Rapid Prototyping

Rapid Prototyping

• 3D Printing• Laser Object Modelling (LOM)• Stereolithography• Solid Ground Curing• Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

3D PrintingDesigned on CAD

Sent to the machine

Prints layer by layer

ABS plastic

From a plastic coil, it is heated and comes out of a nozzle

Needs support material

Excellent speedFair surface finishFair accuracyBetter price than other options

Laser Object Modelling (LOM)• Designed on CAD

• Information sent to the machine

• Laser cuts out current layer

• Layers build up to make 3D object

• Paper layers

• Each layer is attached to the previous layer (heated roller applies pressure to bond the new layer)

Laser Object Modelling (LOM)

Very good speedPoor qualityPoor surface finishPoor material

StereolithographyDesigned on CAD

Information sent to the machine

Employs a vat of liquid ultraviolet curable photopolymer "resin" and an ultraviolet laser to build parts' layers one at a time.

For each layer, the laser beam traces a cross-section of the part pattern on the surface of the liquid resin.

Exposure to the ultraviolet laser light cures and solidifies the pattern traced on the resin and joins it to the layer below.

Stereolithography

Large part sizeAccurateAverage speedVery good surface finish

Solid Ground Curing

Process of hardening of photopolymers by a complete lighting and hardening of the entire surface (the ENTIRE LAYER), using specially prepared masks.

Solid Ground CuringDesigned on CADInformation sent to the machineThe cross section of each slice layer is calculatedThe optical mask is generated conforming to each cross section.Platform is covered with a thin layer of liquid photopolymer.The mask corresponding to the current layer is positioned over the surface of the liquid resin, and the resin is exposed to a high-power UV lamp.The residual liquid is removed from the work piece by an aerodynamic wiper.A layer of melted wax is spread over the work piece to fill voids. The wax is then solidified by applying a cold plate to it.The layer surface is trimmed to the desired thickness by a milling disk.The wax is melted away upon completion of the part.

Solid Ground Curing

Good speedGood accuracyGood surface finish

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

Designed using CADInformation sent to the machinePowders of different materials (metal/ceramics/polymers) are usedLaser hits the selected area:aser fuses powders (sintering)Makes the particles melt and solidifyPowder bed lowered after each layer

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

Average to good speedGood accuracyGood surface finishGood material

Materials Overview

• 3D Printing – solid plastic models• Laser Object Modelling (LOM) – paper only• Stereolithography – resin/polymers• Solid Ground Curing - photopolymers• Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) –

metal/cermamic/polymer powders