Rapid Prototyping
Rapid Prototyping
BY:
G.S SHASHIDHARA., DME, BE,
AMIE(I), (MBA)
Email :
[email protected]
THIS E-BOOK IS SPONSORED
BY www.giedeeamsolar.com
UNIT - 4
Concepts Modelers: Principle, Thermal jet printer, Sander's model
market, 3-D printer. GenisysXs printer HP system, object Quadra
systems.
06 Hours
PART – B
UNIT - 5
Rapid Tooling: Indirect Rapid tooling, Silicon rubber tooling,
Aluminium filled epoxy tooling, Spray metal tooling, Cast kirksite, 3Q
keltool, etc. Direct Rapid Tooling Direct. AIM.
06 Hours
UNIT - 6
Rapid Tooling: Quick cast process, Copper polyamide, Rapid Tool,
DMILS, Prometal, Sand casting tooling, Laminate tooling soft Tooling vs.
hard tooling.
06 Hours
UNIT - 7
Software For RP: STL files, Overview of Solid view, magics, mimics,
magic communicator, etc. Internet based software, Collaboration tools.
06 Hours
UNIT - 8
Rapid Manufacturing Process Optimization: factors influencing
accuracy.
Data preparation errors, Part building errors, Error in finishing, influence
of build orientation.
08 Hours
TEXT BOOKS:
1. Stereo Lithography and other RP & M Technologies, Paul F.
Jacobs: SME, NY 1996.
2. Rapid Manufacturing, Flham D.T &Dinjoy S.S Verlog London
2001.
REFERENCE BOOKS:
1. Rapid Prototyping, Terry Wohlers Wohler's Report 2000"
Wohler's Association 2000.
2. Rapid Prototyping Materials, Gurumurthi, IISc Bangalore.
3. Rapid Automated, Lament wood. Indus press New York.
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UNIT 1
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Conventional Machining:
Its not suitable for complex shapes because they are difficult to
machine.
Time consuming
Very costly
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The developed 3D CAD model is tessellated and converted into STL files
that are required for RP processes. Tessellation is piecewise
approximation of surfaces of 3D CAD model using series of triangles. Size
of triangles depends on the chordal error or maximum fact deviation.
For better approximation of surface and smaller chordal error, small size
triangle are used which increase the STL file size. This tessellated CAD
data generally carry defects like gaps, overlaps, degenerate facets etc
which may necessitate the repair software. These defects are shown in
figure below. The STL file connects the surface of the model in an array
of triangles and consists of the X, Y and Z coordinates of the three vertices
of each surface triangle, as well as an index that describes the
orientation of the surface normal.
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Tessellation defects
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As the parts are going to be built in layers, and there may be areas that
could float away or of overhang which could distort. Therefore, some
processes require a base and support structures to be added to the file
which are built as part of the model and later removed.
(5) Manufacturing
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The parts are removed from the machine and post processing
operations are performed sometimes to add extra strength to the part
by filling process voids or finish the curing of a part or to hand finish the
parts to the desired level. The level of post processing will depend
greatly on the final requirements of the parts produced, for example,
metal tooling for injection molding will require extensive finishing to
eject the parts but a prototype part manufactured to see if it will
physically fit in a space will require little or no post processing.
History of RP system
It started in 1980’s
First technique is Stereo lithography (SLA)
It was developed by 3D systems of Valencia in California, USA in
1986.
Fused deposition modeling (FDM) developed by stratasys
company in 1988.
Laminated object manufacturing (LOM) developed by Helisis
(USA).
Solid ground Curing developed by Cubitol corporation of Israel.
Selective laser sintering developed by DTM of Austin, Texas (USA)
in 1989.
Sanders Model maker developed by Wilton incorporation USA in
1990.
Multi Jet Modeling by 3D systems.
3-D Printing by Solygen incorporation, MIT, USA.
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Applications
Most of the RP parts are finished or touched up before they are used for
their intended applications. Applications can be grouped into
(1)Design (2) Engineering, Analysis, and Planning and (3) Tooling and
Manufacturing . A wide rangeof industries can benefit from RP andthese
include, but are not limited to, aerospace, automotive, biomedical,
consumer, electrical and electronics products.
Classification of RP systems
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Classification of RP Processes
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STEREOLITHOGRAPHY
Introduction:
Principle:
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Parameters:
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Application Range
Advantages
Disadvantages
Software:
i. SLA CONTROL AND SET UP SOFTWARE: It operates on SLA 250
and SLA 500 machines. It has got three packages.
a) SLA VIEW: UNIX based system for viewing and positioning.
Epoxy Resin has better material properties and less hazardous but
require large exposure time for curing.
SLA HARDWARE:
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1) The process begins with the solid model in various CAD formats
2) The solid model must consist of enclosed volumes before it is
translated form CAD format into .STL FILE
3) The solid model is oriented into the positive octant of Cartesian co-
ordinate system and then translate out Z axis by at least 0.25 inches
to allow for building of supports
4) The solid model is also oriented for optimum build which involves
placing complex curvatures in XY plane where possible and rotating
for least Z height as well as to where least amount of supports are
required
5) The .STL FILE is verified
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6) The final .STL FILE one which supports in addition to original file are
then sliced into horizontal cross sections and saved as slice file.
7) The slice files are then masked to create four separate files that
control SLA machine ending with 5 extensions L, R, V and PRM.
8) Important one is V file. I.e. Vector file. The V file contains actual line
data that the laser will follow to cure the shape of the part.
9) R file is the range file which contains data for solid or open fields as
well as re-coater blade parameters.
The four build files are downloaded to SLA which begins building
supports with platen adjust above the surface level. The first few support
layers are actually cured into perforations into platen, thus providing a
solid anchor for the rest of the part.
By building, SLA uses laser to scan the cross section and fill across the
surface of resin which is cured or hardened into the cross sectional shape.
The platen is lowered as the slices are completed so that more resin is
available in the upper surface of the part to be cured. Final step is Post
Processing.
Post Processing:
Advantages:
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Disadvantages:
Applications:
1) Investment Casting.
2) Wind Tunnel Modelling.
