Rapid Prototyping: Adding real value in industry

SPI Lasers 01489 779 696 www.spilasers.com Rapid Prototyping Adding Real Value in Industry 1 What is rapid prototyping? Rapid prototyping as a technology emerged in the late 1980's and has been used ever since Rapid prototyping uses 3D computer aided design models (CAD) in the production process Parts and prototypes, etc. are built up gradually layer by layer over a period of minutes/hours/days - depending on the complexity of what is being made Layers are typically created by: 1 2 3 4 Lasers cure a Lasers cut a Lasers sinter a Materials are ejected from a specially made nozzle layer layer layer Benefits of rapid prototyping Ability to deliver complex and precise prototypes - Highly complex and precise designs can be produced using RP techniques Cost reduction - This is achieved in many ways: Wastage reduction Tooling cost reduction Production cost reduction ! Design integrity evaluation – If there is a fault in design, rapid prototyping usually leads to an earlier diagnosis One-offs - Rapid prototyping (as the name suggests) is ideal for one-offs and prototypes Small batches - Rapid prototyping's lower cost supports small batch production Time savings - As implied by the word "Rapid" time is saved (including time of products to market): Reduced testing time Rapid production of prototypes, tools, models - whatever is Bottleneck elimination - remove production bottlenecks with rapid prototyping initiatives needed 3 Rapid prototyping processes The main rapid prototyping processes are detailed below: 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing Fused deposition modelling (FDM) Laminated object manufacturing Laser sintering Solid ground curing Stereolithography 4 Materials which can be used in rapid prototyping Many materials can be used in rapid prototyping; here are just a few examples: Food Metal Раper Plastics Polymers Wax powder Rapid prototyping in the news Automotive Food Ford Motor Company (and many others) use rapid prototyping techniques to save $millions per year compared to traditional manufacturing techniques Saarioinen , Finland saved money off manufacturing sauce bottles and also were able to make faster alterations to bottle durability Medicine Instrumentation Laboratories saved $600K per year and $50K in one-off mould rework costs by using a Fused deposition modelling (FDM) rapid prototype technique rather than traditional manufacturing methods Sporting Goods The XO Heart Shield for Basketball players prototype was developed in just a week 6 SPI Lasers and rapid prototyping For organisations creating metal-based prototypes, SPI Lasers can offer many process performance advantages: Faster pulse rise times - shorter pulses delivered higher throughput and finer processing Power stability at switch on leading to less instability seen in work-piece Temporal pulse shaping. This is highly desirable as the process uses individual pulse in 'point In process monitoring. Using the back reflection signal from PIPA fibre provides a unique opportunity for real time non-invasive Back reflection protection because even for powders some users may report issues & shoot' or continuous vector mode process monitoring To find out how SPI Lasers can improve your Rapid Prototyping processes please contact us on 01489 779 696 or visit www.spilasers.com Sources 01489 779 696 http://www.inside3dp.com/5-companies-using-rapid-prototyping-advantage/ http://www.medicaldesignbriefs.com/component/content/article/1105-mdb/features/16182 http://www.artcorp.com/prototyping_sporting_goods.html www.spilasers.com