Rapid Prototyping Instructional Materials

Module Description
This module describes the techniques and applications for the emerging field known as Rapid Prototyping (RP). Rapid prototyping is a method to quickly fabricate a component from a three-dimensional CAD solid model. Accurate, complex shapes are readily produced from a variety of commercial machines, usually out of a polymeric material. These parts are used in all engineering areas; from design to manufacturing. In design, the RP part is a visualization tool to check for flaws in form, fit, and function testing. In some manufacturing areas, the RP part is used as a production tool for plastic injection molding.

This module is intended for undergraduate level students of all engineering majors. It is a complementary module to many engineering classes, such as the Product Dissection course. The RP materials consist of modules in electronic form (Microsoft PowerPoint and Word) for easy dissemination and modification. In order to view these files, you will need to install MS PowerPoint (or PowerPoint viewer) and MS Word as helper applications for your Web browser. Alternatively, you may exit Netscape and directly open the files contained on this CD with the appropriate application.

Table of Contents

read me first
• Introduction to Rapid Prototyping
  Introduction/applications
  Rapid prototyping sequence
  Rapid prototyping technologies I
  Rapid prototyping technologies II
  
• Selective Laser Sintering
  Selective Laser Sintering Lecture slides
  
• Stereolithography
  Introduction to stereolithography
  Quickcast build style
  Build preparation I (support generation)
  Build preparation II (computer file)
  Example parts
  Post processing
  Applications II