Rapid

Prototyping
(RP)
  UNIT I INTRODUCTION:

2 3/28/2018
PROTOTYPE
 Is an important and vital part of the product development
process
 Prototype is the first or original example of something
that has been or will be copied or be develop : it is a
model or preliminary version .

3 3/28/2018
 Rapid Prototyping (RP)
A family of fabrication processes
developed to make engineering
prototypes in minimum lead time
based on a CAD model of the item
 Traditional method is machining
 Can require significant lead-times –
several weeks, depending on part
complexity and difficulty in ordering
materials
 RP allows a part to be made in hours
or days, given that a computer model
of the part has been generated on a
CAD system

4 3/28/2018
 Why is Rapid Prototyping Important?
 Product designers want to have a physical
model of a new part or product design rather
than just a computer model or line drawing
 Creating a prototype is an integral step in
design
 A virtual prototype (a CAD model of the part)
may not be sufficient for the designer to
visualize the part adequately
 Using RP to make the prototype, the designer
can see and feel the part and assess its merits
and shortcomings

5 3/28/2018
6 3/28/2018
7 3/28/2018
8 3/28/2018
10 3/28/2018
11 3/28/2018
12 3/28/2018
13 3/28/2018
14 3/28/2018
15
16 3/28/2018
17 3/28/2018
Impact of Rapid Prototyping on Product
Development

 PRODUCT DEFINITION

 Product definition simply means ‘‘figuring out what to

make before making it.’’ A product definition is a layout of
what the purpose of the product is, whom it is targeted
toward, and how it will be built and manufactured. By
reaching a definition for a product, not only has there
been considerable customer interaction regarding the
product, but many prototypes have already been
completed to get the best possible design

18 3/28/2018
how product prototyping activities can impact product development cost, quality, and time-to-
market.

 PROTOTYPE DESIGN AND INNOVATION

 Design is to invent. As one thinks about the essential nature of an alternative design, one mentally
formulates an invention. In the product invention process, many technical problems need to be resolved.

 Most technical problems have alternative solutions, and often there are several solutions and trade-
offsassociated with each solution.A viable solution is
 simple,
 easy to produce with good quality,
 and low cost.
1. Product prototyping can be used as an evaluation tool in the engineering design process.
 2. Prototyping plays a key role in product innovation.
 3. Prototyping helps to quickly develop a product by providing a good tool for problem solving and can
validate a concept.
 4. Prototype can play a vital role in innovation because it can be used as a visual to help communicate the
product’s purpose and feel. By doing this, different teams can look at the prototypes and use them as a
stepping stone to further develop new product.

19 3/28/2018
 In most companies, the failure to introduce new products does
not follow from a single reason.
 In a study by Boston-based AMR research Burkett06,
 32% of respondents designated ‘‘products late to
market=missing demand’’ as the top reason for new
product launch failure. This was followed closely by product
pricing, quality, and missing customer needs.

 Note that when a company determined that the products be

commercialized, the technology risks may have been
considered to be minimal as most of the technical issues
should have been worked out. This fact is reflected in the role
of the technology issues to be minor.

20 3/28/2018
The market obstacles include
 missing demands,
 product pricing, and
 late- to-market.

The management issues include

 poor market analysis,
 under staff, and
 lack of capital resources.

 Some of the market issues can be indirectly related to technology.

For example, the product development cost and time-to-market
may be impacted by the technology used.


21 3/28/2018
 IMPACT ON COST, QUALITY, AND TIME

 The direct impact of a shorter product development time

includes the opportunity to sell the product at premium
prices early in the life cycle, and enjoy longer market life
cycle. In addition the benefits include faster breakeven on
development investment and lower financial risk, which
leads to greater overall profits and higher return on
investment (ROI).

22 3/28/2018
 KEY PROCESS REQUIREMENTS FOR RAPID
PROTOTYPING

 Traditional design ideologies require that engineers construct a

variety of physical prototypes to test and evaluate design concepts.
Due to the nature of such a process, the design and analysis of new
products can become very time-consuming and expensive.

 Therefore, a traditional product design approach often yields very

long product development time. Currently, new technologies
involving rapid and virtual prototyping are revolutionizing the are
designed.

23 3/28/2018
 The traditional prototyping techniques were successful in the design
and analysis of products consisting of less than 100 components.
 However, when companies are building large assemblies, they face a
bigger challenge in the managing of their products, and virtual
prototyping technologies have proven to be very effective.

 For example, the Boeing 777 airplane consists of 3 million

parts, and the fabrication involved 545 suppliers, Thousands of
engineers participated in the activities, using 100% digital product
definition for digital preassembly. The 777 was designed by cross-
functional teams using thousands of terminals and a computer-aided,
3-D interactive application (CATIA) system that allowed
engineers to simulate the assembly for the 777 without resorting to
physical prototypes.


