PRESENTS

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 TECHNICAL PAPER PRESENTATION

A
PAPER ON

RAPID PROTOTYPING

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

RIZVI COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

PRESENTED BY

AMEY S. NAIK(T.E. MECH)

RAJESH RAUT(T.E. MECH)

ABSTRACT

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 Previous means of producing a prototype took man-hours, many
tools, and skilled labor. This typically was not a speedy process and costs
of the skilled labor were not cheap. As an answer to this need, rapid
prototyping was born. Rapid Prototyping can be defined as a group of
techniques used to quickly fabricate a scale model of a part or assembly
using three-dimensional computer aided design (CAD) data. As opposed
to software methods which give illusion of 3D volumes on a 2D screen
that can cause problems through view, angle, depth and transparency.
The "three dimensional printers" allow designers to quickly create
tangible prototypes of their designs, rather than just two-dimensional
pictures. These make excellent visual aids for communicating ideas with
co-workers or customers. Rapid Prototyping is an additive manufacturing
process that generates a model of an object directly from a CAD model
by building it in layers.

RP has also been referred to as solid free-form manufacturing;

computer automated manufacturing, and layered manufacturing. Most
prototypes require from three to seventy-two hours to build, depending
on the size and complexity of the object. This may seem slow, but it is
much faster than the weeks or months required to make a prototype by
traditional means such as machining. These dramatic time savings allow
manufacturers to bring products to market faster. Of course, rapid
prototyping is not perfect. Part volume is generally limited to 0.125 cubic
meters or less, depending on the RP machine. Metal prototypes are
difficult to make, though this should change in the near future.

Limitations aside, rapid prototyping is a remarkable technology

that is revolutionizing the manufacturing process.

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 CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 PRINCIPLE

1.2 PROCESS

2. RAPID PROTOTYPING TECHNIQUES

2.1 Steriolithiography (SLS).

2.2 Selective Laser Sinterin (SLM).

2.3 Laminated Object Manufacturing

(LOM).

2.4 Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM).

2.5 Electron Beam Melting (EBM).

3. CASE STUDIES

3.1 Rapid prototyping helps separate

conjoined twins

3.2 Landing Gear Prepared for

Flight

4. CONCLUSION

5. REFERENCES

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 1. INTRODUCTION

In many fields, there is great uncertainty as to whether a new design

will actually do what is desired. New designs often have unexpected
problems. A prototype is often used as part of the product design
process to allow engineers and designers the ability to explore design
alternatives, test theories and confirm performance prior to starting
production of a new product. This prototype may be a scaled version
made up of alternative material or may be full scaled product made up of
actual material. This manufacturing process is very time consuming
including stages like planning, machining, assembly & also high cost of
this process limits the number of design alternatives. Therefore people
thought of developing a process that would directly give the physical
prototype from CAD model. In other words they wanted 3D objects
representation just like laser prints on 2D sheets, this process is termed
as “RAPID PROTOTYPING”.
The primary use of rapid prototyping is to quickly make prototypes
for communication and testing purposes. It is now easy to perform
iterative testing: build a prototype, test it, redesign, build and test, etc.
Such an approach would be far too time-consuming using traditional
prototyping techniques, but it is easy using RP.

1.1 PRINCIPLE

Rapid prototyping is an "additive" process, combining layers of

paper, wax, or plastic to create a solid object. In contrast, most

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machining processes (milling, drilling, grinding, etc.) are "subtractive"
processes that remove material from a solid block. RP’s additive nature
allows it to create objects with complicated internal features that cannot
be manufactured by other means.

The object is designed in any solid modeling software (CAD) and

the data is converted into a standard format widely known as standard
triangularisation language (STL). Rapid prototyping software receives
data in this format and creates a complete set of instructions for
fabrication on rapid prototyping machine such as tool path, processing
speed, layer thickness, etc. Rapid prototyping machine then
manufactures the object using layer manufacturing method. Upon
completion of a three-dimensional model, it is subjected to post-
processing treatment for removing support material that was used to
support overhang features during fabrication. Depending on the rapid
prototyping system and user requirements, the model may require
finishing work such as cleaning, painting or curing in oven.

