Features and Applications of Rapid Prototyping Technology (Part Two)

Rapid prototyping technology can directly manufacture single parts, parts with small quantities and special complex parts. The engineering plastic with high strength can be directly used for rapid prototyping for parts which are made by high polymer materials so as to meet the requirements. For complex metal parts, rapid casting or direct metal molding can be used. Rapid prototyping technology has special significance for aviation, space flight and national defense industries.

Rapid prototyping technology can rapidly manufacture molds. Rapid prototyping can be converted into various rapid molds such as alloy molds with low melting, silicone molds, metal cold spray molds and ceramic molds through a variety of conversion technologies. The rapid prototyping can manufacture parts with small or medium batches and meet the requirements of fast replacement and smaller and smaller batches. The application of the rapid prototyping almost includes all industries in the manufacturing field, and the rapid prototyping is also widely used for medical, ergonomic and historic preservation industries.

Rapid prototyping technology in various industries
Automobiles and motorcycles: Designs, modifications, assembly tests of appearance and interior parts as well as trial production of cylinder heads
Home appliances: Appearance and structure designs, assembly testing and functional verification, marketing and mold manufacturing of various home appliances
Communication products: Appearance and structure designs, assembly testing and functional verification, marketing and mold manufacturing of communication products
Aerospace and space flight: Direct manufacturing of special parts, trial production of impellers, turbines and blades, trial production and assembly tests of engines.
Light industry: Designs, verification, publicity and assembly of various light products, rapid manufacturing of molds of toys and footwear
Medical industry: Designs, trial production and production trial of medical devices, materialisation of CT scan information and surgical simulation
National defense: Designs, assembly, trial production of various weapon parts, direct production of special parts and model making of remote sensing information

In short, the development of rapid prototyping technology is a breakthrough in the field of manufacturing in the past 20 years. It is very different from the traditional method of manufacturing principle, but more importantly, it can shorten the development cycle of the product in the condition of the market response speed being the first industrial strategy, which reduce costs of product development and improve the competitiveness of enterprises.