School of Mechanical

Engineering

RAPID PROTOTYPING
G Britto Joseph
Department of MECHANICAL Engineering
S AT H YA B A M A I N S T I T U T E O F S C I E N C E A N D T E C H N O L O G Y
Unit 2 RAPID PROTOTYPING
TECHNIQUES
• Selective Laser Sintering-Types of machines, principles of operation,
process parameters, data preparation for SLS, applications.
Laminated Object Manufacturing-Principle of operation, LOM
materials, process details, applications.
• Solid Ground Curing- Principle of operation, machine details,
applications
Selective Laser Sintering
• LASER (light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation).
• Carbon di oxide laser
(Flow of Electron)
(Jump of Electron)
what is ionisation?
It is a process of removing one electron from an atom.
Carbon di Oxide laser
• Molecular Gas laser

• In a molecular gas laser, laser action is achieved by transitions

between vibrational and rotational levels of molecules. Its
construction is simple and the output of this laser is continuous.
• In Carbon di Oxide molecular gas laser, transition takes place between
the vibrational states of Carbon dioxide molecules.
Carbon di Oxide laser
• CO2 Molecular gas laser

• It was the first molecular gas laser developed by Indian born

American scientist Prof.C.K.N.Pillai.

• It is a four level laser and it operates at 10.6 μm in the far IR region. It

is a very efficient laser.
Carbon di Oxide laser
• Energy states of CO2 molecules.
• A carbon dioxide molecule has a carbon atom at the center with two
oxygen atoms attached, one at both sides. Such a molecule exhibits
three independent modes of vibrations. They are
a) Symmetric stretching mode.
b) Bending mode
c) Asymmetric stretching mode.
Carbon di Oxide laser
• a. Symmetric stretching mode
In this mode of vibration, carbon atoms are at rest and both oxygen
atoms vibrate simultaneously along the axis of the molecule departing
or approaching the fixed carbon atoms.
Carbon di Oxide laser
• b. Bending mode:
In this mode of vibration, oxygen atoms and carbon atoms vibrate
perpendicular to molecular axis.
Carbon di Oxide laser
• c. Asymmetric stretching mode:
In this mode of vibration, oxygen atoms and carbon atoms vibrate
asymmetrically, i.e., oxygen atoms move in one direction while carbon
atoms in the other direction.
Carbon di Oxide laser
Principle:
• The active medium is a gas mixture of CO2, N2 and He. The laser
transition takes place between the vibrational states of CO2
molecules.
Carbon di Oxide laser
Construction:
• It consists of a quartz tube 5 m long and 2.5 cm in the diameter. This
discharge tube is filled with gaseous mixture of CO2(active medium),
helium and nitrogen with suitable partial pressures.
• The terminals of the discharge tubes are connected to a D.C power
supply. The ends of the discharge tube are fitted with NaCl Brewster
windows so that the laser light generated will be polarized.
• Two concave mirrors one fully reflecting and the other partially form
an optical resonator
Carbon di Oxide laser
Working:
Figure shows energy levels of nitrogen and carbon dioxide molecules.
Carbon di Oxide laser
• When an electric discharge occurs in the gas, the electrons collide with
nitrogen molecules and they are raised to excited states. This process is
represented by the equation
• N2 + e* = N2* + e
• N2 = Nitrogen molecule in ground state e* = electron with kinetic
energy
• N2* = nitrogen molecule in excited state e= same electron with lesser
energy
An electric discharge is the release and transmission of electricity in an
applied electric field through a medium such as a gas.
Carbon di Oxide laser
• Now N2 molecules in the excited state collide with CO2 atoms in ground state
and excite to higher electronic, vibrational and rotational levels.
• This process is represented by the equation N2* + CO2 = CO2* + N2
• N2* = Nitrogen molecule in excited state. CO2 = Carbon dioxide atoms in
ground state CO2* = Carbon dioxide atoms in excited state N2 = Nitrogen
molecule in ground state.
• Since the excited level of nitrogen is very close to the E5 level of CO2 atom,
population in E5 level increases.
• As soon as population inversion is reached, any of the spontaneously emitted
photon will trigger laser action in the tube. There are two types of laser
transition possible.
Carbon di Oxide laser
1.Transition E5 to E4 :
This will produce a laser beam of wavelength 10.6μm
2.Transition E5 to E3
This transition will produce a laser beam of wavelength 9.6μm.
Normally 10.6μm transition is more intense than 9.6μm transition. The
power output from this laser is 10kW.
Carbon di Oxide laser
Characteristics:
1.Type: It is a molecular gas laser.
2.Active medium: A mixture of CO2 , N2 and helium or water vapour is used as
active medium
3.Pumping method: Electrical discharge method is used for Pumping action
4.Optical resonator: Two concave mirrors form a resonant cavity
5.Power output: The power output from this laser is about 10kW.
6.Nature of output: The nature of output may be continuous wave or pulsed
wave.
7.Wavelength of output: The wavelength of output is 0.6μm and 10.6μm.
Carbon di Oxide laser
Advantages:
• The construction of CO2 laser is simple
• The output of this laser is continuous.
• It has high efficiency
• It has very high output power.
• The output power can be increased by extending the length of the gas
tube.
Carbon di Oxide laser
Disadvantages:
• The contamination of oxygen by carbon monoxide will have some
effect on laser action
• The operating temperature plays an important role in determining the
output power of laser.
• The corrosion may occur at the reflecting plates.
• Accidental exposure may damage our eyes, since it is invisible (infra
red region) to our eyes.
Carbon di Oxide laser
Applications:
• High power CO2 laser finds applications in material processing,
welding, drilling, cutting soldering etc.
• The low atmospheric attenuation (10.6μm makes CO2 laser suitable
for open air communication.
• It is used for remote sensing
• It is used for treatment of liver and lung diseases.
• It is mostly used in neuro surgery and general surgery.
• It is used to perform microsurgery and bloodless operations.
Sintering
• Sintering is the process of compacting and forming a solid mass of material
by heat or pressure without melting it to the point of liquefaction.
• Sintering happens naturally in mineral deposits or as a manufacturing
process used with metals, ceramics, plastics, and other materials. The
atoms in the materials diffuse across the boundaries of the particles,
fusing the particles together and creating one solid piece. Because the
sintering temperature does not have to reach the melting point of the
material, sintering is often chosen as the shaping process for materials
with extremely high melting points such as tungsten and molybdenum.
The study of sintering in metallurgy powder-related processes is known
as powder metallurgy.
Sintering
• An example of sintering can be observed when ice cubes in a
glass of water adhere to each other, which is driven by the
temperature difference between the water and the ice
Sintering
• Basically, sintering processes can be divided into two types: solid state
sintering and liquid phase sintering. Solid state sintering occurs when
the powder compact is densified wholly in a solid state at
the sintering temperature, while liquid phase sintering occurs when a
liquid phase is present in the powder compact during sintering.
Sintering
Sintering
• At temperature T1, solid state sintering occurs in an A–B powder
compact with composition X1, while at temperature T3, liquid phase
sintering occurs in the same powder compact.
• Viscous flow sintering occurs when the volume fraction of liquid is
sufficiently high, so that the full densification of the compact can be
achieved by a viscous flow of grain–liquid mixture without having any
grain shape change during densification. 
Sintering
• Transient liquid phase sintering is a combination of liquid phase
sintering and solid state sintering. In this sintering technique a liquid
phase forms in the compact at an early stage of sintering, but the
liquid disappears as sintering proceeds and densification is completed
in the solid state.
Sintering
• An example of transient liquid phase sintering may also be found in
the schematic phase diagram in Figure when an A–B powder compact
with composition X1 is sintered above the eutectic temperature but
below a solidus line, for example at temperature T2. Since the
