my country's rapid prototype technology development overview
(This article is reproduced from Software Engineering Expert Network www.21cmm.com)
Excerpt from: Advanced Manufacturing Technology
Rapid prototyping, rp) technology, also known as rapid forming technology, is first produced and commercialization in the United States in the late 1980s, and new technologies developed rapidly in the world in the 1990s. The rapid prototype is another major breakthrough in the field of manufacturing after the 1960s, and is an important part of the advanced manufacturing technology group.
It integrates computer-aided design and manufacturing techniques, laser technology and materials science technology, and rapidly manufacturing a three-dimensional solid model or part of any complicated shape without traditional molds and fixtures. The promotion and application of rapid prototyping and manufacturing technology will significantly shorten the time to market, saving new product development and cost of mold manufacturing. US, Japan and European developed countries have applied rapid forming techniques to aviation, aerospace, automotive, communications, medical care, electronics, home appliances, toys, military equipment, industrial modeling (engraving), architectural models, machinery industry and other fields. In 1998, RP direct income (sales RP system and prototype manufacturing and prototype processed income) about $ 1 billion.
1 There are 20 units in my country to introduce RP machines
my country's RP research work started in the early 1990s. At the beginning, the technology introduced more. In 1994, there have been more than 20 enterprises or institutions in my country have introduced RP machines from abroad, speeding up new product development, has achieved huge economic benefits. However, due to expensive prices, such as the SLA250 system produced by US 3DSYSTEM, SLA500 price is up to $ 400,000, and the material is also relying on import, so that the production cost is too high, it is often unbearable.
2 Domestic RP machine (system) began commodity and promotion
In order to solve the urgent needs of China's manufacturing, in 1991, since the Chinese government funded and supported, some colleges and research institutions have actively carry out RP research and achieved greater progress.
Beijing Longyuan Automatic Forming System Co., Ltd., Tsinghua University, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Nanjing Aerospace University, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, North China University of Technology, etc. have made a lot in forming theory, process methods, equipment, materials, software. Research, development work. Some units have developed commercialization and can make a complex prototype RP system. For example, Beijing Longyuan Company developed AFS 300 laser fast forming machine (selective laser sintering system), Huazhong HRP system, Tsinghua University developed multi-function fast styling system MRPMS and FDM-based melt extruded forming system (MEM 250), etc. . In terms of rapid manufacturing mold based on rapid forming technology, Shanghai Jiaotong University has developed a casting model computer-assisted rapid manufacturing system with my country's independent intellectual property rights. It has manufactured a variety of molds for the automotive industry; Longyuan's RP service center is also produced A variety of precision molds; Huazhong University of Science and Technology studied a fast manufacturing mold for complex film technology, which is typed in aluminum alloy molds and cast iron modules. In addition, the domestic home appliance industry is in the forefront of the rapid forming system. Such as the beauty of Guangdong, Huaobao, Coron, Jiangsu's Chunlan, Xiao Swan, Qingdao Haier, etc., has used a rapid forming system to develop new products, and have received a good effect. At present, domestic funding is funded by Shenzhen, Tianjin and other places to provide a batch of service agencies to enterprises with rapid forming technology to promote rapid forming technology in my country. In the mold manufacturing industry, a rapid prototype made of rapid forming techniques, combined with silica gel mold, metal cold spray, precision cast, electroforming, centrifugal casting, etc., the rapid forming parts can also be directly or indirectly produced by EDM electrodes. For electric spark plus production mold; rapid prototype made by rapid forming techniques can also be directly used as a mold.
3 RP needs research and development main topics
Further research and development work of rapid forming technology is mainly in the following aspects:
(1) Improve the reliability, productivity and production capacity of the rapid forming system, in particular to improve the production accuracy of the rapid forming system; (2) Development of economical rapid forming system;
(3) Improvement and innovation of rapid forming methods and processes;
(4) Application of rapid mold manufacturing;
(5) Rapid shaping materials with good development performance;
(6) Develop fast-shaped high-performance software;
(7) Rapid forming technology and CAD, CAE, CAPP, CAM, and high precision automatic measurement, integration of reverse engineering.
Rapid forming technology is a continuous improved high-tech with extensive application prospects. With the increasingly fierce market competition, the technology will be used by more and more companies, and the development of the company has played an increasingly important role, and will bring huge economic benefits to enterprises. At the same time, rapid forming techniques as a multi-discipline cross-profile professional technology, its own development, will also promote the development of related technologies and industries.