24 3/28/2018
Rapid prototyping which can rapidly create physical
prototypes along with virtual prototyping can be very
effective in accelerating the product development
process. It can increase visualization capability during the
early phases of design by using rapid physical models. It can
test and improve design before the manufacture of tooling.

 Be first-to-market and you will own the market. That’s

world-class thinking. Manufacturers that excel in time-to-
market use information as a critical tool to
 prevent delays through lack of communications,
 control costs by staying advised of issues, and
 Deliver-to-promise by collaborating with partners and
customers

25 3/28/2018
 RP Applications
1.Communications
 RP applications are commonly used for communication purposes. Most people
tend to learn more in a shorter amount of time from a physical model than
from drawings.
 For example, Ford reported a savings of 30%–50% in vendor quotes when using
RP models to communicate with the vendors. This is due to the fact that when
a vendor understands more about an actual part, the quotation tends to be
lower as they feel more confident about the bid.

2. Receiving input from toolmakers and suppliers

 Another application of RP is to receive direct input from toolmakers and
suppliers. RP parts will be a much more effective communication tool than plain
drawings, because a tool designer often can provide good suggestions on minor
changes to the product designer to reduce tooling effort and cost.


26
3/28/2018
RP Applications
3.Tooling applications
 Tooling can also directly benefit from RP technology. Just like a part can be
designed in a CAD system to make the physical part, the mold of the part can
also be made in the CAD system. Therefore, instead of making the RP part, one
can make the mold that can be used to make a tool using other processes. For
example, an investment
 casting mold can be made directly from a thermal plastic model.

4.Verify CAD data

 An RP part can also be used to verify CAD databases, especially misaligned
holes, interferences, structured ribs in the wrong place, improper mating of
parts, and whatever was forgotten in creating the model. Sometimes these
errors are difficult to detect in the CAD model, but can easily be spotted with a
physical RP part.
5. Styling and ergonomics studies
 An RP process is especially useful in styling and ergonomics studies. For
example, many of the products must fit in some way to the human body such as
a helmet, breathing apparatus, gear for the military, driving masks, etc. These
products need trial and error to ensure fit and comfort, and thus the RP
process will be able to provide immediate feedback to accelerate the
development process. Recognizing that many design decisions are initially
incomplete or wrong, and assuming that design errors will need to be quickly
detected or corrected, one will be able to better manage the changes using RP
processes. In other words, RP processes can help shorten the overall design and
development process by encouraging changes before serious coding begins
27 3/28/2018
28 3/28/2018
29 3/28/2018
30 3/28/2018
31 3/28/2018
walkway truss bracing elements being precisely replicated.

32 3/28/2018
33 3/28/2018
medical field, generating patient specific instrumentation

34 3/28/2018
The main objectives of this project are:To develop a patient-
specific (based on medical CT images) experimental model of the upper
and lower airways using rapid prototyping techniques;
To conduct (regional) flow measurements using particle image locimetry;
To predict the effect of thoracic surgery and endoscopic volume reduction
therapies upon post-intervention lung functionality.

35 3/28/2018
Rapid Prototyping Technologies

1. Stereolithography (SL)
2. Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM)
3. Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
4. Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
5. Solid Ground Curing (SGC)
6. 3D Printing (3DP)

36 3/28/2018
Shape Deposition manufacting

Shape Deposition Manufacturing (SDM) is a developing Rapid Prototyping technology in

which mechanisms are simultaneously fabricated and assembled. the basic SDM cycle
consists of alternate deposition and shaping (in this case, machining) of layers of part
material and sacrificial support material.

The basic steps for building parts with Shape are to form each layer the growing shape is
transferred to several processing stations.

1. First, the material for each layer is deposited as a near-net shape using a novel weld-based
deposition process called microcasting (Fig. 1a).
2. The part is then transferred to a shaping station, such as a 5-axes CNC milling machine,
where material is removed to form the net shape (Fig. 1b).
3. In the next step the part is transferred to a stress-relief station, such as shot-peening, to
control the buildup of residual stresses (Fig. 1c).
4. The part is then transferred back to the deposition station, where mplementary shaped,
sacrificial support material is also deposited.

37
This cycle of material deposition and removal results in three key features:
•Building parts in incremental layers allows us complete access to the internal geometry of any
mechanism.
•This access allows us to embed actuators, sensors and other pre-fabricated functional
components inside the structure.

•By varying the materials used in the deposition process, we can spatially vary the material
properties of the mechanism itself.

The resulting mechanisms can have almost arbitrary geometry, embedded actuators and sensor
and locally-varying stiffness properties, making them more robust and simpler to control.