sintering temperature is above the A–B eutectic temperature, a liquid
phase is formed through a reaction between the A and B powders
during heating of the compact. During sintering, however, the liquid
phase disappears and only a solid phase remains because the
equilibrium phase under the given sintering condition is a solid phase.
Selective Laser Sintering
Models and specifications
• In the last decade, the SLS® system has gone through three
generations of products: the Sinterstation 2000, Sinterstation 2500
and the Sinterstation 2500plus.
• The latest and fourth generation SLS® system is the VanguardTM.
• The system is capable of producing objects measuring up to 380 mm
(15 inches) length by 330 mm (13 inches) width by 380 mm (15 inches)
in height, accommodating most rapid prototyping applications.
• The new VanguardTM system offers several significant improvements
over the previous generation systems such as improved part accuracy,
higher speed, smoother surface finish and finer resolution
Specifications of VanguardTM
Model VanguardTM si2TM SLS®
Process Selective Laser Sintering
Laser type CO2
Laser power (W) 25 or 100
Spot size (mm) 0.47
Maximum scan speed (mm/s) 7500 (standard beam delivery system)
10 000 (CelerityTM BDS)
XY resolution (mm) 0.178
Work volume, XYZ 370 X 320 x 445
(mm ´ mm ´ mm)
Minimum layer thickness (mm) 0.076
Size of unit, XYZ (m ´ m ´ m) 2.1 x 1.3 x 1.9
Layering time per layer (s) 10 s
Data control unit 933 MHz Pentium III
Windows 2000 OS
Power supply 240 VAC, 12.5 kVA, 50/60 Hz, 3-phase
Advantages
• Good part stability. Parts are created within a precise controlled environment.
The process and materials provide for directly produced functional parts to be
built.
• Wide range of processing materials. A wide range of materials including
nylon, polycarbonates, metals and ceramics are available, thus providing
flexibility and a wide scope of functional applications.
• No part supports required. The system does not require CAD developed
support structures. This saves the time required for support structure building
and removal.
• Little post-processing required. The finishing of the part is reasonably fine and
requires only minimal post-processing such as particle blasting and sanding.
Disadvantages
• Large physical size of the unit. The system requires a relatively large
space to house it. Apart from this, additional storage space is required
to house the inert gas tanks used for each build.
• High power consumption. The system requires high power
consumption due to the high wattage of the laser required to sinter
the powder particles together.
• Poor surface finish. The as-produced parts tend to have poorer
surface finish due to the relatively large particle sizes of the powders
used.
 20
Selective Laser Sintering
(SLS)
1. A continuous layer of powder is
deposited on the fabrication
platform
2. A focused laser beam is used to
fuse/sinter powder particles in a
small volume within the layer
3. The laser beam is scanned to
define a 2D slice of the
object within the layer
4. The fabrication piston is
lowered, the powder delivery
piston is raised and a new layer
is deposited
5. After removal from the machine,
the unsintered dry powder is
brushed off and recycled
Procedure
Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
Process
• The SLS® process creates three-dimensional objects, layer by layer,
from CAD-data generated in a CAD software using powdered
materials with heat generated by a CO2 laser within the VanguardTM
system. CAD data files in the STL file format are first transferred to the
VanguardTM system where they are sliced. From this point, the SLS®
process (see Figure) starts and operates as follows.
• A thin layer of heat-fusible powder is deposited onto the partbuilding
chamber.
Process
• The bottom-most cross-sectional slice of the CAD part under fabrication
is selectively “drawn” (or scanned) on the layer of powder by a heat-
generating CO2 laser. The interaction of the laser beam with the
powder elevates the temperature to the point of melting, fusing the
powder particles to form a solid mass. The intensity of the laser beam is
modulated to melt the powder only in areas defined by the part’s
geometry. Surrounding powder remain a loose compact and serve as
supports.
• When the cross-section is completely drawn, an additional layer of
powder is deposited via a roller mechanism on top of the previously
scanned layer. This prepares the next layer for scanning.
Process
• Steps 2 and 3 are repeated, with each layer fusing to the
layer below it. Successive layers of powder are deposited and
the process is repeated until the part is completed
• As SLS® materials are in powdered form, the powder not
melted or fused during processing serves as a customized,
built-in support structure. There is no need to create support
structures within the CAD design prior to or during
processing and thus no support structure to remove when
the part is completed.
Process
• After the SLS® process, the part is removed from the build chamber and
the loose powder simply falls away. SLS® parts may then require some
post-processing or secondary finishing, such as sanding, lacquering and
painting, depending upon the application of the prototype built.
• The SLS® system contains the following hardware components:
(1) Build chamber dimensions (381 × 330 × 457 mm)
(2) Process station (2100 × 1300 × 1900 mm)
(3) Computer cabinet (600 × 600 × 1828 mm)
(4) Chiller (500 × 800 × 900 mm)
Materials
• In theory, a wide range of thermoplastics, composites, metals and
ceramics can be used in this process.
• Polyamide. Trade named “DuraFormTM”, this material is used to
create rigid and rugged plastic parts for functional engineering
environments. This material is durable, can be machined or even
welded where required. A variation of this material is the polyamide
based composite system, incorporating glass-filled powders, to
produce even more rugged engineering parts. This composite
material improves the resistance to heat and chemicals.
Materials
• Thermoplastic elastomer. Flexible, rubber-like parts can be prototyped using the
SLS. Trade named, “SOMOS® 201”, the material produces parts with high
elongation. Yet, it is able to resist abrasion and provides good part stability. The
material is impermeable to water and ideal for sports shoe applications and
engineering seals.
• Polycarbonate. An industry-standard engineering thermoplastic. These are
suitable for creating concept and functional models and prototypes, investment
casting patterns for metal prototypes and cast tooling (with the RapidCastingTM
process), masters for duplication processes, and sand casting patterns. These
materials only require a 10–20 W laser to work and are useful for visualizing
parts and working prototypes that do not carry heavy loads. These parts can be
built quickly and are excellent for prototypes and patterns with fine features.
Materials
• Nylon. Another industry-standard engineering thermoplastic. This
material is suitable for creating models and prototypes that can
withstand and perform in demanding environment. It is one of the
most durable rapid prototyping materials currently available in the
industry, and it offers substantial heat and chemical resistance. A
variation of this is the Fine Nylon and is used to create fine-featured
parts for working prototypes. It is durable, resistant to heat and
chemicals, and is excellent when fine detail is required.
Materials
• Metal. This is a material where polymer coated stainless steel powder
is infiltrated with bronze. Trade named “LaserForm ST-100”, the
material is excellent for producing core inserts and preproduction
tools for injection molding prototype polymer parts. The material
exhibits high durability and thermal conductivity and can be used for
relatively large-scale production tools. An alternative material is the
copper polyamide metal–polymer composite system which can be
applied to tooling for injection molding small batch production of
plastic parts.
Materials
• Ceramics. Trade named “SandFormTM Zr” and “SandformTM Si”,
these use zircon and silica coated with phenolic binder to produce
complex sand cores and molds for prototype sand castings of metal
parts.
Principle
• The SLS® process is based on the following two principles:
(1) Parts are built by sintering when a CO2 laser beam hits a thin layer of
powdered material. The interaction of the laser beam with the powder
raises the temperature to the point of melting, resulting in particle
