Rapidfinal
- 3. Advantages of 3D Printing The most successful companies have adopted 3D printing as a critical part of the iterative design process to: Reduce Development Costs Cut traditional prototyping and tooling costs Identify design errors earlier Reduce travel to production facilities Speed Time To Market Compress design cycles by 3D printing multiple prototypes on demand, right in your office Increase Innovation Print prototypes in hours, obtain feedback, refine designs and repeat the cycle until designs are perfect Improve Communication Hold a full color, realistic 3D model in your hands to impart infinitely more information than a computer image Create physical 3D models quickly, easily and affordably for a wide variety of applications Win Business Bring realistic 3D models
- 4. Complete 3D models can be manufactured including those with hollow parts that could not possibly be made by hand in one piece, even by the most skilled engineer or craftsperson. Parts such as bearings, engineering parts and complex working models can be manufactured. A variety of epoxy and waxes can be applied to the completed model. These increase the strength of the model, its temperature resistance and allows paint and finishes to be applied realistically. The use of specialized resin will give models the properties of rubber. Prototyping machines can even be used to produce highly accurate patterns for casting. Manufactured model parts can be combined with real parts to produce a fully functioning product that can then be tested and evaluated
- 5. RAPID PROTOTYPING Leading product designers use prototyping machines to accelerate the design process and bring products to market sooner. Applications include: Concept Models - Get early design feedback, improve communication, and test ergonomics Functional Testing - Verify designs for form, fit and function prior to full-scale production; plus reduce costly modifications to production tooling Finite Element Analysis - Produce prototypes displaying color finite element analysis data right on the part. Improve collaboration among project teams, and identify design flaws earlier Presentation Models - Communicate clearly with peers and clients, and perform focus group testing Packaging Development - Streamline the design process for glass and plastic packaging used in consumer
- 6. Why create casting patterns utilizing 3D CAD data As is typical in the creation of prototype castings, traditional pattern manufacturing costs can easily be more expensive than the actual costs of pouring all the parts associated to a short prototype casting run. In addition, the lead time for the creation of these patterns can often be measured in weeks. In the following example, a new drive pinion flange design is taken from concept 3D CAD model to final prototype pattern pieces in the matter of 3 days. Resulting in the patterns being used to create 250 rapid prototype cast iron castings at a fraction of the cost and time associated with traditional patterns.
- 7. 1. Starting with the 3D CAD data. Accurate 3D CAD data is where it all starts. If the base CAD model contains errors, those errors will carry through to the final cast iron parts, ensuring that the CAD model is at the appropriate release level and has been thoroughly designed and checked is of utmost importance. Figure A shows the final machining CAD model of the new concept flange design. In this machined CAD model, blue represents the machined surfaces and tan represents the remaining cast surfaces. The casting CAD model, shown in Figure B, reflects the part geometry of the actual final prototype cast iron flange that will be received from the foundry.
- 8. Figure A shows the final machining CAD model of the new concept flange design. In this machined CAD model, blue represents the machined surfaces and tan represents the remaining cast surfaces. The casting CAD model, shown in Figure B, reflects the part geometry of the actual final prototype cast iron flange that will be received from the foundry. Figure A
- 9. Figure B
- 10. Finite Element Analysis Produce prototypes displaying color finite element analysis data right on the part. Improve collaboration among project teams, and identify design flaws earlier
- 11. Model: Electric Motor Type: ZP 150 HIGH PERFORMANCE POWDER
- 12. Model: Flange and Sprocket Type: Vero Resin Black
- 13. Model: Single axle drive Type: ZP 150 HIGH PERFORMANCE POWDER
- 14. Model: Mould Type: VERO RESIN CLEAR
- 15. Model: Pipe Hangar Bracket Type: VERO RESIN GRAY
- 16. Choosing a Process Determine the process that is the best fit for your project by using the tools shown. Step 1: Begin by using the decision tree on the next slide to narrow down which factors are of highest importance to you based on the stage you are at in the prototyping process, referring to the definitions on page 8 as needed. Step 2: Based on the recommended attributes for your most important factor(s) from Step 1, compare the processes using the process decision making chart on the next page to determine which process will be the best fit for your project.
- 17. What stage are you at in What factor(s) is/are most Recommended attributes to the prototyping process? important to you? consider when choosing a process.
- 19. Rapid Prototype Design Process Flow
- 20. Conclusion: The future for 3D printing seems very promising, it is the fastest growing part of the rapid- prototyping industry with revenues this year expected to be approximately a billion US dollars. Many industries are showing huge amounts of interest and are seeing great potential in different applications where they could utilize three dimensional printing. The US army have experimented using rapid prototyping to create parts for broken tanks, guns and other hardware in combat situations. Businesses believe a rapid prototyping machine could prove invaluable in showing factories how to assemble parts remotely, for example in China. Even NASA has requested a high resolution machine to manufacture crucial parts in space. In conclusion what is stopping you being part of a truly revolutionary technology, which could become one of the major breakthroughs of the twenty first century? 3D printing has merely been science fiction until recently, where it is now most certainly science fact. What can we expect to see in the not so far away future? Well one ultimate goal is printable organic parts, for example replacement organs, identical skin grafts and even limbs, to combat victims of illness, disease and war.
- 21. Three-dimensional printing from digital designs will transform manufacturing and allow more people to start making things COMMUNICATE IN ALL DIMENSIONS