Rapid Prototyping Techniques
Modern technological progress makes designing and creation of products much faster that it has been twenty years ago. Due to the constant competition on the world market, manufacturers from all over the world do everything possible to release their products in the market as soon as possible. It cannot be denied that such situation makes rapid prototyping technology very useful. Previously the process of rapid prototyping production took much time, while prototypes were mostly created manually with all needed carving and tooling. Thus, prototyping process took up to several weeks.
There a number of ways to create an object from different parts, but still, the essence of rapid prototyping process remains the same – you have to take a rapid prototyping machine, a computer with preinstalled 3D graphical program and create a model from layers glued together. One of the first rapid prototyping techniques is stereo lithography or STL. A special laser beam hardens a prototyping material in the process of model production. The material used can be different, but stereo lithography usually uses resin. Small details are being produced layer by layer in the course of STL technology. This rapid prototyping proved to be one of the most popular ones. One more RP technique is called LOm or laminated object manufacture. Materials used by these techniques are paper or wood. Prototyping machine carves thin layers from these materials and glue them together as well as it is done in other rapid prototyping techniques. One more RP sub technology is called selective laser sintering and the process of prototyping, being implemented with the help of laser beam, is very much similar to STL technology. The list of rapid prototyping techniques, applied depending on the peculiarities of prototyping process, is endless, including FDM or fused deposition modeling and many others techniques differing mostly in materials used. Fused deposition modeling is a melting of a certain prototyping material and layered building of prototyping models.
3D modeling is a technology that helps you create prototyping model very fast and in different colors, but the solidity of material is not as high as in other prototyping techniques. Specialist are convinced that taking into consideration the speed of prototyping development, three-dimensional printing will soon be affordable to all people around the globe not only for industrial usage, but at home as well. It will give you an opportunity to produce a lost button or fastener if you have lost one in a few minutes. The predicted price of such devise is under 5000 dollars, which gives an opportunity to buy it for home usage. Companies producing such inexpensive machines will not only supply their products but also will install it and provide all necessary service, so that you won’t have to bother yourself with search of a good master if needed.
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