bonding, fusing the particles to themselves and the previous layer to form a
solid.
(2) The building of the part is done layer by layer. Each layer of the building
process contains the cross-sections of one or many parts. The next layer is
then built directly on top of the sintered layer after an additional layer of
powder is deposited via a roller mechanism on top of the previously
formed layer.
Sinter Bonding
• In the process, particles in each successive layer are fused to each
other and to the previous layer by raising their temperature with the
laser beam to above the glass-transition temperature.
• The glass-transition temperature is the temperature at which the
material begins to soften from a solid to a jelly-like condition. This
often occurs just prior to the melting temperature at which the
material will be in a molten or liquid state.
• As a result, the particles begin to soften and deform owing to their
weight and cause the surfaces in contact with other particles or solid
to deform and fuse together at these contact surfaces.
Sinter Bonding
• One major advantage of sintering over melting and fusing is that it
joins powder particles into a solid part without going into the liquid
phase, thus avoiding the distortions caused by the flow of molten
material during fusing. After cooling, the powder particles are
connected in a matrix that has approximately the density of the
particle material.
Selective Laser Sintering® of Sand Casting
Molds
• Sand casting molds can be produced directly using the selective laser
sintering (SLS®) process. Individual sand grains are coated with a
polymeric binder. Laser energy is applied to melt this binder which
coats the individual sand grains together, thereby bonding the grains
of sand together in the shape of a mold.
Process parameters
Process parameters
• Powder related ( Particle shape, size, material properties etc)
• Duration of pulse
• Overlap
• Scan ( Speed, size, spacing)
• Power
• Dwell period
• Temperature
• Layer thickness
Process Description
• In order to provide a baseline description of powder fusion process,
selective laser sintering which will be described as the paradigm
approach to which the other powder bed fusion process will be
compared.
• SLS fuses thin layer of powder typically of 0.1 mm thick.
• The powder in the build platform is maintained at an elevated
temperature just below the melting point or glass transition
temperature of the powdered material.
Process Description
• Infrared heating; infrared heaters are placed above the build platform
to maintain an elevated temperature around the part be informed as
well as above the feed cartridge to preheat the powder prior to
spreading over the build area.
• In some cases the build platform is also heated using resistive heater.
• This preheating of powder and maintaining at elevated uniform
temperature within the build form is necessary to minimize the laser
power requirements for the process and to prevent warping of the
part during building due to non uniform thermal expansion and
contraction
Process Description
• Once an appropriate powder layer has been formed and preheated a
focused CO2 laser beam is directed on to the powder bed and is
moved using a galvo mirror in such a way that, it thermally fuses the
material to form a slice cross section.
• Surrounding powder remains loose; which is not used and serves as a
support.
Primary powder bed fusion processes
• Solid state sintering
• Chemically liquefied bonding
• Liquid phase sintering
Solid state sintering
• Solid state sintering the use of the word sintering to describe mechanism for
fusing powder as a result of thermal processing predates the advent of RP.
• Sintering, in it is classical sense indicates the fusion of powder particles
without melting at elevated temperature.
• This occurs at temperatures between one half of the absolute melting
temperature and the melting temperature.
• The driving force which drives for solid state sintering is the minimization of
the total free energy of the powder particles.
• The mechanism of for sintering is primarily diffusion the mechanism for
sintering is primarily diffusion between powder particles.
Solid state sintering
• The surface energy Es is proportion to the total particle surface area SA
through the equation.
Es = gs x SA
gs is the surface energy per unit area for a particular material atmosphere and
temperature.
• When particles fuse at elevated temperature the total surface area decreases.
• As the total surface area of the powder bed decreases the rate of sintering
slows.
• To achieve a very low porosity level long sintering time, or high sintering
temperatures are required.
Solid state sintering
• Closely packed particles prior to sintering
• Particles agglomerate at temperatures above, 1 half of the absolute
melting temperature as they seek to minimize free energy by
decreasing surface area.
• as the sintering process progresses the necking size increases the
necking size and a pore size decreases.
Chemically induced sintering
• Chemically induced sintering; involves the use of thermally activated
chemical reactions between two types of powder, or between the
powder and the atmospheric gas; to form a byproduct which binds the
product together.
• This fusion mechanism, is primarily utilized for ceramic materials only.
Example of reaction between powder and the atmospheric gas include,
laser processing of SiC in the presence of oxygen, whereby SiO2 is
formed and binds together the composite of SiC and SiO2.
laser processing of ZrB2 in the presence of oxygen, whereby ZrO2 is
formed and binds together the composite of ZrB2 and ZrO2.
Chemically induced sintering
• For chemically induced sintering between powder, various research groups have
demonstrated the mixture of high temperature structural ceramics and
intermetallic precursor materials; that can be made to react using laser.
• In this case, raw materials which exothermically react to form the desired
byproduct are premixed and heated using a laser.
• By adding chemical reaction energy to the laser energy, high melting
temperature structures can be created at relatively low laser energies.
• One common characteristics of chemically induced sintering is, the part porosity.
• As a result, post process infiltration or high temperature furnace sintering to
higher densities, is often needed to achieve properties that are used to for most
applications.
Chemically induced sintering
• This post processing infiltration may involve other reactive elements,
forming a new chemical compound after the infiltration.
• The cost and time associated with the post processing have limited
the adoption of chemical induced sintering in common machine.
Liquid phase sintering
• The liquid phase sintering is arguably the most versatile mechanism in powder bed
forming.
• Liquid phase sintering is a term used extensively in the powder processing industry
to refer to the fusion of powder particles when a portion of the constituents within
a collection of powder particles becomes molten while other portion remain solid.
• The liquid phase sintering, the molten constituents acts as a glue, which binds the
solid particles together.
• As a result, high temperature particles can be bound together without needing to
melt high temperature particles. The LPS is used in traditional powder metallurgy
to form, for instance, cemented carbide cutting tools, where cobalt is used as a
lower melting point constituent, to glue together the tungsten carbide.
Liquid phase sintering
• liquid phase sintering variations used in powder bed fusion processes
are;
(a) separate particles
(b) composed particles
(c) coated section,
(d) indistinct mixture,
Liquid phase sintering
- distinct binder and structured materials
• In many LPS liquid phase sintering situations. There is a clear
distinction between the binding material, and the structural material.
• The binding and the structural material can be combined in three
different ways,
as separate particles,
as composite particles,
as coated particles.
Liquid phase sintering – Separate particles
• A simple well mixed combination of binder and structural powder particles, is
sufficient in many cases of LPS.
• In case where the structural material has the dominant property, desired in the final
structure, it is advantages for the binder material to be smaller in particle size, than
the structural material.
• This enables more sufficient packing in the powder bed, and less shrinkage and lower
porosity after binding.
