Applications of Rapid Prototyping Technology

Rapid Prototyping (RP) is a continuously evolving technology. RP models are becoming widely used in many industrial sectors. Initially conceived for design approval and part verification, RP now meets the need for a wide range of applications from building test prototypes with material properties close to those of production parts to fabricating models for art and medical applications. In order to satisfy the specific requirements of a growing number of new applications, special software tools, build techniques and materials have been developed. This chapter discusses the use of RP in five different application areas: building functional prototypes, patterns for castings, medical models, artworks and models for engineering analysis. In addition, the chapter outlines the technological capabilities of RP processes in the context of each particular application and discusses specific issues relating to the efficient integration of these techniques into existing manufacturing routes.

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Authors and Affiliations

1. Manufacturing Engineering Centre, School of Engingeering, Cardiff University, CF24 0YF, Cardiff, UK D. T. Pham BE, PhD, DEng, FREng, CEng, FIEE & S. S. Dimov Dipl Eng, PhD

1. D. T. Pham BE, PhD, DEng, FREng, CEng, FIEE

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Pham, D.T., Dimov, S.S. (2001). Applications of Rapid Prototyping Technology. In: Rapid Manufacturing. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-0703-3_5

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