How many do Rapid Prototyping?

[Sandybar]

I would like to know how many of you guys and gals do rapid prototyping? What methods do you use? Machining of what type of materials? Do you make the part or create a temporary mold to create parts? Or use epoxy / resins?

 

We do mostly 3D machining of modeled parts, Somtimes this is time consuming. Management wants to look at other methods of prototyping. The idea is to get from design to production faster and more efficient.

 

Any information would be appricated.

 

Thanks in advance.

[MATT Q]

Depends on what we are required to do. We will machine reversals of molds for pouring fixtures prior to getting a mold in for quicker ISIR delivery. We use a foam dispensing system for temporary fixtures and and reinforcing things also. Foam is a good thing for speed and cost.

[Sandybar]

What is ISIR? And a foam dispensing sytstem?

[Noel]

We have in the past had acrylic models made by stereo lithography. Some times the customer wants to see a bottle before they commit.Other times we make a test cavity and cast it.

 

 

Noel

[tomj]

Have you tried www.quickparts.com. You can upload an STL file on line and they will give an instant quote based on the materials chosen. There are several types of plastics available and they claim the model is very close in strength to the molded part. There are also several processes available and there is information regarding the processes.

They also have a viewer to check the model you have sent for quote.

Tom

[MATT Q]

Inial Sample Inspection Report . And the foam system is a two part resin system that you can fill a cavity to produce a fixture or what ever. It is a gun that is regulated at the correct mix and you just point and pull the trigger and it sets up in less than an hour it is pretty light weight.

[Zero]

It all depends on the job. We use mostly Renshape, poly foams and hard plastics like delrin/abs/styrene(?).

 

quote:

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We use a foam dispensing system for temporary fixtures and and reinforcing things also

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...never done that, but I use similar methods. If I need a fixture Ill machine it out of foam or ren, depending on the part size, shape, etc. There's nothing I've ever been given that I havent been able to hld down and machine with a little bit of double sided tape and a hot melt gun.

 

Stereolithography is nice to get parts quick, but in my experience the parts always look like garbage and are far from being the correct dimensions/shape....again...depending on the part. Also can be very fragile depending on the SLA resin used.

 

Give me a cnc machine over an sla machine any day I say

 

[ 10-31-2003, 01:53 PM: Message edited by: Zero ]

[TonyK]

+1 Noel

At my current job and my last we have prototypes

made useing stero lithography.

The parts are very accurate.The customer gets

to see just what the molded part will look like

and it's much faster than maching a model.

[the1yyz]

I use to own a rapid prototyping and design shop.

We used thermojets from 3D systems, We mostly produced castable waxes.

 

The system uses hot wax which is deposited on a 10 x10 palllet via 236 heads.

 

I was pretty acurate.