ASSIGNMENT – I
S.SATISH BABU
11MD34
RAPID PROTOTYPING
Rapid prototyping is the automatic construction of physical objects using additive manufacturing technology. The use of additive manufacturing for rapid prototyping takes virtual designs from computer aided design (CAD) or animation modeling software, transforms them into thin, virtual, horizontal cross-sections and then creates successive layers until the model is complete. It is a process where the virtual model and the physical model are almost identical. With additive manufacturing, the machine reads in data from a CAD drawing and lays down successive layers of liquid, powder, or sheet material, and in this way builds up the model from a series of cross sections. These layers, which correspond to the virtual cross section from the CAD model, are joined together or fused automatically to create the final shape. The primary advantage to additive fabrication is its ability to create almost any shape or geometric feature. The standard data interface between CAD software and the machines is the STL file format. An STL file approximates the shape of a part or assembly using triangular facets. Smaller facets produce a higher quality surface. VRML (or WRL) files are often used as input for 3D printing technologies that are able to print in full color.
Types of Rapid Prototyping: Several rapid prototyping methods have been created to produce objects of complex geometries in a relatively short amount of time. These systems are beneficial to engineers by allowing them to better understand the products that they are designing and by providing them with a way to create a visual aid to communicate with others. Rapid prototyping allows design challenges to be determined earlier in the design process, saving time and money. The technology of rapid prototyping is easy to access and simple to understand.
A large number of competing technologies are