• The dispersion of the smaller particle size binder particles around the structural
particle also helps the binding flow into the gap between the structural particle more
efficiently, thus resulting in a better binding of structural parts.
• This is often true when for instance, SLS is used to process steel powder with
polymer binder.
Liquid phase sintering – Separate particles
• This is also true when metal matrix mixture and the metal ceramic mixture are
directly processed without the use of a polymer binder.
• In this case of LPS of separate particles, the heat source passes by quickly, and there
is a typical insufficient time for the molten binder to flow, and surface tension to
draw the particles together prior to re-solidification of the binder unless the binder
has a particular low viscosity.
• Thus composite structure formed from separate particles, typically are quite porous.
• This is often the intend for parts made from separate particles, which are then post
processes in furnace to achieve the final part properties.
• The parts held together by polymer binders, which require further post processing,
are termed as green parts.
Liquid phase sintering – Composite particles
• Composite particles, the composite particles contain both the binder and the
structural material within each powder particle.
• Mechanical alloying of binder and structural particles are grinding of cast,
extruded or molded mixture into a powder, results in the powder particles
that are made up of binder, and structural material agglomeration together.
• The benefit of composite particles are, that they typically form a higher
density green part and typically have a better surface finish after processing
than separate particles.
• The composite particles can consist of mixtures of polymer binders with high
melting point polymer, metal or ceramic structural materials, or metal
binders with higher melting point, metals or ceramic structural materials.
Liquid phase sintering – Composite particles
• The most common commercially available composite particles used in
powder bed fusion process is glass filled nylon.
• In this case, the structural material glass is, used to enhance the
property of the binding material rather than the typical use of LPS.
Full melting
• The last one is full melting; full melting is the mechanism most commonly
associated with powder bed fusion process of engineering metal alloys and semi
crystalline polymers.
• In this material, the entire region of material subjected to impinging heat energy
is melted to a depth exceeding the layer thickness.
• The thermal energy of subsequent scan of the laser or electron beam is typically
sufficient to re-melt a portion of the previously solidified solid structure. And
thus, this type of full melting is very effective at creating well bonded, high
density structures for engineering melts, engineering metals and polymers.
• The most common material used in powder bed fusion processing is nylon
polyamide,
Full melting
• As a semi crystalline material, it has a distinct melting point.
• In order to produce parts with the highest possible strength this
material should be fully melted during the processing.
• However, elevated temperature associated with full melting, results in
part growth and thus, for practical purposes, many accurate versus
strength optimization studies result in parameters, which are at the
threshold between full melting and LPS.
• The metal powder bed fusion process; the engineering alloys that are
utilized in these machines (Ti, stainless steel, cobalt, chromium, etc.)
are typically full melted.
Approaches to Metal and ceramic part
creation
• Metal parts
There are 4 common approaches for using powder bed fusion process
in the creation of the complex metal component
fully melt,
liquid phase sintering,
Indirect processing,
pattern methods.
Approaches to Metal and ceramic part
creation
• In indirect processing, a polymer coated metallic powder, or a mixture
of metallic and a polymer powder are used for part construction.
• During indirect processing, the polymer binder is melted and binds the
particle together and the metal powder remains solid.
• The metallic powder particles remain largely unaffected by the heat of
the laser
• The metallic powder particles remain largely unaffected by the heat of
the laser
• The polymer bounded green parts are subsequently furnace processed.
Approaches to Metal and ceramic part
creation
• The metal parts furnace processing occurs in 2 stage,
debinding
infiltration or consolidation.
Approaches to Metal and ceramic part
creation – Metal part
• During debinding, the polymer binder is vaporized to remove it from the
green part.
• Typically, the temperature is also raised to the extent, that a small degree of
necking occurs between the metal particles.
• Subsequently, the remaining porosity is either filled by infiltration of a lower
melting point metal to produce a fully dense metallic part, or by further
sintering and densification, to reduce the part porosity.
• infiltration is easier to control dimensionally, as the overall shrinkage is much
less than during consolidation.
• However infiltrated structures are always composite in nature, whereas
consolidated structures can be made by a single material type
Approaches to Metal and ceramic part
creation – Metal part
• The last approach to metal part creation using powder bed fusion method is, the pattern
approach.
• For the previous 3 approaches, metal powder is utilised in the powder bed process, but in
this final approach, the part created in the powder bed process is a pattern used to create
metal parts
• The two most common ways of powder bed fusion created part are utilised as pattern for a
metal part creation are, as investment casting patterns or a sand casting patterns.
• In the case of investment casting, polystyrene or wax based powders are used in the
machine, and subsequently invested in the ceramic during post processing and melted out
during casting.
• In the case of sand casting mold, this is a sand casting mold, the mixture of the sand and
thermosetting binders, are directly processed in the machine to form a sand casting core,
cavity or insert.
Approaches to Metal and ceramic part
creation – Ceramic part
• There are a number of ways that powder bed fusion processes are
utilised to create ceramic parts.
• These include direct sintering, chemically induced sintering, indirect
processing and pattern methods.
• In direct sintering, a high temperature is maintained in the powder
bed, when the laser is utilised to accelerate sintering of the powder
bed in the prescribed location to form each layer.
• The resultant ceramic part will be quite porous, and thus are often
post processed in the furnace to achieve higher density.
LAMINATED OBJECT
MANUFACTURING (LOM)
• Cubic Technologies was established in December 2000 by Michael
Feygin, the inventor who developed Laminated Object
Manufacturing® (LOM). In 1985, Feygin set up the original company,
Helisys Inc., to market the LOM rapid prototyping machines. However,
sales figures did not meet up to expectations and the company ran
into financial difficulties. Helisys Inc. subsequently ceased operation in
November 2000. Currently, Cubic Technologies, the successor to
Helisys Inc., is the exclusive manufacturer of the LOM rapid
prototyping machine.
Models and Specifications
• Cubic Technologies offers two models of LOM rapid prototyping systems, the
LOM-1015 and LOM-2030. Both these systems use the CO2 laser, with the
LOM-1015 operating a 25 W laser and the LOM-2030 operating a 50 W laser.
The optical system, which delivers a laser beam to the top surface of the
work, consists of three mirrors that reflect the CO2 laser beam and a focal lens
that focuses the laser beam to about 0.25 mm (0.010"). The control of the
laser during cutting is by means of a XY positioning table that is servo-based
as opposed to the galvanometer mirror system. The LOM-2030 is a larger
machine and produces larger prototypes. The work volume of the LOM-2030
is 810 mm x 550 mm x 500 mm (32" x 22" x 20") and that of the LOM-
1015 is 380 mm x 250 mm x 350 mm (15" x 10" x 14"). Detailed
specifications of the two machines are summarized in Table.
LAMINATED OBJECT
MANUFACTURING (LOM)
• The LOM-2030 (left) and the LOM-1015 (right) (Courtesy Cubic
Technologies Inc.)
Specifications of LOM-1015 and LOM-2030
Model
Max. part envelope size, mm (in)
Max. part weight, kg (lbs)
Laser, power and type
Laser beam diameter, mm (in)
 