38
This shape can be formed as follows:
In the first layer, which contains only non-undercut features (Fig. 3), the primary material is
deposited (Fig. 3a) and shaped (Fig. 3b) first. This layer is completed by depositing the support
material (Fig. 3c) and planing the to surface (Fig. 3d).

Figure 3: Manufacture of non-undercut features

39 RPT BY JAFFERSON 3/28/2018

The second layer, which contains only undercut features (Fig. 4), is created by depositing
(Fig. 4a) and shaping (Fig. 4b) the support material first. This forms a molding cavity into which
the primary material is then deposited (Fig. 4c) and the layer is finished by planing the top
surface (Fig. 4d).

40 RPT BY JAFFERSON 3/28/2018

For the third layer the support material must be subdivided (Fig. 5). The section of the support
material with no undercuts is deposited and shaped first (Fig. 5a). Next, the primary material is
deposited and the non-undercut surfaces are shaped (Fig. 5b). Finally the remaining portion of the
support material is deposited and the layer is planed (Fig. 5c). In general, for layers containing a
combination of undercut and non-undercut surfaces, the individual materials have to be split into
smaller segments. Each segment contains undercut surfaces only in those areas which are
adjacent to previously deposited segments of the layer.

41 RPT BY JAFFERSON 3/28/2018

 Embedded Electronics

Advanced Tooling

Structural Ceramics Built with Mold

SDM

42 3/28/2018
 Structural Ceramics Built with
Extrusion SDM

43 RPT BY JAFFERSON 3/28/2018

 Rapid Tooling
 The term Rapid Tooling (RT) is typically used to
describe a process which either uses a Rapid
Prototyping (RP) model as a pattern to create a
mold quickly or uses the Rapid Prototyping process
directly to fabricate a tool for a limited volume of
prototypes.
 RT is distinguished from conventional tooling in that:
 Tooling time is much shorter than for a conventional
tool. Typically, time to first articles is below one-fifth
that of conventional tooling.
 Tooling cost is much less than for a conventional
tool. Cost can be below five percent of
 Conventional tooling cost.
 Tool life is considerably less than for a conventional
tool.
 Tolerances are wider than for a conventional tool

44 3/28/2018
 Rapid Tooling

Fig: Manufacturing steps in sand casting that causes that uses rapid-prototyped patterns

45
 Rapid Tooling

Fig: Manufacturing steps in sand casting that causes that uses rapid-prototyped patterns

46 3/28/2018
 REVERSE ENGINEERING

•Reverse Engineering (RE) is the process of

generating a Computer Aided Design (CAD) model
from an existing physical part.
•It enables the reconstruction of an object by
capturing the component's physical dimensions
and geometrical features .
•Reverse engineering, widely noted as an
effective cost saving tool, is a systematic
approach used to analyze the dimensions,
contours, and design of an existing
device(product)
•Today reverse engineering is used not as a tool to
be employed to an existing problem, but as
practical methodology to new challenges of
unique parts (with no design or developing
computer drawings/molds of parts and tools
where none exist).
 Need for Reverse Engineering

 Manufacture of service components after discontinuation

of the product line.
 Redesign of an existing design which lacks adequate
product data documentation
 Corrupt data file or loss of CAD design for a product
 Generation of cheaper alternate products as a substitute
for monopoly products
In order to accurately recreate the existing part, a
computerized (CAD)model of the part's geometry
must be developed in some manner.
This CAD file provides the coordinates of multiple
points on the product surface,used to develop the
drawing of the product for redesign or
manufacturing.
This data may then be analyzed and improved
within the CAD program. The improved CAD design,
along withother manufacturing information, is then
used to create the manufacturingprocess plan and
the Computer Numeric Control (CNC) tool path.
 Digitization techniques
 Non-contact reverse engineering digitization Techniques
 Contact reverse engineering digitization Techniques

Contact methods, the more traditional manner of collecting data that has been utilized for
several years, requires contact between the surface and a measuring device, usually a
probe or stylus.
Contact methods generally measure the surface of the object using a contact probe, a
highly sensitive pressure-sensing device that is activated by any contact with an object.
The linear distances from three axes to the position of the probe are find out, thus giving
the x, y, and z coordinates of the surface.
 Non-contact

Active Technique - Laser Scanning

Passive Technique -3D Photogrammetry
Medical Imaging
1. Magnetic Resonance Imaging
2. Computed Tomography
3. Ultrasound Scanning
4. Medical Image Data File
5.Three-Dimensional Reconstruction
•The software for non-contact reverse engineering systems greatly
simplify the data gathering.
•Most parts are composed of standard shapes such as arcs, circles,
spheres, and rods.
•A menu of standard shapes is generally available so that a user can
specify one of these shapes, measure several points, then have the
software complete the shape.
•Those shapes that are not standard can be digitized using one of
several scan techniques in which the part is traced and the software is
instructed to section the trace as parallel planes, radial sections, or
concentric circles.
•The best approach to digitizing a complex shape is to divide it into
simple zones and use the appropriate scanner technique.
 Medical imaging
Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI) creates images of the body using
the principles of nuclear magnetic resonance. MRI can generate thins
section images of any part of the body-including organs, bones, and
ligaments-from any angle and direction, without surgical invasion and
in a relatively short period of time.

