WELCOME

USE OF RAPID PROTOTYPING IN

RAPID TOOLING

PROTOTYPE
ITs A SCALED DOWN OR UP VERSION OF A REAL SIZED OBJECT
GENERALLY USED TO TEST PERFORMANCE OF OBJECT
PHASES OF DEVELOPMENT OF PROTOTYPING
1

RAPID PROTOTYPING
ITs A CLASS OF TECHNOLOGIES THAT AUTOMATICALLY GENERATE
MODELS FROM CAD DATA
ALSO CALLED AS LAYERED OR TOOLFREE MANUFACTURING
IT IS AN ADDITIVE PROCESS
RAPID IS A RELATIVE TERM, AS IT TAKES SEVERAL HOURS
TO BUILD A PROTOTYPE
BUT IT IS MUCH FASTER THAN CONVENTIONAL
MANUAL PROTOTYPING

PROCESS CHAIN OF
RAPID PROTOTYPING

CLASSIFICATION OF RAPID PROTOTYPING

PROCESS

USES

RAPID TOOLING
IT IS A PROCESS THAT COMBINES RP AND CONVENTIONAL
TOOLING METHODS TO PRODUCE MOULDS
IT EITHER USES RP MODEL AS A MASTER PATTERN TO PRODUCE
MOULD OR USES RP PROCESS TO FABRICATE A MOULD

CLASSIFICATION OF RT

DIRECT SOFT TOOLING

IN THIS TYPE MOULD IS PREPARED DIRECTLY WITH THE HELP OF
ONE OF THE RP TECHNIQUE BY USING SOFT MATERIALS
LIKE EPOXY RESINS, SILICON RUBBER etc.

SLS OF SAND CAST MOULD

SAND MOULDS ARE PREPARED BY USING SLS TECHNIQUE
PROCESS
1.

SAND GRAINS ARE COATED WITH POLYMERIC BINDER

2.

LASER ENERGY IS APPLIED TO MELT THIS BINDER

3.

THIS RESULTS IN BONDING OF SAND IN SHAPE OF MOULD

INDIRECT SOFT TOOLING

IN THIS TYPE MOULD IS PREPARED WITH HELP OF A COMPONENT
MANUFACTURED BY RP TECHNIQUE BY USING SOFT MATERIALS
LIKE EPOXY RESINS, SILICON RUBBER etc.

ROOM TEMPERATURE VULCANIZATION

THIS IS AN OLD METHOD BUT MASTER PATTERN USED IS DEVELOPED
BY ONE OF THE RP PROCESSES
MATERIALS USED SILICON RUBBER, POLYURETHANE, POLYESTER, EPOXY
TYPES 2 TYPES OF RTV
1) ONE PIECE MOULD APPROACH
2) TWO PIECE MOULD APPROACH

ONE PIECE MOULD APPROACH

TWO PIECE MOULD APPROACH

PROCESS
1) MOULD BOX IS FILLED UP TO PARTING LINE WITH MOULD CLAY
2) MASTER PATTERN ALONG WITH ATTACHED GATING SYSTEM IS PALCED
IN MOULD BOX
3) SILICON RUBBER IS POURED IN HALF FILLED MOULD BOX
4) AFTER SOLIDIFICATION OF RUBBER, CLAY IS REMOVED
AND WE GET A HALF PART OF MOULD
5) THE OTHER HALF OF MOULD IS PREODUCED BY LAYING
THE MASTER PATTERN UPSIDE DOWN AND CARRYING OUT SAME PROCESS

ADVANTAGES OF 2PIECE MOULD APPROACH OVER 1 PIECE MOULD APPROACH

) IT IS USEFUL WHEN PARTING LINE IS DIFFICULT TO BE DETERMINED

) LESS SKILLED WORKERS ARE REQUIRED

DISADVANTAGES OF 2PIECE MOULD APPROACH OVER 1PIECE MOULD APPROACH

1) TIME REQUIRED TO PRODUCE MOULD BY 2 PIECE MOULD APPROACH IS MORE

HOTOS

Left; one-piece mould Right; two-pieces mould

DIRECT HARD TOOLING

IN THIS TYPE MOULD IS PREPARED DIRECTLY WITH THE HELP OF
ONE OF THE RP TECHNIQUE BY USING HARD MATERIALS
LIKE TOOL STEEL etc.

DIRECT METAL LASER SINTERING (DMLS)

THE WORD SINTERING IS CONFUSING
IT IS ACTUALLY LASER WELDING
OF METAL POWDER

INDIRECT HARD TOOLING

IN THIS TYPE MOULD IS PREPARED WITH HELP OF A COMPONENT
MANUFACTURED BY RP TECHNIQUE BY USING HARD MATERIALS
LIKE MIXTURE OF EPOXY RESIN AND Al POWDER etc.

METAL FILLED EPOXY TOOLING

THE PROCESS OF PRODUCING EPOXY TOOLING IS SIMILAR AS MAKING

RTV TWO- PIECE MOULD BUT USUALLY DOUBLE DUPLICATION METHOD IS USED
PROCESS
1) MASTER PATTERN SURFACE IS APPLIED WITH MOULD RELEASE AGENT
2) AFTER HAVING AN IMPRESSION OF MASTER PATTERN ALONG WITH GATING
ON CLAY IN MOULD BOX IT IS REMOVED
3) SILICON RUBBER IS POURED IN TO IT WHICH UPON SOLIDIFICATION
ACTS AS NEGETIVE MOULD MASTER PATTERN
4) THIS NEGETIVE MOULD MASTER PATTERN IS PLACED IN MOULD BOX
ON WHICH METAL EPOXY IS POURED TO GET METAL TOOLING

ADVANTAGES OF RAPID TOOLING

1) SHORTENS TOOLING LEAD TIME
2) MISINTERPRETATIONS ABOUT DRAWING CAN BE AVOIDED IN INITIAL STAGES
3) LOW DESIGN FAILURES
THE ONLY DISADVANTAGE OF RT IS HIGH COST

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT
1) TO REDUCE PROCESS TIME
2) TO PRODUCE METAL PROTOTYPE
3) TO REDUCE THE COST OF PROTOTYPING

CONCLUSION
TOOLING i.e MOULD MAKING CAN BE DONE AT A FASTER RATE
BY COMBINING RP AND CONVENTIONAL TOOLING METHOD.