3) Tooling.
4) Injection Mould Tools.
Diagram:
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Important Questions:
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UNIT-2
Introduction:
Selective Laser Sintering is a rapid prototyping process that builds
models from a wide variety of materials using an additive fabrication
method.Selective Laser Sintering was developed by university of Texas
Austin in 1987.The build media for Selective Laser Sintering comes in
powder form which is fused together by a powerful carbon dioxide laser
to form the final product.
DTM sinter station 2500 is the machine used for the process.
.STL CAD file format.DTM view software uses the .STL files. This software
do the required orientation and scaling of parts.
This machine has auto nesting capabilities which will place multiple part
optimally in the build chamber for best processing speed and results.
Once the .STL file is placed and parameters are set the model is directly
built from the file.
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The sinter station has built piston at the center and feed piston on the
either side. The model is built layer by layer like other rapid prototyping
process so that the build piston will begin at the top of its range and will
lower in increments of the set layer size as parts are built. With the build
piston at the top a thin layer of powder is spread across the build area
by the roller from one of the feed piston. The laser then cures in a raster
sweeps motion across the area of the parts being built.The part piston
lowers and more powder is deposited and the process is continued until
all of the part is built.The build media is removed from the machine. It
is a cake of powder. This cake is taken to the breakout station where
excess powder is removed from the part manually with brushesthe
excess powder that has been removed can be kept for recycling and can
be reused. Some material needs additional finishing. Some of the
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Applications:
1. As conceptual models.
2. Functional prototypes.
3. As Pattern masters.
Advantages:
5. Damage is less.
Disadvantages:
1. Initial cost of system is high.
2. High operational and maintenance cost.
3. Peripheral and facility requirement.
FUSED DEPOSITION MOULDING
Introduction:
Software Used:
FDM machine uses Quick Slice software to manipulate and prepare the
incoming STL date for use in FDM machines. Software can be operated
on various types of workstations from UNIX to PC based.
Build Materials:
3) Elastomer.
Extrusion Head:
Dry Blocks:
d) At the end of the heating chamber which is about 4 inch long is the
extrusion orifice or tip.
Tip:
a) The two tips are externally threaded and screwed up into the
heating chamber exit and are used to reduce the extruded filament
diameter to allow for better detailed modelling
b) .The tips are heated by heating chamber up to above the melting
point of the material.
c) The tips can be removed and replaced with different size openings,
the two most common being 0.012 inch and 0.025 inches.
d) The extruding surface of the tip is flat serving as the hot shearing
surface to maintain a smooth upper finish of extruded material.
e) The tip is the point at which the material is deposited onto a foam
substrate to build the model..
Build Substrate:
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FDM OPERATION:
layer thickness, the build and support materials as well as tip sizes.
ii. Part Size:
The part must fit into the building box, if not it will either have to be
scaled down to fit or be sectioned so that the pieces can be built
separately and then bonded together later.
iii. Orientation and Positioning:
Once the part has been built in appropriate built size, the part should
be oriented in an optimum position for building. The shape of the part
plays an important role in this, in that some orientations may require less
supporting of overhangs than the others.
iv. Slicing:
Once the part has been properly oriented and or scaled it must be sliced.
Slicing is a software operation that creates thin horizontal cross sections
of STL file that will later be used to create control code for the machine.
In Quick Slice, the slice thickness can be changed before slicing, the
typical slices ranging from
0.005 inches to 0.015 inches.
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A. Sets:
Quick Slice uses sets or packages of build parameters. Sets contain all of
the build instructions for a selected set of curves in a part. Sets allow a
part to be built with several different settings
E.g. One set may be used for supporting structure of the part, one for
part face, another for thicker sections of the part and still another for
exposed surfaces of the part. This allows flexibility of building bulkier
sections and internal fills quickly by getting finer details on visible areas
of a part.
Sets also allow chosen sections of a part to build hollow, cross hatched or
solid if so desired.
Two of the build parameters commonly worked with are road width
and fill spacing.
B. Road Width:
When FDM builds a layer, it usually begins by outlining the cross section
with a perimeter road, sometimes followed by one or more concentric
contours inside of perimeters.
Next it begins to fill remaining internal area in a raster or hatched
pattern until a complete solid layer is finished.
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C. Fill Spacing:
Fill spacing is the distance left between raster’s or contours that make
up interior solids of the parts. A fill spacing set at zero means that part
will be built solid.
Once all parameters have been set, road are created graphically by
Quick Slice. The user is then allowed to preview each slice if so desired to
see if the part is going to build as required.
Quick slice has a very good build time estimator which activates when
an SML file is written. SML stands for Stratasys Machine Language.
Basically it displays in the command windows, the approximate amount
of time and material to be used for given part. Build time estimate
allows for a efficient tracking and scheduling of FDM system work loads.
F. Building a part:
The FDM receives a SML file and will begin by moving the head to the
extreme X and Y portions to find it and then raises the platen to a point
to where the foam substrate is just below heated tips. After checking the
raw material supply and temperature settings, the user then manually
places the head at point where the part has to be built on the foam and
then presses a button to begin building. After that FDM will build part
completely without any user intervention.
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Applications:
Advantages:
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Disadvantages:
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Diagrams:
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Important Questions:
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UNIT 3
The early versions of the system weighed several tons and required a
sealed room. Size was made more manageable and the system sealed
to prevent exposure to photopolymers, but it was still very large.Instead
of using a laser to expose and harden photopolymer element by element
within a layer as is done in stereo lithography, SGC uses a mask to expose
the entire object layer at once with a burst of intense UV light. The
method of generating the masks is based on electrophotography
(xerography).
Highlights
1. Large parts of 500x500x350mm can be fabricated quickly.
8. Not as prevalent as SLA and SLS but gaining ground because of high
throughput and large parts.
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Process
First a CAD model of the part is created and it is sliced in to layers using
cubitos data front end software.
1. Spray photosensitive resin:At the beginning of a layer creation
step the flat work surface is sprayed with photosensitive resin.
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6. The top surface is milled flatIn the final step before the next
layer, the wax resin surface is milled flat to an accurate reliable finish for
next layer.
