March 21, 2010
Rapid Prototyping Process: Stages
Rapid prototyping technology is used in a great number of industries, starting from medicine and ending in machine engineering. It is the creation of a real shaped three-dimensional prototyping model of this or that merchandize that is going to be released to the market. The process of rapid prototyping is a very important one, as it helps to carry out a kind of a social pole, concerning the potential popularity of the product in the market. The process also helps to find out all possible pluses and minuses of the future product, which helps to shorten the number of defective goods in production.
The RP process is multistage. The first stage of the process is the creation of the drawing or a sketch of the product under rapid prototyping modeling. This stage is usually carried out on paper, drawing board or a whatman paper. Special equipment is used to project an image onto a multimedia screen. The designers and producers of the product usually discuss the project before its approving. Such programs are used in medicine to project the model of a skull or a face when it comes to a plastic surgery, for example. A desirable effect is shown on a special screen, including all surgery stages. The computer programs used with this purpose are nothing more than three-dimension graphical applications capable of creating 3D model of any real object. These programs help to avoid risky situations possible during operations.
The second stage is numerical processing of the sketched information. Painted models of future rapid prototypes are processed by computers creating 3D models, which are later used as a basis for the actual prototyping process.
The next and the last stage of rapid prototyping is the machine prototyping. This process is very unusual and deserves to be described. To begin with, the process of machine prototyping could be impossible without CAD – computer aided designed which has been already shortly described above. The thing is, the special graphical computer program is capable of dividing a prototyping model into multitude of segments. This process is called cross sectioning. The segments are virtually cut off, layer by layer, until the model is not totally diminished. The prototyping machine, receiving signals from a computer, does an identical process but vice versa – the layers being cut off by a computer turn into the real layers building up a real prototyping model. Thus, prototyping technology uses no additional methods like tooling to create a finished model. All needed forms and details are made by a computer, which is one of the many RP advantages.
To sum up, if you need a reliable and solid model of the product you are going to release – use rapid prototyping technology, offering the best prototyping models that will never fail you.
Over the recent decades rapid prototype services managed with solving lots of tech problems. And rapid prototype might help you to. Please find out more about the rapid prototype industry and how it helps.
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Filed under Telescopes by astronomy_fan
March 13, 2010
The Basic Things To Know About Rapid Prototyping Technology
Rapid prototyping technology (RP) also known as solid freeform fabrication has been used for quite a long time all over the world. The equipment for rapid prototyping is a very accurate and high-precision one, capable of creating the most painstaking and detailed project. The price of these rapid prototyping machines can vary. There are relatively cheap items that cost up to 15000 dollars, items of the middle range with the price going up to 90000 dollars and extremely expensive machines costing up to 500 000 dollars. However, the price is fully justified, because the price for rapid prototyping model is also quite high.
One of the rapid prototyping machines called Fabber was designed by Dr.Hod Lipson working for the Computational Synthesis Laboratory at Cornell. At the very beginning, Fabber was intentioned to become a machine reproducing missed or lost Lego pieces. The price of the machine appeared to be comparatively reasonable. The build volume of the machine was 512 cubic inches.
Fabber was planned to become a new approach to a machine for 20 years being a so-called niche product. Inventors of Fabber say that it is quite similar to the Altair 8000 that is the forefather of all modern microcomputers. This machine also was the initiator of the computer boom, which was taking place in 70’s years of the 20th century. Even the price of machines is similar – the Fabber’s cost is 2300 dollar, whereas Altair 8000 would cost about 2000 dollars nowadays.
‘What is this Fabber all about’ you may ask. Fabber is a solid free form fabrication tool or, in other words, a rapid prototyping tool. The main parts of the Fabber are lifting table, XY axis stepper motor and the printing head, consisting of syringes. Syringes are filled with different prototyping fluid materials of different solidity. Depending of the nozzle size, different syringes and fluids are used for production of the smalles parts of the future prototype.
The company releasing this amazing rapid prototyping tool is called Koba Industries. It works jointly with the company named Feb@Home. The greatest thing about the tool is that it is made of the materials at hand and can be bought any time for just 2000 dollars, which is quite a low price for a tool that can be used the day it was bought – so handy and comfortable in use it is.
This machine may create anything you wish. Inventors of the model have already produced a very useful flashlight with injected circuitry, amazing electronic watches. The Fabber maintains STL format, which is the format of almost all 3D graphical applications and creates the prototype on the basis of the computerized scheme.
