RAPID PROTOTYPING AND ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING Flashcards
What is rapid prototyping? Provide a definition of the term.
Rapid prototyping consists of a family of fabrication processes developed to make engineering prototypes in minimum possible lead times based on a computer-aided design (CAD) model of the item.
What are the three types of starting materials in rapid prototyping?
The three types of starting materials in RP are (1) liquid, (2) solid, and (3) powders.
Besides the starting material, what other feature distinguishes the rapid prototyping technologies?
The part-build process also distinguishes the different RP technologies. Some techniques use lasers to solidify the starting liquid, while others bond the solid layers of sheet, and still others bond the powders together.
What is the common approach used in all of the material addition technologies to prepare the control instructions for the RP system?
The text describes the common approach as a three step process: (1) Geometric modeling, which consists of modeling the component on a CAD system to define its enclosed volume; (2) tessellation of the geometric model, in which the CAD model is converted into a format that approximates its surfaces by facets (triangles or polygons); and (3) slicing of the model into layers that approximate the solid geometry.
Of all of the current rapid prototyping technologies, which one is the most widely used?
Stereolithography.
Describe the RP technology called laminated-object manufacturing.
Laminated object manufacturing produces a solid physical model by stacking layers of sheet stock that are each cut to an outline corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of a CAD model that has been sliced into layers. The layers are bonded one on top of the previous prior to cutting. After cutting, the excess material in the layer remains in place to support the part during building. Starting material in LOM can be virtually any material in sheet stock form, such as paper, plastic, cellulose, metals, or fiber-reinforced materials. Stock thickness is 0.05 to 0.50 mm (0.002 to 0.020 in).
What is the starting material in fused-deposition modeling?
The starting material is a long filament of wax or polymer.