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Once all layers are completed the wax is removed and any finishing
operations such as sanding etc can be performed no post curing is
necessary.
Advantages
The entire layer is solidified at once.
Reduction in the part build time for multipart builds.
Larger prototypes can be nested to utilize the build volume fully.
No post curing is required.
Disadvantages
The resin models of SGC are not suitable for investment casting because
coefficient of thermal expansion is more than ceramics in resin which
may lead to cracks in casting.
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Introduction:
Software’s:
It provides interface between operator and the system. LOM does not
require a pre slice of STL FILE i.e. once the parameters are loaded into
LOM SLICE, the STL file slices as the part builds. The process of continuous
slicing is called slice on the fly. The LOM has a feed spindle and a take
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up spindle for the build material. The feed spindle holds the roll of virgin
material whereas the take up spindle serves to store the excess material
after the layer is cut. A heated roller travels across the face of the part
being built after each layer to activate adhesive and bond the part
layer together.
An invisible 25Watts CO2 laser is housed on the back of the LOM and
reflected off three mirrors before finally passing through a focusing lens
on the carriage. The carriage moves in the X direction and the lens
moves in the Y direction on the carriage, thus allowing focal cutting
point of laser to be moved like a plotter pen while cutting through build
material in the shape desired.
This X and Y movement allows for two degrees of freedom or essentially
a 2-D sketch of part cross section. The part being built is adhered to a
removable metal plate which holds the part stationary until it is
completed. The plate is bolted to the platen with brackets and moves
in the Z direction by means of a large threaded shaft to allow the parts
to be built up. This provides the third degree of freedom where in the
LOM is able to build 3D models.
Some smoke and other vapors are created since the LOM functions by
essentially burning through the sheets of material with a laser, therefore
LOM must be ventilated either to the outside air or through a large
filtering device at rates around 500cubic feet per minute.
LOM OPERATION:
The way the LOM constructs the parts is by consecutively adhering layers
of build material while cutting the cross section of the parts with a laser.
The LOM SLICE software that comes with LOM machine controls all
these. The following description of operation is described with paper as
build material.
SOFTWARE:
1) As with all RP systems, the LOM must begin with the standard RP
computer file or STL file.
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2) The STL is loaded into the LOM SLICE which graphically represents
the model on the screen.
3) Upon loading the STL file, LOM SLICE creates initialization files in the
background for controlling the LOM machine. Now there are several
parameters the user must consider and enter before building the
part.
Part Orientation:
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Diagram:
Important questions
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Unit-4
Concept modellers
Introduction (Principle)
Ink jet printing comes from the printer and plotter industry where the
technique involves shooting tiny droplets of ink on paper to produce graphic
images. RP ink jet techniques utilize ink jet technology to shoot droplets of
liquid-to-solid compound and form a layer of an RP model.
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• Inkjet printers from Solidscape Inc., such as the ModelMaker (MM), use
a single jet for the build material and another jet for support material.
b) Multi-Jet Modelling.
d) Three-Dimensional Printing.
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e) Genisys Xs printer.
The Sanders Model Maker (MM) series captures the essence of the ink-jet
printing technology, and builds in a layer-by-layer fashion, similar to other
rapid prototyping (RP) systems. The MM uses several different types of data
file formats but has only one base type for the build and support materials,
wax. The MM was developed by Sanders Prototype, Inc. (SPI), a subsidiary of
Sanders Design in Wilton, NH, in the early 1990s with the intention of
revolutionizing the industry as it pertains to accuracy and precision.
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The MM system has evolved through three "models," Model Maker (original
model), Model Maker II (MMII, second generation), and recently Rapid Tool
Maker (RTM). The original modeller has a build envelope of 7" x 7" and the
MMII has an envelope size of 13" x 7",
Whereas the RTM has a 12" x 12" working area. While both MMs are desktop
models, the RTM is a self-contained unit with an on-board computer. Figure
4.1 shows an MM unit.
Software:
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Build Materials:
Both models use a build and support material to produce a 3-D model. These
materials are wax based with the support having a lower melting point than
the build. This insures that during postprocessing, the support material will
melt away leaving only the part, made of build material. Each material has
its own heated reservoir and is very sensitive to contamination, which means
handling should not occur.
The Print-head:
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2) There is an actual siphon that is conducted from the reservoir to the feed
lines, to the printhead during the model build. The feed lines are heated, as
are the print-heads. This heating of
reservoirs, feed lines, and print heads is necessary to have a continual flow of
material.
Prior to actually building the part, the STL file must be translated into the
software language used by the MM. This software is MW and is used for the
purpose of preparing and manipulating the file so that the MM can build it.
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The file, after being read into MW, produces a picture of the file on screen in
the Cartesian coordinate system (-x , -y , and -z). A box appears around this
grid with a bar that has many functions that allow the user to put the part in
its desired orientation. From this box you can perform slicing functions, zoom
functions, layer thickness alterations, part positioning, part sizing and other
build parameters. The MW software is very useful and gives the user ultimate
control over the end product. Figure 4.3.2 shows an STL file as viewed by MW
There are several factors to consider when positioning the part. Among them
are the distance the cutter travels, special features, detailing, opening edges,
time to build, and the quality of the model. All of these can be changed as it
pertains to the specific characteristics desired for the part. The fundamental
rule for positioning is to have the longest length of the part parallel to the
cutter.
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Configuration Selection:
This is a very important factor prior to building a part. This particular feature
is accessed through the Config button on the MW window. This notebook
contains the database of settings that determine how the model is built.
Different parameters can be set with five tabs on the screen. These tabs are:
Configuration, Units, Machine, Memory, and Build.
Slicing:
The MM utilizes view as a viewer of the .MM2 and .BIN files generated by MW.
This viewer displays slice cross sections and their respective fill patterns. A
digital readout at the bottom of the screen gives the ability to extract
measurements from this file. This information is helpful in determining the files
integrity and getting a view of slice-by-slice formation.