Of, course, the Fabber is just a concept tool, project, which can be one day, become a widely used machine, but its functionality is just great for its price.
Over the recent decades rapid prototype services coped up with solving lots of tech problems. And rapid prototype might help you to. Please find out more about the rapid prototype technology and how it helps.
Today we live in the world where info quickly enhances the quality of our life.
Due to this if you are properly armed with the info in your sphere of interest you can be sure that you will always find the solution to any bad situation. So, please make sure to track this site on a regular basis or - best of all - sign up to its RSS. Thus you will have your hand on the pulse of the freshest informational updates here. Blogs can be helpful, you just need to know how to use them.
Filed under Telescopes by astronomy_fan
Rapid prototyping technology known as RP or SFF, abbreviated name of solid freeform fabrication, appeared as independent prototyping technique in the second half of the 20th century. It came in the stead of the obsolescent technologies that did not use computers and were mostly carried out manually. A new prototyping method used in the rapid prototyping was called CAD, or computer-aided design. The essence of the new technique laid in the usage a new controlling method called CNC, or computer numerical control. The new method helped to fulfill the prototyping as fast as it could never be done before. The new computer numerical control helped to build 3D rapid prototypes very fast, the process took about a couple of days. Comparing to the former manual technique this method was extremely convenient and efficient. All you needed to do is to take one of your paper sketches and special computer application was able to create the exact three-dimensional copy of the drawing, adjusting it to all requirements you set.
The new prototyping technology, CNC, was build up by the following functions, without which the process of actual rapid prototyping would be impossible. These applications and functions are:
- Direct metal laser sintering. As you might have already understood, this method is mostly used for creation of rapid prototyping models of metal, shaping it as needed.
- Injection molding. The essence of this method lies in layered casting of prototyping models, which is fulfilled by small tanks filled with a prototyping material, be that liquid metal or any other material.
- Hybrid tooling
- RTV (room temperature vulcanization) tooling. This method allows you to obtain accurate duplicate part or a prototype quickly and inexpensively.
- SLS, which is an abbreviation for selective laser sintering. It is an additive manufacturing technique that uses a high power laser to fuse small particles of plastic, metal (Direct Metal Laser Sintering that has been already mentioned above), ceramic, or glass powders into a mass representing a desired 3-dimensional object.
- Stereolythography, which is an additive manufacturing technology, used for production of models, prototypes, patterns and production parts. CNC method will help to fulfill any rapid prototyping model.
One of the most enhanced methods among those listed above is selective laser sintering. The needed details, or models are created at the earliest possible and the greatest advantage of this technique is that all details can be used immediately after being released. All a client has to do is to bring parts together to get a finished model.
CNC rapid prototyping can be used in different industries, such as medicine, including pharmaceutics and dentistry, engineering, machinery construction, etc. The staff operating CNC machines always includes well-trained and experienced workers so you can be sure that you will get the qualitative product.
Over the recent decades rapid prototype services managed with solving lots of tech problems. And rapid prototype might help you to. Please find out more about the rapid prototype industry and how it helps.
Today we live in the world where information makes life easier.
That is why if you are properly armed with the information in your topic you can rest assured that you will always find the solution to any bad situation. So, please make sure to track this site on a regular basis or - the easiest way to take care of it - sign up to its RSS feed. Thus you will have a direct shortcut to the freshest info updates here. Blogs can be helpful, you just need to know how to use them.
Filed under Telescopes by astronomy_fan
February 21, 2010
What Rapid Prototyping Technology Is Aimed At
What is a rapid prototyping technology and what is aimed at? It should be noted that in the modern world practically any single piece of machinery and any single mechanical object is not released to the market without a wide number of test and experiments. Rapid prototyping is nothing, but one of such tests. Rapid prototyping is mostly used for large projects. The most important advantage of the rapid prototyping technology is relatively short time needed for a model production. The process is fulfilled by means of the special enhanced technology named CAD or computer aided design, which is meant for building of three-dimensional image of the ordered model.