1.2 PROCESS

Although several rapid prototyping techniques exist, all employ the same
basic five-step process. The steps are:

1. Create a CAD model of the design

2. Convert the CAD model to STL format
3. Slice the STL file into thin cross-sectional layers
4. Construct the model one layer atop another
5. Clean and finish the model

CAD Model Creation: First, the object to be built is modeled using a

Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software package. This process is identical
for all of the RP build techniques.

Conversion to STL Format: The various CAD packages use a number

of different algorithms to represent solid objects. To establish
consistency, the STL (stereolithography, the first RP technique) format
has been adopted as the standard of the rapid prototyping industry. The
second step, therefore, is to convert the CAD file into STL format. This
format represents a three-dimensional surface as an assembly of planar
triangles. Because STL files use planar elements, they cannot represent
curved surfaces exactly. Increasing the number of triangles improves the
approximation, but at the cost of bigger file size. Large, complicated files
require more time to pre-process and build, so the designer must
balance accuracy with manageablility to produce a useful STL file. Since
the .stl format is universal, this process is identical for all of the RP build
techniques.

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Slice the STL File: In the third step, a pre-processing program
prepares the STL file to be built. Several programs are available, and
most allow the user to adjust the size, location and orientation of the
model. Build orientation is important for several reasons. First,
properties of rapid prototypes vary from one coordinate direction to
another. For example, prototypes are usually weaker and less accurate
in the z (vertical) direction than in the x-y plane. In addition, part
orientation partially determines the amount of time required to build the
model. Placing the shortest dimension in the z direction reduces the
number of layers, thereby shortening build time. The pre-processing
software slices the STL model into a number of layers from 0.01 mm to
0.7 mm thick, depending on the build technique. The program may also
generate an auxiliary structure to support the model during the build.
Supports are useful for delicate features such as overhangs, internal
cavities, and thin-walled sections. Each RP machine manufacturer
supplies their own proprietary pre-processing software.

Layer by Layer Construction: The fourth step is the actual

construction of the part. Using one of several techniques (described in
the next section) RP machines build one layer at a time from polymers,
paper, or powdered metal. Most machines are fairly autonomous,
needing little human intervention.

Clean and Finish: The final step is post-processing. This involves

removing the prototype from the machine and detaching any supports.
Some photosensitive materials need to be fully cured before use.
Prototypes may also require minor cleaning and surface treatment.
Sanding, sealing, and/or painting the model will improve its appearance
and durability.

2. TECHNIQUES

There are several technologies available for model preparation

based on the principle of ‘growing’ or ‘additive machining’. The major
difference among these technologies is in three aspects:

1. Material used
2. Part building
3. Support technologies

There are popular RP processes today, viz

1. Stereolithography (SLA).
2. Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM).
3. Selective Laser Sintering (SLS).
4. Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM).

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 2.1 Stereolithogr
aphy

Patented in 1986,
stereolithography started
the rapid prototyping
revolution. The technique
builds three-dimensional
models from liquid
photosensitive polymers
that solidify when
exposed to ultraviolet
light. The model is built
upon a platform situated
just below the surface in a
vat of liquid epoxy or acrylate resin. A low-power highly focused UV laser
traces out the first layer, solidifying the model’s cross section while
leaving excess areas liquid.

Next, an elevator incrementally lowers the platform into the liquid

polymer. A sweeper re-coats the solidified layer with liquid, and the laser
traces the second layer atop the first. This process is repeated until the
prototype is complete. Afterwards, the solid part is removed from the vat
and rinsed clean of excess liquid. Supports are broken off and the model
is then placed in an
ultraviolet oven for
complete curing.

2.2 Laminated
Object
Manufacturing

In this technique, layers of adhesive-coated sheet material are

bonded together to form a prototype. The original material consists of
paper laminated with heat-activated glue and rolled up on spools. As
shown in the figure below, a feeder/collector mechanism advances the
sheet over the build platform, where a base has been constructed from
paper and double-sided foam tape. Next, a heated roller applies pressure

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to bond the paper to the base. A focused laser cuts the outline of the
first layer into the paper and then cross-hatches the excess area (the
negative space in the prototype). Cross-hatching breaks up the extra
material, making it easier to remove during post-processing. During the
build, the excess material provides excellent support for overhangs and
thin-walled sections. After the first
layer is cut, the platform lowers out
of the way and fresh material is
advanced. The platform rises to
slightly below the previous height.
The roller bonds the second layer to
the first, and the laser cuts the
second layer. This process is
repeated as needed to build the
part, which will have a wood-like
texture. Because the models are
made of paper, they must be sealed
and finished with paint or varnish to
prevent moisture damage.