This slice-by-slice file is the code the machine will use to generate a layer-by-
layer creation of the model. To access this function you must select the Bview
button from the menu. There are several different functions that you can
implement to render the model and file exactly how you desire it to be prior
to building. The Navigation buttons allow you to view the model slice by slice
or at 10 percent increments, the Automated Control button gives you a real
time build slice by slice, the Zoom buttons allow you to adjust the view of the
model on the screen, and the Pan buttons allows you to adjust the -x and -y
plane views of the model. Together, all of these functions give the modeller
complete control over not only how the machine will build the part, but the
customization of the part prior to the build.
Building a Part:
Once the part has been delivered to the MMII it is time to prepare the
machine for building. Initially, you can check the material reservoirs to
determine if you need to add any build or support materials. You can get a
graphical representation by selecting <1> on your opening screen. The
computer will tell you if additional material is needed and how much to add.
Once you have added the material(s), allow 45 minutes for the material to
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be liquefied in the reservoir before use. But while you are waiting you can
check the optical tape receptacle to make sure it is empty and you can mill
the substrate. To do so, select <3> from the initial screen (Run MM), select <I>,
and then <N>, this will allow you to choose the mill command and level your
substrate. Mill the original surface (dull finish) of the substrate until it has a
clean, bright finish. This ensures that the surface is level. The next and most
important step is to check the jet-firing status. Before each use, perform a
manual purge to refill the jet reservoir with material and make sure that the
proper amount of air is within the reservoir also. Cut a 3-inch piece of plastic
tubing, remove the purge cap, and place the tube on the purge spout. Hold
the cylindrical tube over the tube and under <M> choose the respective jet you
are purging (build or support). Once the jet has been selected, another menu
will appear that will prompt your actions, from this menu, choose the purge
command. Allow the jet to purge until you get an even flow of material into
the tube container and allow it to flow for 2 to 3 seconds, and then press any
key to stop the purge. Immediately remove the tube from the spout and
reapply the cap. After making sure that the jets are firing properly, go back
into new build, select the file you want, and build.
Post-processing:
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refinish your surface, paint it, or leave it as is. Remember, this process takes
time, if you rush it you could sacrifice the integrity of your part.
• The power of the MM family of systems lies primarily with the production
of small, intricately detailed wax patterns
• Perhaps the most apparent drawback of these systems are the slow
build speed when it comes to fabricating parts larger than a 3- inch
working cube.
3-D printers:
Binder printing methods were developed in the early 1990s, primarily at MIT.
They developed the 3D printing (3DP) process in which a binder is printed
onto a powder bed to form part cross sections. Contrast this concept with SLS,
where a laser melts powder particles to define a part cross section. A recoating
system similar to SLS machines then deposits another layer of powder,
enabling the machine to print binder to define the next cross section. Three-
dimensional printing, or 3DP, is an MIT-licensed process, whereby liquid
binder is jetted onto a powder media using ink jets to "print" a physical part
from computer aided design (CAD) data. Z Corporation (Z Corp)
incorporates the 3DP process into the Z402 system. The relatively inexpensive
Z402 is directed toward building concept-verification models primarily, as the
dimensional accuracy and surface roughness of the parts are less than higher
end systems. The initial powder used was starch based and the binder was
water based, however now the most commonly used powder is a new
gypsum based material with a new binder system as well. Models are built
up from bottom to top with layers of the starch powder and binder printed
in the shape of the cross sections of the part. The resulting porous model is
then infiltrated with wax or another hardener to give the part dexterity. The
Z402 is the fastest modeller on the market, with speeds 5 to 10 times faster
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than other current rapid prototyping (RP) systems. A wide range of polymer,
metal, and ceramic materials have been processed in this manner. 7.4
The Z402 is currently available in only one size, which can build models up to
8" x 11" x 8". The overall size of the modeller is approximately 3' X 4', so it can
fit in a fairly confined area. Parts built with the starch material can be
hardened to fit the application necessary. Wax infiltration gives the parts
some strength but also leaves them usable as investment casting patterns.
Stronger infiltrants, such as cyanoacrylate, can be used to provide a durable
part that can survive significant handling. Since the starting point of this
writing, Z Corp has advanced their 3DP system in several ways. First, they
released updated print cartridges (Type 3) that last longer along with
stronger infiltrants for durable parts. Secondly, a new material and binder
system called ZP100 Microstone was released that provides stronger models
directly from the machine with little or no postprocessing or infiltrant. Finally,
an automated waxer was released that helps control the wax infiltration
process if necessary. The modeler has several important components,
including the following:
1. Build and Feed Pistons: These pistons provide the build area and
supply material for constructing parts. The build piston lowers as part layers
are printed, while the feed piston raises to provide a layer-by-layer supply of
new material. This provides the z motion of the part build.
2. Printer Gantry: The printer gantry provides the xy motion of the part
building process. It houses the print head, the printer cleaning station, and the
wiper/roller for powder landscaping.
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Z Corp also sells a postprocessing package necessary for detail finishing and
strengthening of the parts produced by 3DP. The package includes a glove
box with air compressor and air brushes for excess powder removal, a heating
oven to raise the temperature of the parts above that of the wax infiltrant
and a wax-dipping unit that melts the wax and provides a dipping area for
the parts.
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The Z402 has a very user-friendly interface, where very few commands are
necessary to build a part. Since the parts are built in a powder bed, no support
structures are necessary for overhanging surfaces, unlike most other RP
systems.
Software:
The Z402 starts with the standard STL file format, which is imported into the
Z Corp software where it is automatically sliced and can be saved as a BLD
(build) file. When a file is first imported into the software, it is automatically
placed in an orientation with the shortest -z height. This is done as the fastest
build capability, like other RP systems, is in the -x, -y direction. The part can
be manually reoriented if necessary for best-part appearance. Multiple STL
files can be
imported to build various parts at the same time for maximum efficiency.