 
Motion control
Part accuracy XYZ
directions, mm (in)
Material thickness, mm (in)
Material size
Floor space, m (ft)
 
 
Power
 
Materials
LOM-1015 LOM-2030
L381 x W254 x H356 (L15 x W10 x H14) L813 x W559 x H508 (L32 x W22 x H20)
32 (70) 204 (405)
Sealed 25 W, CO2 Laser Sealed 50 W, CO2 Laser
0.20–0.25 0.203–0.254
(0.008–0.010) (0.008–0.010)
Servo-based X–Y motion systems with a speed up Brushless servo-based X–Y motion systems with a
to 457 mm/sec (18"/sec); speed up to 457 mm/sec (18"/sec);
Typical Z-platform feedback for motion system Typical Z-platform feedback for motion system
± 0.127 mm (±0.005 in) ± 0.127 mm (± 0.005 in)
0.08–0.25, 0.076–0.254,
(0.003–0.008) (0.003–0.008)
Up to 356 mm (14") roll width and roll diameter Up to 711 mm (28") roll width and roll diameter
3.66 x 3.66 (12 x 12) 4.88 x 3.66 (16 x 12)
Two (2) 110VAC, 50/60 220VAC, 50/60 Hz, 30 Amp,
Hz, 20 Amp, single phase single phase
Two (2) 220VAC, 50/60
Hz, 15 Amp, single phase
LOMPaper® LPH series, LOMPaper® LPH series,
LPS series LPS series
LOMPlastics® LPX series LOMPlastics® LPX series,
LOMComposite® LGF series
Principle
• The LOM process is based on the following principles:
• Parts are built, layer-by-layer, by laminating each layer of paper or
other sheet-form materials and the contour of the part on that layer
is cut by a CO2 laser.
• Each layer of the building process contains the cross-sections of one
or many parts. The next layer is then laminated and built directly on
top of the laser-cut layer.
Principle
• The Z-control is activated by an elevation platform, which lowers
when each layer is completed, and the next layer is then laminated
and ready for cutting. The Z-height is then measured for the exact
height so that the corresponding cross sectional data can be
calculated for that layer.
• No additional support structures are necessary as the “excess”
material, which are cross-hatched for later removal, act as the
support.
 8
Laminated Object Manufacturing
(LOM)
1. Sheets of material (paper, plastic,
ceramic, or composite) are either
precut or rolled.
2. A new sheet is loaded on the build
platform and glued to the layer
underneath.
3. A laser beam is used to cut the desired
contour on the top layer.
4. The sections to be removed are diced
in cross-hatched squares; the diced
scrap remains in place to support the
build.
5. The platform is lowered and another
sheet is loaded. The process is
repeated.
6. The product comes out as a
rectangular block of laminated material
containing the prototype and the scrap
cubes. The scrap/support material is
separated from the prototype part.
 9
Laminated Object Manufacturing
(LOM) Current market leaders
- Mcor Technologies (Ireland)
Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM) - Solido (Israel)
was developed by Helisys of Torrance, CA, - Strataconception (France)
in the 1990s. Helisys went out of business - Kira Corporation (Japan)
in 2000 and their LOM equipment is now
serviced by Cubic Technologies.

