Workshop on 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping

(Conducted by CAD Desk)

In this workshop, we get the knowledge about the 3D printing and rapid prototyping and its use in the
industries along with its application in the modern era. For the 3D printing a FDM fused deposition
modeling machine is used.

Prototype: A prototype is a physical model of an individual component or product. A prototype has

properties such as the product geometry as modeled
in the cad software with same physical shape.

This real component helps:

 in obtaining the necessary information

generation such as appearance
 Check the feasibility og new design
concepts
 Assess the fit of complex mechanisms
 Make moulds for wax cores in castings.

Working of 3D printer:

The 3D printer that we have seen in the workshop

was working with the FDM (fused deposition
modeling) technique.

In which, a thermoplastic filament is unwound from

a coil and supplies material to an extrusion nozzle. The nozzle is heated to melt the plastic and has a
mechanism which allows the flow of plastic to be turned on and off. The nozzle can be moved in
horizontal as well as in vertical position, but table is remaining stationary on which prototype is made.
Prototype is made in the layers.

Steps followed to make a rapid prototype:

 Making a cad model in any cad software.

 Then converting and saving as STL (standard triangular language) file.
 Import this file into 3D printing software such as CURA 2.0
 Change the scale if required.
 Now make the sliced layers of the model which is the path to be followed by the nozzle while
printing.
Main purpose of using rapid prototype is to save the cost of tooling , mould making process before
production which can be result as wrong product design and impractical design which can lead to failure
etc.

The products which will not manufactured after single or double time, leading to wastage of mould dies
after single use can also use rapid prototyping as a product. For example space shuttle made by NASA is
the example of rapid prototypes.