The default slice thickness is 0.008", however the value can be varied to fit
the needs for particular parts. Objects can be copied, scaled, rotated or
moved for optimum part build. Moving/translating a part can either be done
by a simple drag-and-drop method, or else by entering coordinates. Parts
can also be justified to either side of the build envelope, be it front, back, left,
right, top, or bottom, with a simple menu command. Parts are copied simply
by highlighting the part and clicking one copy command. The new part is
automatically placed beside the current part if there is room in the build
envelope; otherwise it is placed above it. Since the build envelope is a powder
bed, three-dimensional nesting can be accomplished so that parts can be built
in floating space to make room for others. This 3D nesting capability is only
available in a few other RP systems, and provides for a higher throughput of
parts to be accomplished. After the STL is imported and placed, a "3D Print"
command is issued and the part file is sent to the machine to build. During
the build, a progress bar shows the percentage of the part building, as well as
the starting time and the estimated completion time. When a build is
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complete, a dialog box is displayed with the final build time of the part, along
with the volume of
material used and the average droplet size of the binder used.
• First, blank layers of powder are spread as a starting point for building
upon.
• The remaining steps are carried out after this landscaping automatically
• When the first layer of the powder is spread, the liquid binder is called
for binder spray
• The binder jet moves as per our virtual design (CAD model)
• After spraying the binder, the next layer of powder is spread and rolled
for bonding
• The powder and binder spray depends upon the thickness of the
product
The parts that are made using 3D printing, not as strong as SLS products.
Because the material is
adhesive bonded, where in SLS, the material is taken to fusion bonding.
Postprocessing:
Other than the Z402 system itself, there are several components needed for
postprocessing of the part. For a concept model, the starch parts are generally
infiltrated with paraffin wax, although more durable materials are available,
from plastics to cyanoacrylate. Before infiltration, starch parts are fragile and
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must be handled with care. The following are the postprocessing steps for a
part to be infiltrated with wax, with a total process time of about 15 to 20
minutes.
1. Powder Removal: After the parts are taken from the machine, the
excess powder must be removed. With the system comes a small glove box
with an airbrush system inside. The airbrush is used to easily and gently blow
the powder off the part, and a vacuum cleaner is hooked to the glove box to
remove the powder as it is blown from the part. (5 Minutes)
2. Heat for Infiltration: Once the powder is removed from the part
surfaces, the part is placed in a small oven and heated to a temperature just
above that of the infiltrant wax, to provide a wicking characteristic as
opposed to coating. The part temperature for paraffin infiltrant is
approximately 200°F. (10 Minutes).
The actual postprocessing time will depend on the complexity of the part,
the skill of the user, and the infiltrant used. Nonetheless, it is still minimal
compared to some other RP processes.
Parts built with the Z402 system are directly intended for use as concept-
verification models in a design environment. The nontoxic materials allow for
the models to be safely handled in meetings or the office, directly after
fabrication. Another application that is beginning to be explored, not unlike
other RP systems, is the use of Z402 parts for investment or sandcast patterns.
The starch-based material burns out of an investment shell readily, therefore
providing a quick way to produce metal hardware for testing or analysis.
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Ultimately, the speed is the most desirable trait of the Z402. With an average
build time of one vertical inch per hour, even a part several inches tall can be
built within a normal work day. This is extremely advantageous to any
company where time is a factor in sales or production. The key disadvantages
of the system include rough part surfaces, which can be remedied with
sanding, and the cleanliness problems faced when dealing with any system
that uses a powder as a build material or operating medium. Also, the ink-
jet cartridges must be replaced quite frequently, on the order of every 100
hours of operation, so users must understand that the jets are expendable
items just as the build powder itself. Finally, these concept models aren't
fabricated to high dimensional tolerances, which may hinder the building of
complex assembly prototypes.
The Genisys (and Genisys Xs) system, produced by Stratasys, Inc. is an office -
friendly modelling system that builds parts with a durable polyester material.
The current line of Genisys systems are small, compact table-top rapid
prototyping (RP) machines that deliver single-
material capability, and interoffice network queues for operation much like
a printer.
Not unlike most newly developed technologies, the original Genisys machines
had small quirks and technicalities that prevented it from really being a true
"trouble free" office modeller.
However, after analyzing and working with customers, most of the systems
were recalled and refurbished to correct the problems. The new line of
Genisys, the Xs, apparently has printer-like reliability and operation,
providing concept-modelling capability to the office
environment as intended.
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System Operation
Software
The software of the Genisys systems, which is compatible on both Unix and NT
platforms, is designed for ease of operation. With simple point-and-click part-
building features, the software automatically places, slices, generates
supports, and then downloads the part file to the network queue to be
fabricated. Parts can be set to be scaled automatically as well, although there
is a manual scaling feature. Multiple parts may be nested in the -x, -y plane,
again with single-click
operability.
Build Material
Hardware:
The Genisys has a maximum build capacity of 12" X 8" x 8", whereas the entire
system occupies a space of only 36" x 32" x 29". The unit weighs in at about
210 pounds and can operate on standard house current of 110 to 120 Volts AC.
The polyester material comes stock in the form of wafers, which are loaded
into a bank of cartridges within the machine. One wafer is loaded into the
deposition head, where it is melted and deposited in thin layers through a
single extrusion tip while tracing the cross section of the part being built. Once
the wafer in the head is spent, it is replaced by another automatically and
the build resumes. The build chamber is operated at ambient temperature,
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The intended application of the Genisys system's product was mainly concept
modelling and verification. However, as with all RP devices, various users
have progressed the use of Genisys models into analysis, direct use, even low-
impact wind-tunnel modelling. The material is said to be suitable for
painting, drilling, and bonding to create the necessary appearance for an
application.
The advantages of the Genisys system include the ease of use and the network
operability. Since the preprocessing is kept to a minimum, and the systems
can be networked much like printers, the Genisys lends itself to the office
modelling environment. Perhaps the major disadvantage of the system
would be its single- material capacity, which results in more difficult support
removal on complex parts. This situation may well be addressed in the future,
similar to what was done in the progression of its sister technology of fused
deposition modelling, however the vendor has no plans released at the time
of this writing.
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Important questions:
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Unit 5
RAPID TOOLING
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Another root for soft tooling is to use RP model as a pattern for silicon
rubber mould which can then in turn be injected several times. Room
Temperature Vulcanization Silicones are preferable as they do not
require special curing equipment. This rubber moulding technique is a
flexible mould that can be peeled away from more implicate patterns
as suppose to former mould materials. There are as many or more
techniques for silicon moulding as there are RP processes but the
following is the general description for making simple two piece moulds.