Equipment picture

Mcor Technologies Matrix 300+

(uses A4 paper and water-based
Courtesy, Cubic Technologies adhesive)
 10

Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM)

KEY METRICS ADVANTAGES

Maximum build size 40in x 40in x 20in • Relatively high-speed process

• Low cost (readily available materials)
Resolution in (x,y) +/- .004 in • Large builds possible (no chemical
Resolution in z Variable reactions)
• Parts can be used immediately
Speed Medium after the
Cost Low process (no need for post-curing)
• No additional support structure is
Available materials Paper, Plastic required (the part is self-supported)
Sheet
DISADVANTAGES

KEY APPLICATION AREAS • Removal of the scrap material is laborious

• The ‘z’ resolution is not as high as for other
• Pattern Making
technologies
• Decorative Objects • Limited material set
• Need for sealing step to keep moisture out
LAMINATED OBJECT
MANUFACTURING (LOM)
• The process consists of three phases:
pre-processing
Building
post-processing
Pre-processing
• The pre-processing phase comprises several operations. The initial
steps include generating an image from a CAD-derived STL file of the
part to be manufactured, sorting input data, and creating secondary
data structures. These are fully automated by LOM Slice, the LOM
system software, which calculates and controls the slicing functions.
Orienting and merging the part on the LOM system are done
manually. These tasks are aided by LOMSlice, which provides a menu-
driven interface to perform transformations (e.g., translation, scaling,
and mirroring) as well as merges.
Building
• In the building phase, thin layers of adhesive-coated material are
sequentially bonded to each other and individually cut by a CO2 laser
beam. The build cycle has the following steps:
• LOMSlice creates a cross-section of the 3D model measuring the
exact height of the model and slices the horizontal plane accordingly.
The software then images crosshatches which define the outer
perimeter and convert these excess materials into a support
structure.
Building
• The computer generates precise calculations, which guide the focused
laser beam to cut the cross-sectional outline, the cross- hatches, and
the model’s perimeter. The laser beam power is designed to cut
exactly the thickness of one layer of material at a time. After the
perimeter is burned, everything within the model’s boundary is
“freed” from the remaining sheet.
• The platform with the stack of previously formed layers descends and
a new section of material advances. The platform ascends and the
heated roller laminates the material to the stack with a single
reciprocal motion, thereby bonding it to the previous layer.
LOM building process
Building
• The vertical encoder measures the height of the stack and relays the
new height to LOMSliceTM, which calculates the cross section for the
next layer as the laser cuts the model’s current layer.
• This sequence continues until all the layers are built. The product
emerges from the LOMTM machine as a completely enclosed
rectangular block containing the part.
 Separation of the LOM object

(a) The laminated stack is removed from the machine’s elevator plate.
(b) The surrounding wall is lifted off the object to expose cubes of excess material.
(c) Cubes are easily separated from the object’s surface.
(d) The object’s surface can then be sanded, polished or painted, as desired.
Post-processing
• The last phase, post-processing, includes separating the part from its
support material and finishing it. The separation sequence is as follows
• The metal platform, home to the newly created part, is removed from
the LOM machine. A forklift may be needed to remove the larger and
heavier parts from the LOM-2030.
• Normally a hammer and a putty knife are all that is required to separate
the LOM block from the platform. However, a live thin wire may also be
used to slice through the double-sided foam tape, which serves as the
connecting point between the LOM stack and the platform.
Post-processing
• The surrounding wall frame is lifted off the block to expose the
crosshatched pieces of the excess material. Crosshatched pieces may
then be separated from the part using wood carving tools.
• After the part is extracted from surrounding crosshatches the wood-
like LOM part can be finished. Traditional model-making finishing
techniques, such as sanding, polishing, painting, etc. can be applied.
After the part has been separated it is recommended that it be sealed
immediately with urethane, epoxy, or silicon spray to prevent moisture
absorption and expansion of the part. If necessary, LOM parts can be
machined — by drilling, milling and turning.
Materials
• Potentially, any sheet material with adhesive backing can be utilized
in Laminated Object Manufacturing. It has been demonstrated that
plastics, metals, and even ceramic tapes can be used. However, the
most popular material has been Kraft paper with a polyethylene-based
heat seal adhesive system because it is widely available, cost-effective,
and environmentally benigns.
• In order to maintain uniform lamination across the entire working
envelope it is critical that the temperature remain constant. A
temperature control system, with closed-loop feedback, ensures the
system’s temperature remains constant, regardless of its surrounding
environment.
Advantages
• Wide variety of materials. In principle, any material in sheet form can be
used in the LOM systems. These include a wide variety of organic and
inorganic materials such as paper, plastics, metals, composites and
ceramics. Commercial availability of these materials allow users to vary
the type and thickness of manufacturing materials to meet their
functional requirements and specific applications of the prototype.
• Fast build time. The laser in the LOM process does not scan the entire
surface area of each cross-section, rather it only outlines its periphery.
Therefore, parts with thick sections are produced just as quickly as
those with thin sections, making the LOM process especially
advantageous for the production of large and bulky parts.
Advantages
• High precision. The feature to feature accuracy that can be achieved with LOM
machines is usually better than 0.127 mm (0.005"). Through design and selection of
application specific parameters, higher accuracy levels in the X–Y and Z dimensions
can be achieved.
• Support structure. There is no need for additional support structure as the part is
supported by its own material that is outside the periphery of the part built. These are
not removed during the LOM process and therefore automatically act as supports for
its delicate or overhang features.
• Post-curing. The LOM process does not need to convert expensive, and in some cases
toxic, liquid polymers to solid plastics or plastic powders into sintered objects.
Because sheet materials are not subjected to either physical or chemical phase
changes, the finished LOM parts do not experience warpage, internal residual stress,
or other deformations.
Disadvantages
• Precise power adjustment. The power of the laser used for cutting the perimeter
(and the crosshatches) of the prototype needs to be precisely controlled so that
the laser cuts only the current layer of lamination and not penetrate into the
previously cut layers. Poor control of the cutting laser beam may cause distortion
to the entire prototype.
• Fabrication of thin walls. The LOM process is not well suited for building parts with
delicate thin walls, especially in the Z-direction. This is because such walls usually
are not sufficiently rigid to withstand the post-processing process when the cross-
hatched outer perimeter portion of the block is being removed. The person
performing the post-processing task of separating the thin wall of the part
from its support must be fully aware of where such delicate parts are located
in the model and take sufficient precautions so as not to damage these parts.
Disadvantages
• Integrity of prototypes. The part built by the LOM process is essentially held
together by the heat sealed adhesives. The integrity of the part is therefore
entirely dependent on the adhesive strength of the glue used, and as such is
limited to this strength. Therefore, parts built may not be able to withstand
the vigorous mechanical loading that the functional prototypes may require.
• Removal of supports. The most labor-intensive part of the LOM process is its
last phase of post-processing when the part has to be separated from its
support material within the rectangular block of laminated material. This is
usually done with wood carving tools and can be tedious and time
consuming. The person working during this phase needs to be careful and
aware of the presence of any delicate parts within the model so as not to
damage it.
Applications
• LOM’s applicability is across a wide spectrum of industries, including
industrial equipment for aerospace or automotive industries, consumer
products, and medical devices ranging from instruments to prostheses.
1. Visualization. Many companies utilize LOM’s ability to produce exact
dimensions of a potential product purely for visualization. LOM part’s wood-
like composition allows it to be painted or finished as a true replica of the
product. As the LOM procedure is inexpensive several models can be
created, giving sales and marketing executives opportunities to utilize these
prototypes for consumer testing, marketing product introductions,
packaging samples, and samples for vendor quotations.
Applications
• Form, fit and function. LOM parts lend themselves well for
design verification and performance evaluation. In low-stress
environments LOM parts can withstand basic tests, giving
manufacturers the opportunity to make changes as well as evaluate
the aesthetic property of the prototype in its total environment.
Applications
• Manufacturing. The LOM part’s composition is such that, based on
the sealant or finishing products used, it can be further tooled for use
as a pattern or mold for most secondary tooling techniques including:
investment casting, casting, sanding casting, injection molding, silicon
rubber mold, vacuum forming and spray metal molding.
• Rapid tooling. Two part negative tooling is easily created with LOM
systems. Since the material is solid and inexpensive, bulk complicated
tools are cost effective to produce. These wood-like molds can be used
for injection of wax, polyurethane, epoxy or other low pressure and
low temperature materials
SOLID GROUND CURING (SGC)
• The Solid Ground Curing (SGC) System is produced by Cubital Ltd.
and its address is Cubital Ltd., Cubital Ltd.’s operations began in 1987
as a spin-off from Scitex Corporation and commercial sales began in
1991.
Models and Specifications
• Cubital’s products include the Solider 4600 and Solider 5600. The
Solider 4600 is Cubital’s entry level three-dimensional model making
system based on Solid Ground Curing. The Solider 5600, Cubital’s
sophisticated high-end system, provides a wider range and options for
the varied modeling demands of Solid Ground Curing. Table
summarizes the specifications of the two machines.
Specifications
Model Solider 4600 Solider 5600
Irradiation medium High power UV lamp
XY resolution (mm) Better than 0.1
Surface definition (mm) 0.15 0.15
Elevator vertical resolution (mm) 0.15 0.1–0.2

