Building models of components in order to have a tangible example of what the component will finally look like used to be a lengthy and expensive process. With the advent of rapid prototyping in the UK this process has been simplified. It is also far less costly: although the cost of the initial equipment is high, there are many specialist firms able to provide this service.
It was in 1986 that RT was first introduced. Chuck Hull is the name of the scientist who initiated it through the term stereo-lithography which he made up by himself. What this term simply connotes is a technique by which layers of ultraviolet photo curable items are successively printed on top of each other.
The modern times, several formats of RT are being practiced and used in objects construction. They include selective laser sintering, and stereo-lithography. Others are fused deposition modeling, as well as numerous types of three dimensional methods for printing.
RT as a concept has remained consistent overtime. It entails a course of action where three dimensional CAD files are cut into very tiny slices with the aid of special computerized software. This process is quite similar to how an egg slicer works. If one could take time to study how egg slicers works, then he would understand RT to a reasonable extent.
There are basically three different types of technology, based on either a liquid, solid or powder input. Each technology has advantages and disadvantages which would need to be weighed, but all work well within limits.
It is also used as a part of product design to give much more opportunities to engineers and designers to explore designs and show their abilities. This way engineers and designers use their experiences to process or design it according to specific work present. It goes through a long process which may include iterative designs that may first undergo a construction process then later testing and finally designed in preparation for production.
The ability to produce limited numbers of components makes rapid prototyping ideal for pilot projects. It is now a simple matter to produce enough of a component for extensive practical user testing. Any changes to the design which might be found advisable are easily incorporated into the drawing and the modifications made very quickly. An iterative development process ending with the best practical design is now very straightforward in practice.
RT has a number of advantages. One of them is that it cuts down the total time that is required for processing. This is due to the fact that under this technology, modification of an object is allowed right from the very early construction stages.
With rapid prototyping , mistakes can be corrected at the early design stages if all the different departments that are concerned with a product are allowed to examine it. During this early construction stage, the products are not expensive. Hence making the required modifications will not add a lot to the total cost of production. By the time the product is completed, it will still be possible to allocate a reasonable selling price to it.
It was in 1986 that RT was first introduced. Chuck Hull is the name of the scientist who initiated it through the term stereo-lithography which he made up by himself. What this term simply connotes is a technique by which layers of ultraviolet photo curable items are successively printed on top of each other.
The modern times, several formats of RT are being practiced and used in objects construction. They include selective laser sintering, and stereo-lithography. Others are fused deposition modeling, as well as numerous types of three dimensional methods for printing.
RT as a concept has remained consistent overtime. It entails a course of action where three dimensional CAD files are cut into very tiny slices with the aid of special computerized software. This process is quite similar to how an egg slicer works. If one could take time to study how egg slicers works, then he would understand RT to a reasonable extent.
There are basically three different types of technology, based on either a liquid, solid or powder input. Each technology has advantages and disadvantages which would need to be weighed, but all work well within limits.
It is also used as a part of product design to give much more opportunities to engineers and designers to explore designs and show their abilities. This way engineers and designers use their experiences to process or design it according to specific work present. It goes through a long process which may include iterative designs that may first undergo a construction process then later testing and finally designed in preparation for production.
The ability to produce limited numbers of components makes rapid prototyping ideal for pilot projects. It is now a simple matter to produce enough of a component for extensive practical user testing. Any changes to the design which might be found advisable are easily incorporated into the drawing and the modifications made very quickly. An iterative development process ending with the best practical design is now very straightforward in practice.
RT has a number of advantages. One of them is that it cuts down the total time that is required for processing. This is due to the fact that under this technology, modification of an object is allowed right from the very early construction stages.
With rapid prototyping , mistakes can be corrected at the early design stages if all the different departments that are concerned with a product are allowed to examine it. During this early construction stage, the products are not expensive. Hence making the required modifications will not add a lot to the total cost of production. By the time the product is completed, it will still be possible to allocate a reasonable selling price to it.
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rapid prototyping for the business or individual that needs to take a product to market but has not the orders to benefit from such economies of scale that large bulk manufacturing can demand.
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