First an RP process is used to fabricate the pattern. Next the pattern is
fixture into a holding cell or box and coated with a special release agent
(a wax based cerosal or a petroleum jelly mixture) to prevent it from
sticking to the silicon. The silicon rubber typically in a two part mix is
then blended, vacuumed to remove air packets and poured into the
box around the pattern until the pattern is completely encapsulated.
After the rubber is fully cured which usually takes 12 to 24 hours the box
is removed and the mould is cut into two (not necessarily in halves)
along a pre determined parting line. At this point, the original pattern
is pulled from the silicon mould which can be placed back together and
repeatedly filled with hot wax or plastic to fabricate multiple patterns.
These tools are generally not injected due to the soft nature of the
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material. Therefore the final part materials must be poured into the
mould each cycle.
Wire Arc Spray:
These are the thermal metal deposition techniques such as wire arc
spray and vacuum plasma deposition. These are been developed to
coat low temperature substrates with metallic materials. This results in
a range of low cost tools that can provide varying degrees of durability
under injection pressures.
The concept is to first deploy a high temperature, high hardness shell
material to an RP pattern and then backfill the remainder of the two
shell with inexpensive low strength, low temperature materials on
tooling channels. This provides a hard durable face that will endure the
forces on temperature of injection moulding and a soft banking that
can be worked for optimal thermal conductivity and heat transfer from
the body.
In Wire Arc Spray, the metal to be deposited comes in filament form.
Two filaments are fed into the device, one is positively charged and the
other is negatively charged until they meet and create an electric arc.
This arc melts the metal filaments while simultaneously a high velocity
gas flows through the arc zone and propels the atomized metal particles
on to the RP pattern. The spray pattern is either controlled manually or
automatically by robotic control. Metal can be applied in successive thin
coats to very low temperature of RP patterns without deformation of
geometry. Current wire arc technologies are limited to low temperature
materials, however as well as to metals available in filament form.
Vacuum Plasma Spray technologies are more suited in higher melting
temperature metals. The deposition material in this case comes in
powder form which is then melted, accelerated and deposited by
plasma generated under vacuum.
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Epoxy Tools:
•
Moulds for prototype injection plastic
•
Moulds for casting
•
Compression moulds
•
Reaction Injection Moulds
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cooling lines can also be placed at this stage to increase the thermal
conductivity of the mould. Once the epoxy is cured the assembly is
inverted and the parting line block is removed leaving the pattern
embedded in the side of the tool just cast. Another frame is constructed
and epoxy is poured to form the other side of the tool. Then the second
side of the tool is cured. The two halves of the tool are separated and
the pattern is removed. Another approach known as soft surface rapid
tool involves machining an oversized cavity in an Aluminum plate. The
offset allows for introduction of casting material which may be poured
into the cavity after suspending the model in its desired position and
orientation. Some machining is required for this method and this can
increase the mould building time but the advantage is that the thermal
conductivity is better than for all epoxy models.
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•
Limited tool life
•
Poor thermal transfer
•
Tolerance dependent on master patterns
•
Aluminum filled epoxy has low tensile strength
The life of the injection plastic aluminum epoxy tools for different
thermoplastic materials is given below:
Material Tool Life (Shots)
ABS 200-3000
Acetol 100-1000
Nylon 250-3000
Nylon (gas filled) 50-200
PBT 100-500
PC/ABS blends 100-1000
Poly Carbonate 100-1000
Poly Ethylene 500-5000
Poly Propylene 500-5000
Poly Styrene 500-5000
3D Keltool Process:
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3) Filling the silicon rubber mould with metal mixtures to produce green
parts duplicating the masters. Metal mixture is powdered steel,
tungsten carbide and polymer binder with particle sizes of around 5
mm. Green parts are powdered metal held together by polymer
binder.
4) Firing the green parts in a furnace to remove the plastic binder and
sintering the metal particles together.
5) Infiltrating the sintered parts (70% dense inserts) with copper in the
second furnace cycle to fill the 30% void space.
6) Finishing the core and cavity.
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2nd group:
•
Solutions for hard tooling are based on fabrication of sintered metal
steel, iron copper powder inserts infiltrated with copper or bronze.
•
It includes RT methods that allow inserts for pre production and
production tools to be built.
•
These methods come under hard tooling.
Classification of Direct RT methods:
DIRECT AIM:
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•
A Direct AIM mould is not durable like aluminum filled epoxy mould.
Injection cycle time is long.
Advantages:
•
It is suitable for moulding up to 100 parts.
Both resistance to erosion and thermal conductivity of D-AIM tools can
be increased by deposition of a 25micron layer of copper on mould
surfaces.
Important Questions:
1. What is rapid tooling? Compare rapid tooling with conventional
tooling.
2. Write a short notes on indirect rapid tooling?
3. Write a short notes on silicon rubber tooling?
4. Write a short notes on aluminium filled epoxy tooling?
5. Write a short notes on spray metal tooling?
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Unit 6
RAPID TOOLING
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PROCESS DESCRIPTION:
A Stereolithography QuickCast pattern is created from an STL file.
The pattern is leak tested to make sure it is air tight.
An investment caster is chosen (based on experience & material
required).
QuickCast pattern is given to the caster.
Caster puts part through ceramic coating process and performs firing
procedure to burn out SLA pattern.
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Copper polyamide:
DMLS:
and infiltration steps, and produces a 95% dense steel part compared
to roughly 70% density with Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). An
additional benefit of the DMLS process compared to SLS is higher
detail resolution due to the use of thinner layers, enabled by a smaller
powder diameter. This capability allows for more intricate part
shapes. Material options that are currently offered include alloy steel,
stainless steel, tool steel, aluminum, bronze, cobalt-chrome, and
titanium. In addition to functional prototypes, DMLS is often used to
produce rapid tooling, medical implants, and aerospace parts for
high heat applications.
