NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, PATNA

ASHOK RAJPATH, PATNA, BIHAR, 800005

INTRODUCTION TO RAPID
PROTOTYPING
Presented for Course: Seminar (2ME694)
Date: 13.05.2016
Presented By:

Soumajit Talukdar (Roll No. 1534005)

M.Tech (1st Year)
Design Engineering

CONTENTS
I.

Introduction

II.

Rapid Prototyping Procedure

III.

Rapid Prototyping Technologies

IV.

Stereolithography

V.

Solid Ground Curing

VI.

Laminated Object Manufacturing

VII.

Fused Deposition Modelling

VIII.

Selective Laser Sintering

IX.

Three Dimensional Printing

X.

Applications Of Rapid Prototyping

XI.

Advantages Of Rapid Prototyping

XII.

Limitations Of Rapid Prototyping

XIII.

Conclusion

XIV.

References

INTRODUCTION

In the development of a new product, a single

example of the product, or Prototype, to study its
characteristics is beneficial.

As errors are discovered, or more efficient design

solutions are obtained, a new prototype is required
to be produced. This becomes an iterative
procedure.

Conventional manufacturing processes can be costly

and time consuming for complex geometries.

Rapid Prototyping is a family of fabrication

methods to make engineering prototypes in
minimum possible lead times directly from CAD
model data.

RAPID PROTOYPING PROCEDURE

Fig.1 - Steps Involved in Rapid Prototyping [6]

RAPID PROTOYPING PROCEDURE

(Contd.)

SOLID MODELLING: A 3D model of the object is

prepared using a suitable CAD software package.

TESSELLATION: The process of approximating the

actual surfaces of the object with a closed mesh of
triangles is known as tessellation. It produces an STL
file.

Fig.2 - A 3D Model and its tessellated surface [6]

RAPID PROTOYPING PROCEDURE

(Contd.)

SLICING: Next the model is sliced into a number of

layers with parallel horizontal planes. This is done
using various slicing softwares like MeshLab,
OpenRP and Admesh. Generated sliced data is
stored in SLC file format.

Fig.3 - A 3D Model after tessellation and slicing [7]

RAPID PROTOYPING PROCEDURE

(Contd.)

PATH GENERATION: The sliced data is fed into the

RP Software. It generates the Laser Scanning Paths
or Material Deposition Paths.

PHYSICAL MODEL: The actual physical model is

then fabricated by the RP System using one of the
various Rapid Prototyping Technologies.

POST PROCESSING: This will involve finishing

operations like cleaning, polishing and painting.

RAPID PROTOYPING
TECHNOLOGIES

LIQUID BASED: The starting material is liquid,

mostly resins and polymers.

Stereolithography

Solid Ground Curing

SOLID BASED: The starting material is a solid like

paper, plastic, wax, etc.

Laminated Object Manufacturing

Fused Deposition Modelling

POWDER BASED: The starting material is powders

of ceramics, polymers or metals.

Selective Laser Sintering

Three Dimensional Printing

STEREOLITHOGRAPHY

Works based on the principle of solidifying liquid

photocurable polymer into solid using UV Laser.

Laser scans first layer and then platform is lowered

equal to one slice thickness.

This process is repeated until the whole part is

completed.

Fig.4 - Schematics
of
Stereolithography
process [8]

STEREOLITHOGRAPHY
(Contd.)
Layer Thickness - 0.076
to 0.50 mm [2]

Laser Scanning Speeds - 500 to 2500 mm/s [2]

Material - Acrylic Photopolymer, Epoxy [2]

Fig.5 - An SLA-5000
Stereolithography
machine from 3D
Systems [9]

SOLID GROUND CURING

An Optical mask of a slice is printed on glass plate.

The work surface is covered with a thin layer of

photoreactive polymer.

The mask is positioned over it and exposed to UV

Light solidifying the unmasked part.

Fig.6 - Schematics
of Solid Ground
Curing [6]

SOLID GROUND CURING

(Contd.)

The remaining liquid is removed, the void is filled

with wax.

The mask for the next layer is generated. This

process continues till the whole object is made.

Fig.6 - Schematics
of Solid Ground
Curing [6]

LAMINATED OBJECT
MANUFACTURING

Thin slices of sheet stock material, like paper or

plastic are glued together to form a 3D shape.

Two rollers are used to control the supply of paper

with heat activated glue to a building platform.

Fig.7 - Schematics of
Laminated Object
Manufacturing [10]

LAMINATED OBJECT
MANUFACTURING (Contd.)

New layer is added to the platform using heated

rollers. A laser cuts the shape of the layer.

The building platform descends, new paper comes

in position and the whole process is repeated.

Fig.7 - Schematics of
Laminated Object
Manufacturing [10]

LAMINATED OBJECT
MANUFACTURING (Contd.)

Layer Thickness - 0.05 to

0.5 mm. [2]

Material - Paper, Plastic,

Cellulose, Fiber reinforced
composites, etc. [2]

Fig.8 - LOM 1015 Laminated

Object Manufacturing machine
from Helisys [11]

FUSED DEPOSITION MODELLING

A gantry robot controlled extruder head moves in

two principle directions over a table.

