Rapid Prototyping Technology
In recent years, Rapid Prototyping Technology (RPT) has been applied in several spheres of industry, especially in the field of product development. Existing procedures offer the ability to rapidly create a tangible solid part, directly from three dimensional CAD data from various materials such as powders, photo-curable resin, and paper. This article gives an overview of RPT, areas of applications, and its noteworthy benefits to manufacturing industries
An Overview of Rapid Prototyping
RPT is essentially a technology that lets us transform digital designs into 3-dimensional solid objects for production of machine parts, prototypes, models, and moulds. It builds solid objects one layer at a time, producing premium models overnight instead of taking weeks. RPT uses various processes including selective laser sintering (SLS), laminated object manufacturing (LOM), stereolithography (SL), direct shell production (DSP), fused deposition modelling (FDM), 3D Printing as well as a host of other procedures.
These processes happen almost entirely under computer control, with little or no human involvement. One can say that RPT is a kind of automated fabrication. The following are the basic characteristics of the rapid prototyping process:
1) The process should use raw material in some shapeless outline such as sheets or blocks, and create solid objects with a definite shape.
2) The process has to do this with no a significant amount of human interaction.
3) The process has to create a shape with some level of three dimensional geometrical outline. This standard eliminates the creation of simple rods or tubes by extrusion and cutting.
4) Every item created has to be a single object not an assembly of constituent parts therefore eliminating joining operations like welding, riveting, and gluing.
RPT use various computer control, engineering and software techniques including photosensitive polymers, laser, optical scanning, powder metallurgy, material extrusion and deposition, computer control, etc. to directly produce a physical model layer by layer (Layer Manufacturing) in accordance with the geometrical data derived from a 3D CAD model. Rapid Prototyping can deliver working prototype at the early design stage of the new product cycle. Therefore manufactures can use the working prototypes in bridging a multi-disciplined team composed of the design, architectural, marketing, manufacturing and engineering people to design right at the first instance for the customers. Rapid Prototyping is a quick creation of a physical model. However, Rapid Prototyping is slowly growing into other areas. Therefore, Rapid Prototyping, Tooling and Manufacturing (RP&M) should be used to include the use of the prototype as a master pattern for manufacturing and tooling.
Applications of RPT
It is a fact that to stay competitive in the current manufacturing industry, products have to be presented in a large number of variants, containing extremely sophisticated functions, within the shortest possible delivery time. The quick development of new parts is therefore of critical importance. These developments alone have prompted wide use in the generation of more sophisticated prototypes, and when joined with various associated technologies the broader field of RPT is finding many applications, not just in development and design cycles, but also in several other complex production techniques. The manufacturing and architectural industries still characterize the leading fields of application of quick prototyping, but as this technology develops, new applications are emerging almost daily in different spheres of technology.
Benefits of RPT
1) Reduced lead times (per component and product to market).
2) Reduced costs (direct manufacture savings and mistake avoidance).
3) Improved quality
4) Simple file format - The usual file format for RPT is the short for stereolithography (STL). STL file format was made by 3D systems and is basically a triangulated wireframe mesh. It is relatively simple to generate an STL file for rapid prototyping because the format is supported by several CAD, 3D visualization, and 3D modeling applications.
5) Creates impossible shapes - RPT uses a procedure called Additive Manufacturing in which material is selectively added in slim cross-sectional layers. Since tool head clearance isn’t a concern, rapid prototyping makes it possible to create extremely complex surfaces.
6) Print in color – With RPT, color can be used to annotate parts, illustrate features, or simply introduce life to a model. Some rapid prototyping machines can create colorful assemblies through swapping the different colored materials for particular solid color parts whereas others can apply many colors to individual parts.
7) Working mechanisms – If there is sufficient clearance between adjoining surfaces for the removal and addition of support structure, compound interlocking structures like joints, hinges, chains, sliders, bearings and such can be produced using rapid prototyping.
8) Reduced waste - Additive manufacturing (RPT), unlike subtractive manufacturing, doesn’t leave unused chippings or cut-off stock. With RPT, model material is used only where it is required, even though some processes require the utilization of a sacrificial supporting structure particularly in the case of suspended geometry.
9) Fast turnaround - Part fabrication might take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. However the process is extremely automated needing no programming, pattern, molds or fixtures. Ironically, it is somewhat possible to fabricate patterns, molds and fixtures using rapid prototyping machines.
10) Mass Customization - Through combining the flexibility of additive manufacturing and the cost efficiency of mass manufacturing products can be customized for the client. Mass customization might be used to enhance product ergonomics, consumer preference, or safety features.
11) Cost Reduction - With its capacity to create inexpensive custom parts within a short timeframe, RPT fits well into iterative blueprint. Prototypes communicate Form, Function and Fit early in the design stage. Prototypes are used for analyzing, refining and testing. Usability concerns can be spotted and resolved before a product goes into production eventually decreasing costly mistakes and development time.
12) Complement Visualization - Using Rapid Prototyping, a lot of the objects made for visualization can be made visible or real. The capability to manipulate objects adds to the overall experience.
13) Democratize Manufacturing - Inexpensive rapid prototyping solutions makes it possible for people to make things that might not be commercially available.