Minimum feature size (mm) 0.4 (horizontal, X–Y) 0.4 (horizontal, X–Y)
0.15 (vertical, Z) 0.15 (vertical, Z)
Work volume, 350 x 350 x 350 500 x 350 x 500
XYZ (mm ´ mm ´ mm)
Production rate (cm3/ hr) 550 1311
Minimum layer thickness (mm) 0.06 0.06
Dimensional accuracy 0.1% 0.1%
Size of unit, 1.8 x 4.2 x 2.9 1.8 x 4.2 x 2.9
XYZ (m ´ m ´ m)
Data control unit Data Front End (DFE) workstation
Power supply 380 – 415 VAC , 3 phase, 380 – 415 VAC , 3 phase,
50 kW 50 kW
Advantages
• Parallel processing. The process is based on instant, simultaneous curing of a
whole cross-sectional layer area (rather than point-by- point curing). It has a
high speed throughput that is about eight times faster than its competitors. Its
production costs can be 25% to 50% lower. It is a time and cost saving process.
• Self-supporting. It is user-friendly, fast, and simple to use. It has a solid
modeling environment with unlimited geometry. The solid wax supports the
part in all dimensions and therefore a support structure is not required.
• Fault tolerance. It has good fault tolerances. Removable trays allow job
changing during a run and layers are erasable.
• Unique part properties. The part that the Solider system produces is reliable,
accurate, sturdy, machinable, and can be mechanically finished.
Advantages
• CAD to RP software. Cubital’s RP software, Data Front End (DFE), processes solid
model CAD files before they are transferred to the Cubital’s machines. The DFE is an
interactive and user- friendly software.
• Minimum shrinkage effect. This is due to the full curing of every layer.
• High structural strength and stability. This is due to the curing process that minimizes
the development of internal stresses in the structure. As a result, they are much less
brittle.
• No hazardous odors are generated. The resin stays in a liquid state for a very short
time, and the uncured liquid is wiped off immediately. Thus safety is considerably
higher.
Disadvantages
• Requires large physical space. The size of the system is much larger
than other systems with a similar build volume size.
• Wax gets stuck in corners and crevices. It is difficult to remove wax
from parts with intricate geometry. Thus, some wax may be left
behind.
• Waste material produced. The milling process creates shavings, which
have to be cleaned from the machine.
• Noisy. The Solider system generates a high level of noise as compared
to other systems.
Process
• The Cubital’s Solid Ground Curing process includes three main steps:
• Data preparation,
• Mask generation
• Model making
Data Preparation
• In this first step, the CAD model of the job to be prototyped is
prepared and the cross-sections are generated digitally and
transferred to the mask generator. The software used, Cubital’s
Solider DFE (Data Front End) software, is a motif-based special-
purpose CAD application pack- age that processes solid model CAD
files prior to sending them to Cubital Solider system. DFE can search
and correct flaws in the CAD files and render files on-screen for
visualization purposes. Solider DFE accepts CAD files in the STL format
and other widely used formats exported by most commercial CAD
systems.
Mask Generation
• After data are received, the mask plate is charged through an “image-
wise” ionographic process. The charged image is then developed
with electrostatic toner.
Mask Generation
1. 3.
2.

• The image of the layer is produced using toner on a glass plate, to create a photomask
• A thin resin layer is applied on a flat workpiece.
• A photomask is placed above the workpiece and both are aligned under a collimated UV lamp
• The UV light is turned on for a few seconds. Part of the resin layer is hardened according to the photomask
 5.
6.
7. 8.

• The unsolidified resin is removed from the workpiece.

• Melted wax is spread into the cavities created and hardened. 9.

• The layer is milled to achieve a smooth and a precise layer height.