The table can be raised or lowered.

Thermo plastic or wax filament is extruded through

the small orifice of heated die.

Fig.9 - Schematics of
Fused Deposition
Modelling [10]

FUSED DEPOSITION MODELLING

(Contd.)

Initial layer is placed on a foam foundation by

extruding the filament at a constant rate.

Extruder head follows a predetermined path.

The table is lowered after subsequent layers.

Fig.9 - Schematics of
Fused Deposition
Modelling [10]

FUSED DEPOSITION MODELLING

(Contd.)

Materials - ABS (Acrylonitrile

Butadiene
Styrene),
Polyamide,
polyethylene,
polypropylene, etc. [2]

Layer Thickness - 0.05 to 0.75

mm [2]

Fig.10 - FDM Titan Fused

Deposition Modelling machine
from Stratasys [12]

SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING

3D Parts are produced by fusing a thin slice of

powdered material onto the layers below it.

Powdered material is kept on a delivery platform

and supplied to building area by roller.

Fig.11 Schematics of
Selective Laser
Sintering [10]

SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING

(Contd.)

A laser traces each layer, melting the powder,

fusing it with the layer below it.

The delivery platform is lowered, the supply

platform is elevated and the whole process is
repeated.

Fig.11 Schematics of
Selective Laser
Sintering [10]

SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING

(Contd.)

Layer Thickness - 0.075 to

0.5 mm. [2]

Material
Polyvinylchloride,
Polycarbonate, Polyester,
Polyurethane, ABS, etc.
[2]

Fig.12 - 3D Systems sPro

60 HD-HS SLS Machine [9]

THREE DIMENSIONAL PRINTING

Layer of Powder is spread on platform.

Inkjet printer head deposits adhesive or binder

(e.g.-colloidal silica) on part cross section.

The table is lowered by layer thickness.

The process is repeated.

Fig.13 - Schematics of 3D
Printing [10]

THREE DIMENSIONAL PRINTING

(Contd.)

Layer Thickness - 0.10

to 0.18 mm. [2]

Material - Powders of
Ceramics, Metals or
Cermets [2]

Binder
Polymer,
Colloidal Silica, Silicon
Carbide [2]

Fig.14 - Voxeljet VX1000

3D Printer [13]

APPLICATIONS OF RAPID
PROTOTYPING

Checking the feasibility of new design concepts.

Making functional model with the limitation of the

material to do any testing.

Conducting market tests or evaluation.

Comparison to determine aesthetic appeal.

Fabrication of pre production parts for process

planning and tool design.

Rapid Tool Making using direct method (RP is

used to create tool directly) or indirect method
(pattern is created using RP which is used for
fabrication of tools).

ADVANTAGES OF RAPID
PROTOTYPING

Reduction in product development time and cost.

Reduction in total product design cycle, hence

getting product to market sooner.

Better communication between various departments

due to availability of physical prototype.

Swifter and more accurate decision making due to

availability of physical model.

Lower material wastage.

No need to design jigs and fixtures.

No need of mould or other tools.

LIMITATIONS OF RAPID
PROTOTYPING

Limited material choices

mechanical properties.

and

hence

limited

Not suitable for large sized applications.

Sometimes staircase effect can be observed.

Sometimes components can get distorted.

The initial cost of equipment is relatively high.

CONCLUSION

Rapid Prototyping is the future for the next

generation of design and manufacturing.

The key advantages are decreasing development

time and increasing the number of product
variants.

Further improvements in laser optics and motor

control can improve the accuracy.

Further Developments in materials such as alloys,

composites, ceramics, polymers etc. can further
increase the range of Rapid Prototyping.

REFERENCES
1.

S. Kalpakjian & S. R. Schmid - Manufacturing Engineering and Technology (4 th

Edition), Pearson Education Inc.

2.

M. P. Groover - Fundamentals of Modern manufacturing (4 th Edition), Wiley

Publications.

3.

P. N. Rao - CAD/CAM Principles and Applications (3 rd Edition), Tata McGraw Hill

Education Pvt. Ltd.

4.

http://www.efunda.com/processes/rapid_prototyping/intro.cfm (05.03.2016)

5.

https://www.dmoz.org/Science/Technology/Manufacturing/Prototyping/Rapid_Protot
yping (04.03.2016)

6.

http://nptel.ac.in/courses/Webcourse-contents/IIT-Delhi/Computer%20Aided
%20Design%20&%20ManufacturingII/Module%20G/Module%20G%284%29/p2.htm
(05.03.2016)

7.

http://www-o.ntust.edu.tw/~omslab/researches/researches5-1.htm (04.03.2016)

8.

http://rapitech.co.in/Stereolithography.html (04.03.2016)

9.

http://www.3dsystems.com/ (06.03.2016)

10.

http://www.custompartnet.com/ (04.03.2016)

11.

http://www.cubictechnologies.com/Helisys.htm (04.03.2016)

12.

http://www.stratasys.com/ (05.03.2016)

13.

http://www.voxeljet.de/en/ (06.03.2016)