RAPID PROTOTYPING
INTRODUCTION OF RAPID
PROTOTYPING
Is a revolutionary and powerful
technology with wide range of
application.
The process of prototyping involve
quick building up of a prototype or
working model for the purpose of
testing the various design features,
ideas,concepts,funtionality,output
and performance.
HISTORY OF RAPID PROTOTYPING
In 60s ,the first rapid prototyping
technique became accessible in
the later eighties and used for
production of prototype and
model parts.
In 70s ,Herbert Voelcker,
engineering professor developed
the basic tools of mathematics
that clearly describe the three
dimensional aspects and resulted
in the earliest theories of
In 80s, Carl Deckard ,researcher from
the University of Texas. He pioneered
the layer based manufacturing , he
thought of building up the model layer
by layer. He printed 3D models by
utilizing laser light for fusing metal
powder in solid prototypes,single layer
at a time. Technique called Selective
Laser Sintering.
Nowadays , the computer engineer has
to simply sketch the ideas on the
computer screen with the help of a
design program that is computer aided.
THE ADVANTAGE OF RAPID
PROTOTYPING
CAD data files can be manufactured
in hours.
Tool for visualization and concept
verification.
Prototype used in subsequent
manufacturing operation to obtain
final part.
Tooling for manufacturing operation
can be produce.
SUBTRACTIVE PROCESS
Is the prevent process in the history of
model making. Model makers once
utilized materials like clay and wood
or other hard material, to whittle,
carve, or sculpt a model component.
The excess material was basically
chiseled, cut, and sanded to expose
the design within the carving medium.
This process was understandably time
intensive and resulted in a finished
product that was a one of a kind and
ADDITIVE PROCESS
Is built by adding layers of material
upon one another.
This process are inhenrently different
from subtractive processes or
consolidation processes. Example
such as milling ,turning or drilling, use
carefully planned tool movement to
cut away material from a workpiece
to form the desired part.
The part is constructed directly from a
digital 3D model created through
VIRTUAL PROCESS
To create each virtual cross section in then takes
physical form layer after until an identical prototype
model is created.
THE FUSED DEPOSITION MODELLING (FDM)
Process constructs three-dimensional objects
directly from 3D CAD data. A temperature
controlled head extrudes thermoplastic
material layer by layer.
This model is oriented and mathematically
sliced into horizontal layers varying from +/0.127 0.254mm thickness.
The system operates in X, Y and Z axes,
drawing the model one layer at a time.
STEREOLITHOGRAPHY
is an additive manufacturing process
using a vat of liquid UV curable
photopolymer resin and UV laser to build
parts a layer at a time.
The laser beam traces a part cross section
pattern on the surface of the liquid resin.
After a pattern has been traced, the SLAs
elevator platform descends by a single
layer thickness, typically 0.05mm to
0.15mm. Then, a resin filled blade sweeps
across the part cross section,recoating it
with fresh material.
SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING (SLS)
Is a layer additive production process that creates
three dimensional object using CO2 laser to melt,
or sinter and fuse selective powder molecules
based on information supplied by a computer
aided design (CAD) file.
Commonly called thermoplastic material or in
some cases, thermoplastic binders for use in
metals.
Allows for these materials to be fused together in
tiny layers ranging between .003 and .006.
Parts and or assemblies that move and work that
have a good surface finish and feature detail.
SLS gives the capability of flexible snaps and living
hingers as well as high stress and heat tolerance.
BALLISTIC
The BPM personal modeler came with all
hardware and software enclosed in one
compact unit.
The BPM utilized ink jet or droplet based
manufacturing techniques, it builds the
models by firing micro droplets of molten wax
material from a moving nozzle or jet onto a
stationary platform, the platform then lowers
and the process is repeated for each layer of
the model.
The parts can be scaled, rotated or translated
to a desired orientation. This is performed on
a 5 axis workstation.
LAMINATED
That uses a carbon dioxide laser to
create successive cross section of a
three dimentional object from
layers of paper with a polythylene
coating on the backside. The first
step is to creates a base om which
the paper can attach itself.
HIGHLIGHTS OF LAMINATED OBJECT
MANUFACTURING
Layers of glue-backed paper form the model.
Low cost:Raw material is readily availabel.
Large parts: Because there is no chemical
reaction involved,parts can be made quite
large.
Accuracy in z is less than that for
sterrolithography and selective laser
sintering . No milling step
Outside of model,cross hatching removes
material
Model should be sealedin order to prohibit
moisture.
METHODOLOGY FOR RP PROCESS
The basic methodology for all current rapid
prototyping techniques can be summarized as follows:
1. A CAD model is constructed, then converted STL
format . The resolution can be set to minimize stair
stepping.
2. The RP machine processes the STL file by creating
sliced layers of the model.
3. The fisrt layer of the physical model is created .The
model is then lowered by the thickness of the next
layer, and the process is repeated until completion
of the model
4. The model and any supports are removed. The
surface of the model is then finished and cleaned.
RAPID TOOLING
A process that is the result of combining Rapid
Prototyping techniques with conventional tooling
practices to produce a mold quickly or part of a
functional model from CAD data in less time and at
lower cost relative to traditional machining method
.Rapid Tooling can act as brige to production injection
molded parts.
The main advantage are tooling time is much shorter
than for a conventional tool. Time to first articles can
be less than one fifth that of conventional tooling;
tooling cost is much less than for a conventional tool.
Cost can be below five percent of conventional
tooling cost.
The main challrnges are tool life is less than for
conventional tools and tolerances are wider than for
conventional tools.
TYPES OF RAPID TOOLING
PROCESS
-Low Volume (from tens to hundreds)
- Soft tooling
-Reaction injection molding
-Bridge Tooling Direct Access Injection
Molding Intermediate (from hundreds to
thousands)
- Metal filled epoxy tooling
- Powdered metal tooling
- space puzzle molding
