Rapid prototyping (RP) and rapid tooling (RT) technologies, processes and developments have changed over the years, but there is one thing that has remained constant: the challenge to get functional prototypes and a method to obtain low-volume production parts fast, without breaking the bank.
The race in rapid tooling to get either functional prototypes or low-volume production parts has created many methods of rapid tooling, which have worked well and not so well. The downside to each of these methods has been the consistency and the lack of broad use from application to application.
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Investment Casting is often the most practical and cost effective method of creating steel components that utilize the SLA Rapid Prototyping process. The lost wax casting process will yield a net or near net shape that can meet the design needs of end users of castings. The drawback however, is that the capital cost of building permanent tooling to replicate the patterns in wax on an ongoing basis can be challenging due to costs. Costs increase when the engineer is attempting to verify that the end product will work as predicted. Often times, a tool to create a 20 pound investment casting can approach nearly $10,000. The most effective solution to keep costs down is Rapid Prototyping.
Stereolithography Apparatus, or more commonly known as SLA, is a commercially Rapid Prototyping process which is still widely used today to provide better accuracy and finish to a surface than the other rapid prototyping technologies on the market.
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Rapid Prototyping can be defined as the process of constructing physical objects automatically by making use of ’solid freeform fabrication’. The initial techniques regarding prototyping came into being in late 1980s. They were then used for producing prototype parts and models. In today’s world, they are being used for much wider applications. For instance- manufacture of quality parts. This technology is used by certain sculptors for producing complex shapes in order to display them in ‘fine arts exhibitions’.
Origin: Rapid prototyping has taken virtual designs through ‘animation modeling software’ or ‘computer aided design (CAD)’. Thereafter, transformation into virtual, thin, horizontal cross-sections takes place. Each cross-section then gets created in the physical space. This process goes on till the model gets completed. It is better known as WYSIWYG process. Let’s understand this process in detail.
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