the future of rapid prototyping

the future of rapid prototyping

welcome to the future We all take for granted the 3D solid modelling software on our desktops, and the ability to print quality rendered images whenever we want them at the touch of a button. However, it wasn t so long ago that 3D CAD and colour printing was the preserve of only the largest corporations, with access to mainframe computers and powerful workstations. These organisations were also the early adopters of the digital model making technology that we now know as Rapid Prototyping (RP). In the late 1980s, RP changed the way that many companies thought about product development, enabling design engineers to prototype early and prototype often, identifying design problems, compressing the design cycle and greatly reducing the risk of New Product Development (NPD). Of course by the 1990s, 3D Solid Modelling was no longer the preserve of just a few large organisations, but had become commonplace across many medium and small sized businesses in sectors ranging from automotive supply, to tool making, from jewellers though to dental laboratories. To service the prototyping needs of these companies, a number of local and national RP service bureaus sprang up to support the growing 3D CAD user community. Although these service providers brought RP to the masses, at a cost effective level, an introduction by Dr Phil Reeves they could never deliver the responsiveness or innovation provided by a dedicated in-house RP facility.

free your imagination Fast forward into a new millennium, and the world has moved on again. RP is no longer the preserve of just large organisations or service bureaus, but like 3D CAD, is now a cost effective technology, available to any company with the need to innovate new products in today s competitive business environment. 3D Printing or desktop modelling can now be integrated into the design office Dr Phil Reeves is the managing director of consultancy firm Econolyst Limited (www.econolyst.co.uk) and an experienced researcher and commentator on the emergence of additive layer manufacturing technologies. Phil advises both Additive Manufacturing environment for an annual cost of little more than a new 3D CAD work station and associated software. However, the return on this investment far exceeds the financial outlay. Just imagine how you would manage your design and innovation process with a 3D Print button on your keyboard! No longer do you have to justify the cost of buying in prototypes from an external supplier, or the lead times associated with emailing CAD files, waiting for quotations, placing orders, waiting for parts to be printed, inspected, dispatched and delivered. machine vendors and technology users on current and future business and technology strategies. He has helped hundreds of companies to assess and implement the most appropriate Additive Layer Manufacturing technology solution. an introduction by Dr Phil Reeves

in-house rp with no compromise Although desktop modelling technologies may not be able to produce parts of the size or material strength of some large-frame commercial RP machines, the benefits of desktop printing in the design environment can be significant. Desktop modelling technologies such as the Objet 24 and Objet 30 are able to produce accurate, high resolution models in an office environment, with little mess or finishing. Moreover, the Objet 30 machine enables models to be produced in a range of materials with different mechanical properties and colours. In fact today s desktop modelling machines already match and even surpass the capabilities of yesterday s large platform RP machines. But this shouldn t come as a surprise, as today s laptop computers already exceed the processing power of yesterday s workstations. But is in-house desktop modelling just a compromise? Why switch from using an established service bureau? Many advocates of RP will tell you that the real business benefits of the technology come when staff have open access to the machines. They can push the boundaries of applications and blur the edges in how processes are used. The only real limitation to in-house 3D printing is imagination. It may come as a surprise to learn that desktop RP machines are already being used to make not only prototypes and visualisation models, but patterns for downstream tooling, low volume component parts, and even small series tool cavities. an introduction by Dr Phil Reeves In-house RP stimulates innovation and free thinking, in-house lets everyone engage with the technology, and that has to be a good thing. Remember the days when companies shared a computer with an internet connection and email? Things move on.

Of course, there are some more serious benefits to in-house desktop machine ownership. With an in-house machine you can keep control of your intellectual property and critical design data, whilst speeding up the product development cycle significantly. We do have to accept that desktop RP technology might not be capable of producing all the prototype parts you need today, be this because of component size or mechanical properties. However, desktop solutions such as the Objet 30 are becoming scalable, with the option to expand on your investment at a later date, and benefit from a continuous stream of new materials and software developments. In summary, there has never been a better time to invest in desktop RP. You might argue that processes will continue to get faster, materials will get stronger and prices will drop. But to win the race, you have to be in the race, and now is as good a time as any to step up to the starting line. Dr Phil Reeves Principle Consultant, Econolyst Limited an introduction by Dr Phil Reeves

product & industrial design

the move in-house At present, many companies choose to outsource their rapid prototyping to outside bureaus. This means that there is no capital expenditure required for in-house RP systems and that prototypes can be produced as and when required. However, the traditional path is rapidly changing. There are 3 reasons why RP is being brought in-house by companies of all sizes. Shorter Design Iterations If a company can produce more prototypes in a shorter space of time, that can only be of benefit. The length of design iterations can be dramatically reduced, meaning lower design costs coupled with improved end product performance. Data Security New product design is naturally fraught with concerns about security. Many designers are becoming increasingly concerned about emailing their 3D designs to outside bureaus, and likewise about receiving prototypes through the post. Prototyping Costs The stumbling block to bringing RP in-house is often cost. A recent study has shown that a company spending 30,000 a year on RP can halve their costs by bringing the process in-house. This figure includes depreciation on the machine itself. Specialist rapid prototype bureaus play an important role in the design industry, but many companies want to break free from time and cost constraints.

