ASSIGNMENT – 2

B16ME090
1. a) Which liquid-based machine has the largest work volume? Which has the
smallest?

Ans. Liquid-based machine has the largest work volume is D-MEC’S SOLID
CREATION SYSTEM. And smallest is AUTOSTRADE’S E-DARTS.
1. b) Describe the process flow of Cubital’s Solid Ground Curing System.

Ans. The Cubital’s Solid Ground Curing process includes three main steps:

1. Data preparation,
2. Mask generation and
3. Model making

1. Data Preparation: In this first step, the CAD model of the job to be prototyped is
prepared and the cross-sections are generated digitally and transferred to the mask
generator.

2. Mask Generation: After data is received, the mask plate is charged through an
“image wise” ionographic process. The charged image is then developed with
electrostatic toner.

3. Model Making: In this step, a thin layer of photopolymer resin is spread on the
work surface. The photo mask from the mask generator is placed in close proximity
above the work piece, and aligned under a collimated UV lamp. The UV light is
turned on for a few seconds. The part of the resin layer, which is exposed to the UV
light through the photo mask, is hardened.
1. c) Describe how investment casting parts can be made using: (i) 3D Systems’
SLA (ii) Cubital’s SGC system.

Ans. (i) Software developed to support these applications include QuickCastTM, a

software tool that is used in the investment casting industry. QuickCast enables
highly accurate resin patterns that are specifically used as an expendable pattern to
form a ceramic mold to be created. QuickCast eliminates the need for the tooling
used to make the expendable patterns. QuickCast produces parts, which have a hard
thin outer shell and contain a honeycomb like structure inside, allowing the pattern
to collapse when heated instead of expanding, which would crack the shell.

(ii) Cubital is developing an extension to the Solid Ground Curing process that will
be upgradable on standard Solider Systems. The Extended Process will enable
production of parts made of enhanced thermoset, thermoplastic and metallic
materials, significantly increasing the end users’ ability to select mechanical
properties suitable for specific applications or production processes. Particularly,
parts made of cast able wax can be used directly for investment casting, and parts
produced of Metal Sprayed Zinc can be used directly for plastic injection molding.

1. d) Describe the photopolymers.

Ans. There are many types of liquid photopolymers that can be solidified by
exposure to electro-magnetic radiation, including wavelengths in the gamma rays,
X-rays, UV and visible range, or electron-beam (EB). The vast majority of
photopolymers used in the commercial RP systems, including 3D Systems’ SLA
machines are curable in the UV range.
1. e) What is Photopolymerization?

Ans. polymerization is the process of linking small molecules (known as monomers)

into chain-like larger molecules (known as polymers). When the chain-like polymers
are linked further to one another, a cross-linked polymer is said to be formed.
Photopolymerization is polymerization initiated by a photochemical process
whereby the starting point is usually the induction of energy from the radiation
source
2. a) Describe the process and working principle of Stereo lithography Apparatus
(SLA).

Ans. 3D Systems’ stereolithography process creates three-dimensional plastic objects

directly from CAD data. The process begins with the vat filled with the photo-
curable liquid resin and the elevator table set just below the surface of the liquid
resin. The operator loads a three-dimensional CAD solid model file into the system.
Supports are designed to stabilize the part during building. The translator converts
the CAD data into a STL file. The control unit slices the model and support into a
series of cross sections from 0.025 to 0.5 mm (0.001 to 0.020 in) thick.

Schematic of SLA process

The computer-controlled optical scanning system then directs and focuses the laser
beam so that it solidifies a two-dimensional cross-section corresponding to the slice
on the surface of the photo-curable liquid resin to a depth greater than one layer
thickness. The elevator table then drops enough to cover the solid polymer with
another layer of the liquid resin. A leveling wiper or vacuum blade (for ZephyrTM
recoating system) moves across the surfaces to recoat the next layer of resin on the
surface. The laser then draws the next layer. This process continues building the part
from bottom up, until the system completes the part. The part is then raised out of
the vat and cleaned of excess polymer.
2. b) Compare and contrast the laser-based stereolithography systems and the
solid ground curing systems. What are the advantages (and disadvantages) for
each of the systems?
Ans.

