubitol
corporation of Israel.
• Selective laser sintering developed by DTM of
Austin, Texas (USA) in 1989.
• Sanders Model maker developed by Wilton
incorporation USA in 1990.
• Multi Jet Modelling by 3D systems.
• 3-D Printing by Solygen incorporation, MIT, USA.
 Types of RP

• Stereo Lithography (SL)

• Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)

• Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

• Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM)

• 3D Printing (3DP)
2.1 Stereo-Lithography (SL)

1. The elevator lowered by 1 Scanning Laser

layer deep; Mirror
2. The Blade sweep across the Re-coating
vat, apply an even layer of Blade
Cured resin
resin on top of the part; to form model
3. As the laser beam strikes the
resin surface, the liquid resin
is hardened to a solid plastic;
4. Loop through the three steps
to cure a new layer.
Liquid Resin
Stereo-Lithography Apparatus (SLA)
• Materials: • Application areas:
• photocurable: Epoxy Resin,  Prototypes for concept
Acrylate Resin. models;
 Epoxy Resin has better  Form-fit for assembly tests
material properties and less and process planning;
hazardous but require large  Models for investment
exposure time for curing.
casting, replacement of the
wax pattern;
• Adv. & Disadvantages:
 Patterns for metal
 Good dimensional accuracy spraying, epoxy molding
 Good surface finish and other soft tooling
 Narrow range of materials
 Relatively high cost
 Post curing
2.2 Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)

Model & Support Filaments 1. Extrusion head and

elevator move to start
Heated extrusion position;
head 2. The head extrude layer
of support;
Part

3. The head extrude layer

of model;
4. Loop through the three
Elevator & Platform steps to build the next
layer.
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)

• Materials: - Slow for building a mass part

thermoplastic material such as • Application areas:
wax, ABS plastic & elastomer
- Conceptual modeling;
• Adv. & Disadvantages: - Fit, form and functional test;
 clean, simple, easy to operate
- Pattern for investment
 A good variety of material
casting;
 Mid range performance/cost
 Relative low accuracy - The MABS (methy
 Poor strength in vertical direction methacrylate ABS) material is
particularly suitable for
medical applications.
2.3 Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

1. Piston of the part built chamber

lower by one layer; Scanning Laser
Mirror
2. Piston of powder cartridges raise
up;
3. Roller spread powder evenly
over the built surface; Roller
4. Laser beam scan over the top of
the part, melting the powder
and fuse it to the previous layer;
5. Loop through the four steps to
build the next layer.
Powder Build
cartridges Piston Chamber
Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

Materials:  Expensive running cost

powder material such as nylon,  Toxic gases generated
wax, polycarbonate, metal,
ceramic, elastomer, etc. • Application areas:
• Adv. & Disadvantages: - Visual representation;
 Large variety of material available - durable enough for most
 Produced in short time functional tests;
 No additional support required
- Pattern for making soft
 No post curing required
 Heat up powder & cool down part
tooling, casting;
 Smoothness of surface restricted - Direct manufacture of metal
mould;
- Small batch production run.
2.4 Laminated Object Manufacturing
(LOM)

1. The sheet material is stretched

from the supply roller to the
take-up roller;
2. The heated laminated roller
passes over the sheet bonding
it to the previous layer;
3. Laser cuts the profile of that
layer and hatching the excess
material for later removal;
4. Loop through the three steps
to form a new layer.
Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM)

 Materials:  Must be post processed

sheet material such as paper, immediately
plastic, ceramic, composite etc.  Restricted to build complex
Adv. & Disadvantages: parts
 A relatively high speed process  Fire hazard occasionally
 No post curing required happened
 No support structure required  Application areas:
 Simple to use
 The most commonly used - Visual representation;
material is only paper - Concept modeling;
- Pattern for sand casting;
2.5 3D Printing (3DP)
Companies install them in offices
near their CAD systems for concept
modeling.

less costly and less capable

variation of RP technology
3. Application cases of RP

Common applications of the strong models for wind

RP technology: tunnel and stress analysis
• Design
• Tooling
concept models
masters and patterns for
• Marketing
a broad range of
models for tenders, manufacturing processes
customer feedback,
presentations and • Medicine
brochures artificial limbs, tools and
• Test & Analysis instruments
functional testing;
 4. Rapid Tooling Making (RTM)
• INDIRECT RPM: Pattern created by RP used to fabricate tool
- RP-fabricated part as master in making silicon-rubber mold
(subsequently used as production mold)
- RP patterns to make sand molds for sand casting
- Fabrication of patterns of low-melting pt. materials for
Investment casting

• DIRECT RPM: RP used to make the tool itself

- 3D printing to create die geometry in metallic powders (followed
by sintering & infiltration)
4. Rapid Tooling Making (RTM)

• low volume (from tens

to hundreds)
- Soft Tooling

• Intermediate (from
hundreds to thousands)
- Metal filled Epoxy
Tooling
- Powdered Metal
Aluminum-filled epoxy mold, SL master, and
Tooling
molded thermoplastic parts