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A schematic of DMLS
Typically, the machine is used for the production of tool inserts, but it
also is possible to produce metal components. Two materials are
available for the DMLS process: 1) bronzebased materials, which are
used for injection molding of up to 1,000 parts in a variety of
materials, and 2) steel-based material, which is useful for up to
100,000 plastic injection molded parts.
This process was used to produce injection mold tooling for a Germany
appliance manufacturer. Seven mold inserts were produced in 20
hours using the bronze-based material. Several thousand molded
parts were produced in 30 percent glass-filled polyamide. The tool
took two weeks to produce compared to 10 weeks for a machined
tool and cost about $6,800 compared to $8,200 for the machined
tool.
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Prometal:
Machine types:
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Direct routes:
Patterns for sand casting: This included epoxy patterns in SLA system,
ABS plastic patterns in FDM system, paper pattern in LOM system,
PVC plastic pattern in SDP system and resin pattern in Objet system.
Indirect routes:
Patterns for sand casting: The RP patterns SLA FDM and LOM are
used as master patterns to fabricate a silicone rubber mould, which is
used for making multiple hard patterns from polyurethane (PU) and
epoxy rubber. The figure 9.5a shows PU and epoxy patterns
fabricated from RTV silicone rubber mould. The figure 9.5b and table
shows the summary of the techniques used for fabricating the PU and
epoxy patterns. The life of the silicone rubber mould is about 15-20
epoxy or PU parts. The PU and epoxy parts can be used for sand
casting.
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Laminate tooling
As pressure continues to mount to reduce the costs and lead times for
tooling, several companies have turned to laminate tooling as a
solution. Laminated tooling is an alternative to building cavities
directly on an RP machine. Using the similar principles to the
Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM) process, layers of sheet
metal are cut to replicate slices through
a CAD model. Laser cutting or water jet technologies generally
produce the profiles.
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To produce a mold tool, the CAD model must take the form of the
required cavity. By cutting all of the slices of the cavity in sheet metal,
a stack of laminates can be made to replicate the original CAD
model. Using either clamping or diffusion bonding, it is possible to
create a pseudo-solid cavity in hardened tool steel without the need
for complex post process cutter path planning. Due to the use of
relatively thick laminates - typically 0.040 inch (1 mm) - the surface
finish of the tools is generally poor; therefore, some form of finish
machining is generally required.
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Hard Tooling:
RP systems that are used for direct hard tooling due to characteristics
of sintering process and implemented building materials (powder
materials based on metal) require obtaining extremely high
temperatures in primary process of tools manufacturing, which is
mostly realised through the application of lasers or some other sources
of intent energy.
Hard tooling will have the longest life. Simple tooling will last for
hundreds of thousands of parts. Complex tooling with slides and cores
will wear over time but can
generally be refurbished. This is not normally necessary for
many years.
120
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Soft Tooling :
Pattern cost is higher than Hard Tooling. This is because the tooling
will cycle slower due to the poor thermal conductivity of mold
material
Life of soft tooling is limited. Life will depend upon the complexity of
part. The more complex the shorter the life Surface finish and
dimensional control is not as good as Hard Tooling
A single SLA (stereolithography) or Objet pattern is generally used to
make the tooling
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121
prototype, patterns do not melt and must be burned out of shell.
Unfortunately some also expand and can severely crack the shell if not
hollow. On thin edges it is not possible to hollow the section and that
is where the foundry‘s expertise is needed to help chose the most
appropriate pattern for your application.
ThermoJet RP, rapid prototype, patterns are the best choice for
certain part configurations where thin sections would be a problem to
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Objet
UNIT-7
Software for RP
STL File:
This format has long been the industry standard in rapid prototyping. Let‘s
look into the process of approximating surfaces with triangles: Each 3D
form is made out of polygons. A polygon is defined as a flat shape which
is bounded by a closed circuit. Each polygon with n sides can be
represented using n-2 triangles.
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If we look at a box, for example: It is easy to see the box has 6 sides- each
one is a polygon.
Each one of those sides is a square, meaning it can be represented using 12
triangles.
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The two triangles above, though they are identical, are facing in opposite
directions.
While all CAD software allows the creation of STL files, not always this
process ends with a
printable file. STL manipulation solutions allow:
•
Magics RP is the most extensive solution available
•
Meshlab is satisfactory as a free tool, although not very easy to use
and lacking some functionality
•
Pricing is not specified, as this greatly varies from region to region.
Additionally, most vendors offer several packages. Please consult
your local distributor for pricing.
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Inverted normal:
The meaning of an inverted normal is that one surface does not have a
consistent direction. Occasionally, the interpretation of the surface
between CAD and STL results in inverted normal let‘s look at an
example:
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The box above has one face with an inverted normal. This means we
will need to fix the file in order to print it using an Objet 3D printer. We will
discuss later on this document on how this can be achieved.
Zero thickness:
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Bad edges:
Near bad edges are defined as edges which have a neighbour triangle
which is closer than a set threshold. Those are usually closed automatically
using your software of choice.
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Real bad edges typically enclose a hole in the shape. This is slightly more
complex, as it might cause a case of zero thickness.
The part above has a real bad edge in one of his faces. As a result, the
boundaries of the box
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Once the user closes (adds triangles) to the hole, the model is once again
watertight and has a positive volume. Once again, it is
printable.
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b. Create thickness
If the design intent was to create a box with one missing face, the user
would need to create thickness, making the part printable. This is typically
achieved using the ―offset‖ command.
file type chose to use the most basic form of surface that can be described
from point data only — the triangle. If any three points are chosen from a
3-dimensional surface then a triangle can be described by those points to
approximate a portion of that surface. Of course, a triangle is by definition
flat — lacking any curvature whatsoever — so if the surface in question
contains any curvature then there is some error, or deviation, in the
approximation. However, if the triangle size is reduced to the point where
it is much smaller than any curvature in the surface, then the deviation
can be brought down to a level where it is negligible. What is the limit to
such a reduction? There is a practical limit — as the triangles decrease to
an infinitesimally small size, the number of them required to complete the
surface becomes infinitely large, as does the size of the final STL file. Most
configuration settings for outputting STL files are aimed at this very issue
— how small to make the triangles to best approximate the surface
geometry while not making enormous file sizes. This knowledge base
article will attempt to give you the tools you need to understand this
configuration process, and visualize the outcome of the final part.