Laser-based stereolithography systems Solid ground curing systems

Round the clock operation. The SLA can Parallel processing. The process is based
be used continuously and on instant, simultaneous curing of a
unattended round the clock. whole cross-sectional layer area (rather
than point-by point curing). It has a
high speed throughput that is about
eight times faster than its competitors.
Its production costs can be 25% to 50%
lower. It is a time and cost saving
process.
Build volumes. The different SLA Requires large physical space. The size
machines have build volumes ranging of the system is much larger than other
from small to large to suit the needs of systems with a similar build volume
different users. size.
Good accuracy. The SLA has good Unique part properties. The part that
accuracy; best surface finishes amongst the Solider system produces is reliable,
RP technologies and can thus be used accurate, sturdy, machinable, and can
for many application areas. be mechanically finished.
Requires support structures. Structures Self-supporting. It is user-friendly, fast,
that have overhangs and undercuts and simple to use. It has a solid
must have supports that are designed modeling environment with unlimited
and fabricated together with the main geometry. The solid wax supports the
structure. part in all dimensions and therefore a
support structure is not required.
Requires post-processing. Post- Requires post-processing. Post-
processing includes removal of processing includes removal of
supports and other unwanted materials, wax and other unwanted material
which is tedious, time-consuming during mechanical finishing
and can damage the model.
 Requires post-curing. Post-curing may High structural strength and stability.
be needed to cure the object completely This is due to the curing process that
and ensure the integrity of the structure. minimizes the development of internal
stresses in the structure. As a result,
they are much less brittle.

2. c) Discuss the principle behind the two-laser-beam method. What are the major
problems in this method?

Ans. In the two-laser-beam method, the two lasers are focused to intersect at a
particular point in the vat. The principle behind this method is a two-step variation
of ordinary photo polymerization: a single photon initiates curing and two photons
of different frequencies are required to initiate polymerization. Therefore, the point
of intersection of the two lasers is the desired point of curing. The numerous points
of intersection will collectively form the three-dimensional part.

In the method, it is assumed that one laser excites molecules all along its path in the
vat. While most of these molecules will return back to their unexcited state after a
short time, those also in the path of the second laser will be further excited to initiate
the polymerization process. On this basis, the resin cures at the point of intersection
of the two laser beams, while the rest lying along either of the two paths will remain
liquid.

Three major problems need to be resolved before the process is deemed to deliver
parts of usable size and resolution. The first two problems relate to the control of the
laser beams so that they intersect precisely at the desired three-dimensional point in
the vat.

The second problem to contend with, is how can two laser beams moving at high
speed be focused to a very small and accurate point of intersection. Thus, the
distance is limited and in turn, this limits the size of the part that can be made by this
method.

Third, it is not always the case that molecules lying along the paths of either laser
beams will return to the liquid state. This means unwanted resins may be formed
along the path of either laser beams.
2. d) As opposed to many of the liquid-based RP systems which uses
photosensitive polymer, water is used in the Rapid Freeze Prototyping (RFP).
What are the pros and cons of using water?

Ans. RFP has the following

Advantages:

1. Low running cost. Rapid Freeze Prototyping (RFP) process is cheaper and
cleaner than all the other rapid prototyping processes. The energy utilization
 of RFP is low compared with other rapid prototyping processes such as laser
stereolithography or selective laser sintering.
2. Good accuracy. RFP can build accurate ice parts with excellent surface finish.
It is easy to remove the RFP made ice part in a mold making process, by
simply heating the mold to melt the ice part.
3. Good building speed. The build speed of RFP can be significantly faster than
other rapid prototyping processes, because a part can be built by first
depositing water droplets to generate the part boundary and then filling in
the enclosed interior with a water stream. This is possible due to the low
viscosity of water. It is easy to build color and transparent parts with the RFP
process.
Disadvantages:

1. Requires a cold environment. The prototype of RFP is made of ice and hence
it cannot maintain its original shape and form in room temperature.
2. Need additional processing. The prototype made with RFP cannot be used
directly but have to be subsequently cast into a mold and so on and this
increases the production cost and time.
3. Repeatability. Due to the nature of water, the part built in one run may differ
from the next one. The composition of water is also hard to control and
determined unless tests are carried out.
2. e) Meiko Co. Ltd. produces the LC-315 for jewelry prototyping. By comparing
the machine specifications with other vendors, discuss what you think are the
important specifications that will determine their suitability for jewelry
prototyping.
Ans.