Spot the difference... the left hand prototype was produced on an SLA machine and the right hand model on an Objet 24 3D printing v SLA

how 3d printing measures up SLA is recognised by many in the design industry as the preferred method for Rapid Prototyping. However, times change and 3D Printing technology is now as good as, if not superior to, SLA. We built the same model on an SLA and an Objet 24, which resulted in the following benchmarking data: SLA Objet 24 76 microns Accuracy 100 microns 50 microns Resolution 28 microns 0.5mm Minimum hole diameter 0.5mm 0.3mm Minimum wall thickness 0.3mm 6 hours Time to produce 2 hours Yet the SLA machine costs more than 5 times the price of the Objet 24. Even greater resolution is possible from Objet s Eden and Connex ranges. SLA has led the market for years, but 3D Printing is now a serious choice for any product design team.

Our Eden 260V has been on site only a couple of months and has already proven to be an invaluable asset during the mechanical concept design phase of our latest active stick project. As well as being used on prime product we have gone on to find other applications for printed parts we had not previously considered, including soft production tooling and PCB verification aids. RP d parts are now more affordable and can be in the designer s hand in 24 hours. Steve Hebdon Senior Development Manufacturing Engineer aerospace technologies BAE Systems

1 rp in three easy steps 1 : a 3D CAD file is imported in.stl format from the CAD software; the model is manipulated on-screen to maximise build speed 2 : the part is printed the part shown took just 2 hours to print and 4 of these could be simultaneously built on an Objet 24, Objet s smallest printer 3 : the fully cured part is removed from the print tray and support material 2 is washed away with water Desktop 3D Printing makes product development a faster, easier and more cost-effective process. 3

the figures speak for themselves For most companies that produce rapid prototypes on a regular basis, owning a 3D Printer makes financial sense. Here is an example of a typical company with four seats of SolidWorks. They previously outsourced 20,000 a year to RP bureaus. Since buying an Objet Desktop 3D Printer they have found that 25% of prototyping is still outsourced for functional reasons, leaving a 15,000 internal budget 5,000 a year covers depreciation and maintenance That leaves 10,000 a year for materials and labour Service bureaus typically charge 4 x actual model costs 10,000 = 40,000 spending power + the extra 5,000 still subcontracted = 45,000 a year of prototypes That is more than double the original number of parts However these cost benefits are only part of the story. How much would it save your business to cut down the time taken for each design iteration? How much multi-materials would it cost your company if your product designs were inadvertently misplaced? How much more innovative could you be if you could produce rapid prototypes at the touch of a button?

a wealth of material for every purpose Rapid Prototyping is about accurate testing of Form, Fit and Function. Objet s range of materials means that models get as close as possible to the end product. Stable plastic models The Vero range of materials produce highly stable parts with exceptionally smooth surface finishes. Available in a choice of colours. High temperature models A combination of thermal resistance up to 90 C, coupled with high impact resistance of 65-75J/m. Rubber-like models Transparent models The truly transparent Vero Clear allows designers to produce prototypes for fit and form testing. Polypropylene-like models Objet s Durus materials simulate the toughness (Notched Izod Impact of 44.22 J/m), flexibility (Elongation at Break of 44.2%) and strength (Modulus of Elasticity of 1135 MPa) of polypropylene. Objet has a wide range of rubber-like materials, offering exceptional elongation at break, excellent toughness and durability and high resistance to tearing. ABS-like models Available thanks to Objet s brand-new ABS-like material for true engineering plastic prototypes. An Objet ABS-like mould generated over 100 copies of injected ABS at 238 C. Objet are the only company to produce a multi-material 3D Printer. The Connex series can print two different materials at once to produce the widest range of material flexibilities or overlaying of one material onto another.

Still not convinced that 3D printing can match up to traditional methods of rapid prototyping? Then why not send OPS a 3D CAD file of one of your products and we will print it for you for free? That way you will be able to see the evidence yourself. our promise

The Objet Connex 500 has brought about a major change to our entire product design process. We can now produce high-quality models with excellent accuracy and very fine details in far less time. Olga Heidel Senior Manager of Sample Development Adidas Group

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