So what does the process start from? A special program, which is the basis of computer aided design, builds the image of the model you are going to create. The image is a drawing that must be prepared beforehand on the paper. This illustration is programmed by means of numerical method. Finally, as we have already mention, you have the image of the future model on the screen of your monitor. This image is already presented in the form of three-dimensional picture. The program divides the picture into multitude of segments. Rapid prototyping designers usually call these segment cross sections and the process itself is a cross sectioning. The prototyping machine and a computer connected so that there is intercommunication between them. A prototyping machine can only fulfill the process if it receives a signal from the computer. The computer application remove the thin layers of the image, very accurately, there can be a very big number of layers cut off. The process is going until the full diminishing of the picture. The RP machine is carrying out an opposite process. As the computer is cutting off another layer of the picture, the machine is developing as new layer. The smaller is the picture on the computer the more layers are built up by the machine.
The word ‘rapid’ often takes a nominal role in the name of rapid prototyping technology. It means that this process cannot always be implemented in several hours. Depending on the level of the project complexity, the process of rapid prototyping modeling can take from several hours to several days and weeks. The most complicated prototypes can take even months to be built up. The time of model fabrication not always depend on the complexity; it also often depends on the purpose. The thing is, rapid prototyping model can sometimes undergo quite aggressive testing, and that is why it is very necessary that such models be fulfilled from a very solid material capable of withstanding a load.
As you see, the RP prototyping is a very accurate process, needed attention and knowledge for you to get the perfect RP item.
Are you aware that rapid prototype can solve lots of tech problems about your business? Learn more about what rapid prototype is and how rapid prototype services can help to meed your technical needs.
Today we are living in the world where knowledge makes life easier.
Due to this if you are properly armed with the knowledge in your topic you can be sure that you will always find the way out from any bad situation. So, please make sure to visit this site on a regular basis or - the least time consuming way of doing it - sign up to its RSS. Thus you will have your hand on the pulse of the latest info updates here. Blogs can be helpful, you just need to understand how to use them.
Filed under Telescopes by astronomy_fan
February 17, 2010
Interested In Rapid Prototyping Issues - Read This Info
We live in the world where the progress is advancing with rapid strides. It seems that the first computer appeared several centuries ago, but in reality, it was not so long ago. We can’t imagine our lives without all those household appliances we use every day. We cannot imagine our lives without Internet and all great opportunities offered by it, we couldn’t give up mobile phones and mp3 players – all this has become an inalienable part of our lives. However, did you ever think of where it all came from and how it was made?
Rapid prototyping is a process of a layer-by-layer production of 3D models of any product elaboration process. This process has several other names known mostly to those who are into RP: solid freeform fabrication (SFF), 3D printing, additive fabrication, 3D modeling, layer-by-layer manufacturing are all the names of one and the same rapid prototyping process.
What is rapid prototyping process actually meant for? The main advantage of this technique is the creation of a potential product model. This form is usually needed to study and foresee possible reaction of the customers on the product under investigation, it also gives an opportunity to calculate the profitability of the potential merchandize, which becomes obvious from the popularity of the product, which can be foreseen as it has been already mentioned.
The word ‘rapid’ can often be misinterpreted. It does not mean that the process is carried out fast. It usually takes from several hours to several days to create the prototyping model, because due to the disadvantages found in the process, the model is redone several times, after elimination of all minuses.
Rapid prototyping technique helps to fulfill accurate models, without any additional treatment like tooling. RP machine receives a signal from a computer, which by means of a special application creates an RP model. This model is cross-sectioned. It means that the virtual image consists from imaginary layers casted off by a program; these layers are removed by the computer are layered by the machine, which creates a rapid prototyping model building up layers by means of a laser technology.
The model can be created from a large diversity of materials. The most applicable materials are rapid prototyping wax, RP powders and liquids, metals, paper and other material. Due to the layer-by-layer technology, RP machine creates shaped model without additional need to improve them.
Specialists of different professions like medics, engineers, surgeons, dentists, architects and artists, presently use RP technology. This technology helps them to understand the mechanism of work of different equipment used in their sphere.
Having so much advantages, rapid prototyping technology or solid free form fabrication is a really great innovation setting up the interconnection between producers and consumers.
Have you heard that rapid prototype can solve lots of technological problems about your business? Learn more about what rapid prototype is and how rapid prototype services can help to meed your technical needs.
Today we are living in the world where knowledge makes life easier.
Due to this if you are properly armed with the knowledge in your topic you can rest assured that you will always find the way out from any bad situation. So, please make sure to get back to this blog on a regular basis or - an ideal solution for you - sign up to its RSS. In such an easy way you will have your hand on the pulse of the latest info updates here. Blogging can be helpful, you just need to know how to use them.
Filed under Telescopes by astronomy_fan