Let‘s take a look at a ―perfect‖ CAD shape and a rather coarse STL file
approximation of it.
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Notice how the areas of curvature are approximated in the STL file with
large flats — deviating from the proper geometry. This effect is called
―faceting‖ and it would be evident in the final RP part if built with this
coarse file.
Let‘s take a closer look at the small hole in the centre, and highlight the
edges of the triangles used to create it:
Note that the true shape of the hole is drawn here, and an indication as to
the deviation from true, due to the use of large triangles.
Now let‘s reduce the size of the triangles to get a better approximation
and compare:
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Clearly, this does a much better job of approximating the curvature, and
the triangles are not so numerous as to make a huge file size. The coarse
STL file size was 77KB while the fine STL file is 308KB.
Armed with this information, you can use the help function for the CAD
software that you use, and develop an approximation that works for your
needs. The major CAD software programs such as ProEngineer and
SolidWorks actually show you an image of the faceted STL file so that you
can see for yourself how closely the triangles approximate your geometry.
The proof is in the pudding, so to speak, so we recommend installing a file
viewer for STL files just to be sure. Doing so, you can rotate, zoom, pan and
cross-section the file to be sure that it is true to form. Here are links to some
good STL viewers that are free to install and use.
• 3D –Tool
• Minimagics
Of course, here at FineLine we always inspect every STL file by eye, and
our quoting staff will let you know if they spot a problem that will affect
the quality of the parts we produce for you. We know that in the long run
you need to succeed for us to succeed.
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Solid view
SolidView is used across the world by those needing access to CAD data but
not trained in using CAD systems. It‘s a low-cost solution to access CAD data
for manufacturing engineers, scientists, structural engineers, technical
illustrators, managers, product managers and sales people.
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Magics:
Mimics Z™:
For the first time, doctors, nurses, and technicians who have no previous
experience with 3D modelling or 3D printing can create 3D anatomical
models from MRI and CT scan images quickly and easily.
Key Features
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• Automates all steps needed to import MRI and CT scan files, select
structures, conduct editing and masking, and export data.
Mimics software allows you to process and edit your 2D image data (CT,
µCT, MRI, etc.) to construct 3D models with the utmost accuracy,
flexibility and user-friendliness. The powerful segmentation tools allow you
to segment your medical CT/MRI images, take measurements and
engineer directly on your 3D model. From there you can export your
3D data to a wide range of output formats and engineering
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Cardiovascular
Craniomaxillofacial
Orthopedic
Pulmonology
Magics communicator:
Magics rapid prototyping software enables you to import a wide variety
of CAD formats and to export STL files ready for rapid prototyping, tooling
and manufacturing. Its applications include repairing and optimizing 3D
models; analyzing parts; making process-related design changes on your
STL files; designing fixtures; documenting your projects; production
planning;
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Visualise
View STL, IGES*, VDA* and DXF 3d faces*, with fast rotation, zooming and
cross sectioning.
Annotate
Measure
Present
Important questions:
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UNIT-8
Process optimization
It has also been suggested that a curve with small radius (r) should be
tessellated if its radius is below a threshold radius (ro) which can be
considered as one tenth of the part size, to achieve a maximum chordal
error of (r/ro). Value of can be set equal to 0 for no improvement and 1 for
maximum improvement.
Errors due to slicing: Real error on slice plane is much more than that is
felt, as shown in figure 8.2
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Fig 8.2 Real error slice plane Fig 8.3 Error due to replacement of arcs
with stair-steps cusp height (after Pham and Demov, 2001)
For a spherical model Pham and Demov (2001) proposed that error due
to the replacement of a circular arc with stair-steps can be defined as radius
of the arc minus length up to the corresponding corner of the staircase, i.e.,
cusp height (figure 8.3). Thus maximum error (cusp height) results along z
direction and is equal to slice thickness. Therefore, cusp height approaches
to maximum for surfaces, which are almost parallel with the x-y plane.
Maximum value of cusp height is equal to slice thickness and can be
reduced by reducing it; however this results in drastic improvement in part
building time. Therefore, by using slices of variable thicknesses (popularly
known as adaptive slicing, as shown in figure 8.4), cusp height can be
controlled below a certain value. Except this, mismatching of height and
missing features are two other problems resulting from the slicing. Although
most of the RP systems have facility of slicing with uniform thickness only,
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adaptive slicing scheme, which can slice a model with better accuracy and
surface finish without loosing important features must be selected.
Figure 8.4: Slicing of a ball, (a) No slicing (b) Thick slicing (c) Thin slicing
(d) Adaptive slicing
Part building:
During part deposition generally two types of errors are observed and are
namely curing errors and control errors. Curing errors are due to over or
under curing with respect to curing line and control errors are caused due
to variation in layer thickness or scan position control. Figures 11.5 illustrate
effect of over curing on part geometry and accuracy. Adjustment of
chamber temperature and laser power is needed for proper curing.
Calibration of the system becomes mandatory to minimize control errors.
Shrinkage also causes dimensional inaccuracy and is taken care by
choosing proper scaling in x, y and z directions. Polymers are also designed
to have almost negligible shrinkage factors. In SL and SLS processes
problem arises with downward facing layers as these layers do not have a
layer underneath and are slightly thicker, which generate dimensional
error. If proper care is not taken in setting temperatures, curling is
frequently observed.
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Part finishing:
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This is one of the crucial decisions taken before slicing the part and initiating
the process of deposition for a particular RP process. This decision is
important because it has potential to reduce part building time, amount
of supports required, part quality in terms of surface finish or accuracy and
cost as well. Selection of part deposition orientation is process specific where
in designer and RP machine operators should consider number of different
process specific constraints. This may be a difficult and time consuming task
as designer has to trade-off among various conflicting objectives or process
outcomes. For example better part surface quality can be obtained but it
will lead to increase in the building time.
Important questions:
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