2.3 Selective Laser Sintering

Developed by Carl Deckard for his master’s thesis at the University of

Texas, selective laser sintering was patented in 1989. The technique,
shown, uses a laser beam to selectively fuse powdered materials, such
as nylon, elastomer, and metal, into a solid object. Parts are built upon a
platform which sits just below the surface in a bin of the heat-fusable
powder. A laser traces the pattern of the first layer, sintering it together.
The platform is lowered by the height of the next layer and powder is
reapplied. This process continues until the part is complete. Excess
powder in each layer helps to support the part during the build.

2.4 Fused Deposition

Modeling

In this technique, filaments

of heated thermoplastic are

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extruded from a tip that moves in the x-y plane. Like a baker decorating
a cake, the controlled extrusion head deposits very thin beads of
material onto the build platform to form the first layer. The platform is
maintained at a lower temperature, so that the thermoplastic quickly
hardens. After the platform lowers, the extrusion head deposits a second
layer upon the first. Supports are built along the way, fastened to the
part either with a second, weaker material or with a perforated junction.

2.5 Electron Beam Melting (EBM)

Electron Beam Melting (EBM) is a type of rapid prototyping for

metal parts. It is often classified as a rapid manufacturing method. The
technology manufactures parts by melting metal powder layer per layer
with an electron beam in a high vacuum. Unlike some metal sintering
techniques, the parts are fully solid, void-free, and extremely strong.
Electron Beam Melting is also referred to as Electron Beam Machining.

High speed electrons .5-8 times the speed of light are bombarded
on the surface of the work material generating enough heat to melt the
surface of the part and cause the material to locally vaporize. EBM does
require a vacuum, meaning that the work piece is limited in size to the
vacuum used. The surface finish on the part is much better than that of
other manufacturing processes. EBM can
be used on metals, non-metals,
ceramics, and composites.

3.CASE STUDIES

3.1 RAPID PROTOTYPING HELPS SEPARATE

CONJOINED TWINS.

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 Maria Teresa and Maria de Jesus Quiej-Alvarez were 4.4 pounds at
birth and, despite their small size, were healthy in every way -- except
for being joined at the head. A volunteer team of neurosurgeons and
plastic surgeons at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Mattel
Children Hospital successfully separated them in a 22-hour-long
operation. Without rapid prototyping, say the doctors, the operation
would have been much more difficult.

In the case of the two Marias, x-rays showed that the girls did, in
fact, have separate and complete brains, normal in size and structure
and separated by a membrane. This meant that the surgeons would not
have to cut through any brain tissue. The arteries that carried
oxygenated blood to their brains were also separate, but the veins that
drained the blood were interwoven and fed into each other’s circulatory
systems. The most complex part of the operation would be to sort out
these veins and reroute each girl’s blood supply. And this is where rapid
prototyping played an essential
role.

The surgical team was

headed by Dr. Henry Kawamoto.
For the neurosurgeons, physical
models would help sort out the
maze of interconnected blood
vessels. So the team contacted
Biomedical Modeling Inc.
Biomedical Modeling is one of a
handful of companies worldwide
whose sole business is fabricating
rapid prototypes for medical use. The UCLA physicians supplied BMI with
a series of computed tomography (CT) scans of the two girls.
Complicating the task was the fact that the
two girls, while connected, couldn’t be
arranged in the CT system so that a single
scan of their heads could be made. Instead,
three sets of scan data were collected at
different angles and BMI had to register
and combine them into a single three-
dimensional model. BMI has used various
rapid prototyping technologies, most often
stereolithography, because it delivers crisp
models with good definition. But this case
presented some challenges that made the
use of stereolithography problematic if not impossible. With a
stereolithography model, the maze of blood vessels would have required
support structures that would have been next to impossible to remove.

InterPro, a rapid prototyping service provider operates Objet

Tempo rapid prototyping system. builds parts by selectively jetting tiny

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droplets of acrylate photopolymer and then curing the drops, layer by
layer, with light.