Few technologies have offered so many new opportunities as RPT in recent years. Parts can today be produced in a fraction of the time that was required previously with the added benefits of more design iterations and reduced costs. Thanks to RPT designers have been freed from old limitations due to the new RPT tools available.
An Overview of Rapid Prototyping
RPT is essentially a technology that lets us transform digital designs into 3-dimensional solid objects for production of machine parts, prototypes, models, and moulds. It builds solid objects one layer at a time, producing premium models overnight instead of taking weeks. RPT uses various processes including selective laser sintering (SLS), laminated object manufacturing (LOM), stereolithography (SL), direct shell production (DSP), fused deposition modelling (FDM), 3D Printing as well as a host of other procedures.
These processes happen almost entirely under computer control, with little or no human involvement. One can say that RPT is a kind of automated fabrication. The following are the basic characteristics of the rapid prototyping process:
1) The process should use raw material in some shapeless outline such as sheets or blocks, and create solid objects with a definite shape.
2) The process has to do this with no a significant amount of human interaction.
3) The process has to create a shape with some level of three dimensional geometrical outline. This standard eliminates the creation of simple rods or tubes by extrusion and cutting.
4) Every item created has to be a single object not an assembly of constituent parts therefore eliminating joining operations like welding, riveting, and gluing.
RPT use various computer control, engineering and software techniques including photosensitive polymers, laser, optical scanning, powder metallurgy, material extrusion and deposition, computer control, etc. to directly produce a physical model layer by layer (Layer Manufacturing) in accordance with the geometrical data derived from a 3D CAD model. Rapid Prototyping can deliver working prototype at the early design stage of the new product cycle. Therefore manufactures can use the working prototypes in bridging a multi-disciplined team composed of the design, architectural, marketing, manufacturing and engineering people to design right at the first instance for the customers. Rapid Prototyping is a quick creation of a physical model. However, Rapid Prototyping is slowly growing into other areas. Therefore, Rapid Prototyping, Tooling and Manufacturing (RP&M) should be used to include the use of the prototype as a master pattern for manufacturing and tooling.
Applications of RPT
It is a fact that to stay competitive in the current manufacturing industry, products have to be presented in a large number of variants, containing extremely sophisticated functions, within the shortest possible delivery time. The quick development of new parts is therefore of critical importance. These developments alone have prompted wide use in the generation of more sophisticated prototypes, and when joined with various associated technologies the broader field of RPT is finding many applications, not just in development and design cycles, but also in several other complex production techniques. The manufacturing and architectural industries still characterize the leading fields of application of quick prototyping, but as this technology develops, new applications are emerging almost daily in different spheres of technology.
Benefits of RPT
1) Reduced lead times (per component and product to market).
2) Reduced costs (direct manufacture savings and mistake avoidance).
3) Improved quality
4) Simple file format - The usual file format for RPT is the short for stereolithography (STL). STL file format was made by 3D systems and is basically a triangulated wireframe mesh. It is relatively simple to generate an STL file for rapid prototyping because the format is supported by several CAD, 3D visualization, and 3D modeling applications.
5) Creates impossible shapes - RPT uses a procedure called Additive Manufacturing in which material is selectively added in slim cross-sectional layers. Since tool head clearance isn’t a concern, rapid prototyping makes it possible to create extremely complex surfaces.
6) Print in color – With RPT, color can be used to annotate parts, illustrate features, or simply introduce life to a model. Some rapid prototyping machines can create colorful assemblies through swapping the different colored materials for particular solid color parts whereas others can apply many colors to individual parts.
7) Working mechanisms – If there is sufficient clearance between adjoining surfaces for the removal and addition of support structure, compound interlocking structures like joints, hinges, chains, sliders, bearings and such can be produced using rapid prototyping.
8) Reduced waste - Additive manufacturing (RPT), unlike subtractive manufacturing, doesn’t leave unused chippings or cut-off stock. With RPT, model material is used only where it is required, even though some processes require the utilization of a sacrificial supporting structure particularly in the case of suspended geometry.
9) Fast turnaround - Part fabrication might take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. However the process is extremely automated needing no programming, pattern, molds or fixtures. Ironically, it is somewhat possible to fabricate patterns, molds and fixtures using rapid prototyping machines.
10) Mass Customization - Through combining the flexibility of additive manufacturing and the cost efficiency of mass manufacturing products can be customized for the client. Mass customization might be used to enhance product ergonomics, consumer preference, or safety features.
11) Cost Reduction - With its capacity to create inexpensive custom parts within a short timeframe, RPT fits well into iterative blueprint. Prototypes communicate Form, Function and Fit early in the design stage. Prototypes are used for analyzing, refining and testing. Usability concerns can be spotted and resolved before a product goes into production eventually decreasing costly mistakes and development time.
12) Complement Visualization - Using Rapid Prototyping, a lot of the objects made for visualization can be made visible or real. The capability to manipulate objects adds to the overall experience.
13) Democratize Manufacturing - Inexpensive rapid prototyping solutions makes it possible for people to make things that might not be commercially available.
Few technologies have offered so many new opportunities as RPT in recent years. Parts can today be produced in a fraction of the time that was required previously with the added benefits of more design iterations and reduced costs. Thanks to RPT designers have been freed from old limitations due to the new RPT tools available.
