Jaguar saves time and money with RP
Jaguar Cars is making increasing use of the latest rapid prototyping (RP) technologies at its Whitley Engineering Centre in the UK to speed the development of new vehicles by making plastic parts directly from CAD models, therefore eliminating the expense of producing mould tools. A leading role is being played by laser-sintering machines from EOS, which create prototype trim and even engine parts from nylon powder (polyamide PA2200) by fusing them layer by layer into their respective shapes.
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News Systems for vehicle design
Advances in Rapid Manufacturing could ultimately allow motorists to help design and personalise details of their vehicle at a local dealer, according to an ongoing British research project.
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Chevrolet turns up the heat
Part pick-up and part roadster, Chevrolet's Super Sport Roadster (SSR) took just 30 months to go from concept car to series production, a demanding schedule that could not have been achieved without the support of key engineering companies. In March 2002, Auburn Engineering was contracted to produce rapid prototypes of every plastic component in the SSR's interior.
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What is stereolithography?
Stereolithography is a layer additive rapid-prototyping process based on the use of photopolymer liquid resins which solidify when exposed to UV light. A software program transfers the designer's 3-D CAD model into an electronic file for stereolithography machines ('STL' format), composing the information into thin cross sections or layers. A laser beam then traces each layer onto the surface of a vat of photopolymer resin, building the part in repeated layers until a solid replica of the original CAD model is completed.
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