• The workpiece travels under a powerful longitudinal UV lamp for final curing of the layer.
• A new resin layer is applied on the workpiece
Model Making
• In this step, a thin layer of photopolymer resin is spread on the work surface (see
item 2,). The photo mask from the mask generator is placed in close proximity
above the workpiece, and aligned under a collimated UV lamp (item 3). The UV
light is turned on for a few seconds (item 4). The part of the resin layer which is
exposed to the UV light through the photo mask is hardened. Note that the
layers laid down for exposure to the lamp are actually thicker than the desired
thickness. This is to allow for the final milling process. The un-solidified resin is
then collected from the workpiece (item 5). This is done by vacuum suction.
Following that, melted wax is spread into the cavities created after collecting the
liquid resin (item 6). Consequently, the wax in the cavities is cooled to produce a
wholly solid layer. Finally, the layer is milled to its exact thickness, producing a
flat solid surface ready to receive the next layer (item 7).
Model Making
• In the SGC 5600, an additional step (item 8) is provided for final curing of
the layer whereby the workpiece travels under a powerful longitudinal
UV lamp. The cycle repeats itself until the final layer is completed.
• The main components of the Solider system are:
• Data Front End (DFE) workstation.
• Model Production Machine (MPM). It includes:
• Process engine,
• Operator’s console,
• Vacuum generator.
• Automatic Dewaxing Machine (optional).
Principle
• Cubital’s RP technology creates highly physical models directly from computerized three-
dimensional data files. Parts of any geometric complexity can be produced without tools, dies
or molds by Cubital’s RP technology.
• The process is based on the following principles:
• Parts are built, layer by layer, from a liquid photopolymer resin that solidifies when exposed
to UV light. The photopolymerization process is similar to that described in Section, except
that the irradiation source is a high power collimated UV lamp and the image of the layer is
generated by masked illumination instead of optical scanning of a laser beam. The mask is
created from the CAD data input and “printed” on a transparent substrate (the mask plate)
by an nonimpact ionographic printing process, a process similar to the Xerography process
used in photocopiers and laser printers. The image is formed by depositing black powder, a
toner which adheres to the substrate electrostatically. This is used to mask the uniform
illumination of the UV lamp. After exposure, the electrostatic toner is removed from the
substrate for reuse and the pattern for the next layer is similarly “printed” on the substrate.
Principle
• Multiple parts may be processed and built in parallel by grouping
them into batches (runs) using Cubital’s proprietary software.
• Each layer of a multiple layer run contains cross-sectional slices of one
or many parts. Therefore, all slices in one layer are created
simultaneously. Layers are created thicker than desired. This is to
allow the layer to be milled precisely to its exact thickness, thus giving
overall control of the vertical accuracy. This step also produces a
roughened surface of cured photopolymer, assisting adhesion of the
next layer to it. The next layer is then built immediately on the top of
the created layer.
Principle
• The process is self-supporting and does not require the addition of
external support structures to emerging parts since continuous
structural support for the parts is provided by the use of wax, acting
as a solid support material.
Applications
• General applications. Conceptual design presentation, design
proofing, engineering testing, integration and fitting, functional
analysis, exhibitions and pre-production sales, market research, and
inter-professional communication.
• Tooling and casting applications. Investment casting, sand casting,
and rapid, tool-free manufacturing of plastic parts.
• Mold and tooling. Silicon rubber tooling, epoxy tooling, spray metal
tooling, acrylic tooling, and plaster mold casting.
• Medical imaging. Diagnostic, surgical, operation and reconstruction
planning and custom prosthesis design.
Solid Ground Curing (SGC)
Like stereolithography, SGC works by curing a photosensitive polymer
layer by layer to create a solid model based on CAD geometric data
• Instead of using a scanning laser beam to cure a given layer, the entire
layer is exposed to a UV source through a mask above the liquid
polymer
• Hardening takes 2 to 3 s for each layer
Solid Ground Curing
Figure 34.4 SGC steps
for each layer: (1)
mask preparation,
(2) applying liquid
photopolymer layer,
(3) mask positioning
and exposure of
layer, (4) uncured
polymer removed
from surface, (5)
wax filling, (6)
milling for flatness
and thickness.
Facts about SGC
• Sequence for each layer takes about 90 seconds
• Time to produce a part by SGC is claimed to be about eight times
faster than other RP systems
• The solid cubic form created in SGC consists of solid polymer and wax
• The wax provides support for fragile and overhanging features of the
part during fabrication, but can be melted away later to leave the
free-standing part
1. This type of rapid prototyping system uses a laser to fuse powdered metals, plastics, or ceramics:
• Fused deposition modeling
• Stereolithography apparatus
• Solid ground curing
• Selective laser sintering
2. Which of the process, the input material is in powder form?
• Fused deposition modeling
• Stereolithography apparatus
• Solid ground curing
• Selective laser sintering
3. Which of the process, the input material is in liquid form?
• Laminated object manufacturing (LOM)
• Selective laser sintering
• Fused Deposition
• Solid ground curing
4. Which of the following are reasons that during the selective laser sintering (SLS) additive manufacturing process, the powders are
preheated to just below their melting point?
(a) to evaporate moisture in the powders,
(b) to facilitate bonding,
(c) to reduce distortion of the finished product,
(d) to make the powder chemically inert,
(e) as a safety precaution, or
(f) to reduce power requirements of the laser
5. Which one of the following rapid prototyping processes uses a photosensitive liquid polymer asthe starting material:
(a) droplet deposition manufacturing
(b) fused-deposition modeling
(c) laminated-object manufacturing
(d) selective laser sintering
(e) stereolithography
6. Which one of the processes is NOT using a laser?
LOM
SLA
SLS
FDM
7. Which of the following is the process in the RP cycle?
Post-processing
Transfer to machine
Pre-processing
All of the above
8. What is the full name of SLS?
Selective Laser Simulator
Sintering Laser Simulator
Selective Laser Sintering
Stereolithography Laser Sintering
9. Which CAD software can not be used to create data for the prototyping machine?
CREO
CATIA
NX Unigraphics
Adobe Illustrator
10. From the following, in which process, the input material is in solid form?
SLA
SLS
FDM
MJM
11. Which one of the following RP technologies uses solid sheet stock as the starting material?
Droplet deposition manufacturing
Fused-deposition modeling
Laminated-Object Manufacturing
Selective Laser Sintering
12. Explicit support structures are not required in Selective Laser Sintering (SLS).
True
False
13. Electron beam generation is typically a much more efficient process than laser beam generation.
True
False
14. Which of the following is the last step of the rapid prototyping process?
3D Modeling
Data Conversion
Building
Postprocessing
15. Which material is NOT available for LOM process?
Paper
Plastic
Metal
Glass
16. Which of the following is the process of pre-processing stage?
Remove support
Checking 3D CAD data
De-powdering loose material
Dip in binder to strengthen the part
17. Additive mfg uses much less material than other subtractive mfg processes.
True
False
18. File type most commonly exported from CAD software?
SLDRT
JPG
STL
X3G
19. 3D printing technology is expanding and is now able to print metal parts.
True
False
20. Which one of the process is subtractive prototyping?
Five axis CNC Milling
Fused Deposition Modelling
Multi jet Modelling
Stereolithograpghy Apparatus
21. The following are the starting material of the Additive Rapid Prototyping process, EXCEPT.
Powder
Solid
Gas
Liquid