Rapidfinal

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 officeCompress 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

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 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

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

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.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.

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. 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 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

Figure A

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 B

Finite Element Analysis

Produce prototypes

displaying color finite

element analysis data right

on the part. Improve

collaboration among

project teams, and identify project teams, and identify

design flaws earlier

Model: Electric MotorType: ZP 150 HIGH PERFORMANCE POWDER

Model: Flange and SprocketType: Vero Resin Black

Model: Single axle driveType: ZP 150 HIGH PERFORMANCE POWDER

Model: MouldType: VERO RESIN CLEAR

Model: Pipe Hangar BracketType: VERO RESIN GRAY

Choosing a ProcessDetermine 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.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.

What stage are you at in the prototyping process?

What factor(s) is/are most important to you?

Recommended attributes to consider when choosing a process.

Rapid Prototype

Design Process Flow

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 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.

COMMUNICATE IN ALL DIMENSIONS

Three-dimensional printing from digital

designs will transform manufacturing and

allow more people to start making things