Unlike stereolithography, which uses the primary building material

for supports that must be cut or sanded away, the Tempo employs a
second photopolymer for supports that never fully harden. Once a part is

complete, this gel-like support

material can be wiped off or removed by water jet. InterPro built three
parts, one of each girl’s skull and one of the conjoined junction.

The doctors used the model of the intersection of the two skulls to
help plan how they would reroute the necessary blood vessels. The
operation took about 22 hours to complete.

Dr Kawamoto says, "No matter how good our 3D graphics are,

there is nothing like holding a model in your hands". Today, both girls
are doing well, and the prognosis for both is excellent.

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 3.2 Landing Gear Prepared for
Flight

Aircraft landing gear is an extremely complex

system comprised of mechanical, electrical and
hydraulic assemblies. Retracting and extending
on every flight, the range of motion for these
assemblies presents unique design challenges
that are further complicated by the punishment that landing gear
endures, which makes it one of the most maintenance intensive parts on
an aircraft. To minimize aircraft downtime and ensure reliability of the
gear, Messier-Dowty, the world leader in landing gear systems, uses
sophisticated tools for design, analysis and testing.

In preparation for the test flight of the new Superjet 100

regional aircraft, which is manufactured by Sukhoi Civil Aircraft of
Russia, Messier-Dowty Toronto validated the performance of the main
landing gear with both digital and physical mock-ups. To make the 4.87
meter (16-foot) -high physical mock-up, Messier-Dowty turned to RedEye
for Rapid Prototyping with its Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) process.
Dressings—the hydraulic, brake and electrical systems in the landing
gear—are critical components, which is why they are the primary focus of
design validation and testing. As the gear folds and unfolds from the
aircraft’s fuselage, the dressings are subject to chaffing, binding and
pinching that can contribute to system failure. Although Messier-Dowty
uses digital mock-ups for analysis of stresses, motion and kinematics,
they are unsuitable for emulating the dynamic motion of the hoses and
electrical harnesses. That is why Messier-Dowty employs physical mock-
ups to evaluate the dressings. Marianna Lakerdas, senior designer for
systems installation, stated, “We know from past experience that a full-
size, physical mock-up with all the dressings is an invaluable tool. The
mock-ups let us see exactly what the hoses and harnesses will do.”
Mock-ups also help the engineering team confirm clearances between
mechanical and electrical components. Chris Brookfield, principal
designer, stated, “Seeing actual, full - scale parts puts everything in
perspective.”

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 RedEye in less than one month, delivered 29 landing gear
components, with the largest measuring 457.2 x 609.6 x 1905 mm (18 x
24 x 75 inch). Jeff Hanson of RedEye said, “Because of the size of the
components, most had to be sectioned, and our model shop had to join
them. In all, we processed 58 individual pieces to make the 29-
component landing gear. We used polycarbonate, because of its strength
and durability. Polycarbonate is dimensionally and mechanically stable
over time. This ensured that Messier-Dowty would have a functional
mock-up for the duration of the design review”. The part list included
the landing gear’s piston, main fitting, linkages and trunnion. With the
exception a few off-the-shelf hardware items, the entire mock-up was
made with FDM

He also included parts from the aircraft, such as the rear spar and
bay doors, in order to perform on-site retraction tests. The accuracy of
the FDM parts was 0.25 mm (.010 inch). Mounting the FDM mock-up on
the test rigs allowed the design team to detect problems and make
changes well before testing started.

4.CONCLUSION

Product features, quality, cost & time to market are important

factors of a manufacturer to remain competitive. Rapid Prototyping
system offers the opportunities to make products faster & usually at
blower cost rather than using conventional methods. Since RP can
substantially reduce the product development cycle time, more & more
business is taking advantages of speed at which product design
generated by computers can be held, viewed, studied, tested &
compared. RP is rapid development area. Capacities & potential of RP
technologies have attached a wide range of industries to invest in these
technologies.

As these technologies emerge as one of

the best time compression technologies, It is
expected that greater effort is needed in
research & development of these technologies
so that they will be widely used in production
oriented manufacturing industries.

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 5 REFERENCES
Reference books

1. RAPID PROTOTYPING

- AMITABHA GHOSH

2. RESEARCH & DEVELPOMENT IN RAPID PROTOTYPING

- P. M. DICKENS

WEB SITES

http:/www.wikipedia.com

http:/www.redeyerpm.com

http:/www. www.biomodel.com/twins.html

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