The Computed Tomography (CT) scanner, an intricate extension of the

conventional X-ray device, offers clear views of any part of the
anatomy, including soft organ tissues. The full body scanner rotates
180' around a patient's body, sending out a thin Xray beam at
hundreds of different points.
 CONTACT BASED
A Coordinate Measuring Machine gives physical representation of
a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system.
The CMM measures the surface of the object using a contact
probe, a highly sensitive pressure sensing device that is activated
by any contact with an object.
The linear distances from three axes to the position of the probe
are ascertained, thusgiving the x, y, and z coordinates of the
surface.
Electromagnetic digitizers determine the surface data of
non-metallic objects (placed in a magnetic field) by
tracing a hand-held stylus containing a magnetic field
sensor across the surface of the object. The magnetic
field sensor, in conjunction with an electronic unit,
detects the position and orientation of the stylus.

The sonic digitizer uses sound waves to calculate

the position of a point relative to a reference
point.
 Direct Metal Deposition (DMD)

DMD is a form of rapid tooling process that makes parts and molds from metal
powder that is melted by a laser, and then solidified in place. This process closely
resembles conventional rapid prototyping processes (material processed by laser
under computer control) but differs in that metal powder, and even tool steel, can
be melted rather than plastic polymers.

DMD allows the production or reconfiguration of parts, molds and dies that are
made out of the actual end material, such as tool steel or aluminum. It always
produces a new part or part reconfiguration directly from a CAD drawing.
DMD is the blending of five common technologies: lasers, computer-aided
design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), sensors, and powder
metallurgy. The resulting process creates parts by focusing an industrial CO2
laser beam onto a flat tool-steel workpiece or preformed shape to create a
molten pool of metal.
•A small stream of powdered tool steel is
then injected into the melt pool to increase
the size of the molten pool.
• By moving the laser beam back and
forth, under CNC control, and tracing out a
pattern controlled by a computerized CAD
design, the solid metal part is built one
layer at a time.
• With this process, the molten pool cools
and solidifies rapidly producing metal parts
of superior quality and strength with no
material waste as in conventional
machining.
• The parts have consistent, fine
microstructures, with superior quality and
tool strength.
• More importantly, with DMD, the metallic
composition can be altered by injecting
different types of metal powders into the
 The DMD Process
A CNC-controlled overhead gantry is used to control a nozzle and focusing optics
associated with a C02 laser according to CAM tool path data associated with the CAD
model geometry. Metallic powder, usually a tool alloy or pure copper, is moved from
on-board powder feeders by an inert gas at pre-defined rate to the nozzle. The
metallic powder is added to the dynamic melt pool established by a traversing beam
energy source.
The result is a 3D deposition of tool steel, identical in shape and geometry to that of
the CAD model. As a result the cooling rates associated with the process, the tool steel
deposition structure is typical to that of an as-quenched condition.
The Big Three of Manufacturing DMD for the processing of molds, dies and prototype
parts provides is thought be the Big Three of Manufacturing:

• Speed - as in faster product to market. A study performed by the National Center of

Manufacturing Science indicates die production time can be reduced by 40% with
DMD.
• Economy - lower tooling costs due to factors including the reduction of labor and
capital equipment costs.
• Quality - the parts produced are generally .001 in. oversized for a quick clean-up.
 DMD APPLICATIONS
The DMD process can be used for prototype or production tooling in a variety of
industrial applications, including:
• DIE REPAIR AND REFURBISHMENT - Downtime costs can mount quickly when a
mold or die cracks or becomes worn.The DMD process is the only existing method that
can repair, reconfigure or resurface existing parts, molds or dies by adding metal that
matches the parent tool.
• THERMAL MANAGEMENT - The DMD process provides the ability to produce cooling
channels or CoolMold™ technology, for injection molding and aluminum die cast
cavities.
• DIRECT METAL PROTOTYPES - Manufacturing companies can now produce rapid
metal prototypes instead of plastic SLA (steriolithography) models. Using DMD, it is
possible to make a fully functional prototype directly from the CAD design.
• SURFACE MODIFICATION AND COATINGS - DMD can improve wear resistance,
corrosion resistance, and heat checking of part surfaces through the deposition of a
wearresistant hard-facing layer.
• AEROSPACE AND AIRCRAFT COMPONENT REPAIR - The DMD process is ideally
suited for repair work in the aerospace industry, due to the strong metallurgical bond and
fine, uniform microstructures it can produce.