Rapid prototyping (RP) has been widely known as being able to fabricate 3-D objects with complex geometric shapes. Rapid tooling has become more important because of the requirement of rapid manufacture. Rapid tooling can be used to produce a temporary mold, even a permanent mold in mass production. The objective of the paper is to develop a rapid tooling system. The software technique includes a slicing algorithm and tool path generation algorithm. The hardware architecture includes a 500 W Nd:YAG laser, metallic powder feeder, substrate preheat system, shielding gas (N/sub 2/) supply system, CNC milling system and linear planar motor based working table. The system controller is a PC-based control system which includes 4-axis DSP motion control and an I/O control card. The system control software is written in Visual Basic language. The experimental result shows that the linear 2-D planar motor based X-Y table has fast response and can make an accurate tool path.

Slicing process plays a very important role in layered manufacturing technology. A slicing algorithm decomposes the 3D CAD model into 2D layer contours that can be easily built. This paper presents a new adaptive slicing algorithm for a rapid prototyping system. According to this algorithm, the 3D CAD model can be sliced with different thickness automatically by comparing the contour circumference or the center of gravity of the contour with those of the adjacent layer. The part can be fabricated faster using this adaptive slicing method than using the uniform slicing method with identical accuracy. The proposed method was validated with computer simulation, and the part can be produced on the developed LCD panel display based rapid prototyping system.

Rapid prototyping has been widely known as being able to fabricate 3D object with complex geometric shapes. Rapid prototyping can shorten the product development cycle and improve the design process by providing rapid and effective feedback to the designer, thus help a company keep ahead in a rapidly changing market. This paper presents software and hardware technologies of building LCD display based rapid prototyping system. Software design includes slicing algorithm, LCD photomask display process, user interface and motion control program. Hardware configuration of this architecture includes LCD photomask, optical system, z-axis elevator, resin supply system and PC based control system. After slicing process, the cross section contour of each layer is transferred to the LCD projector that is used for photomask. The optical system emits parallel light upwardly through the mask to expose and solidify the entire layer at once. After one layer is completed, the platform with the part rises and a new layer of photopolymer is applied to the bottom plate. After the sweep roller wipes the resin, the LCD photomask displays the cross sectional contour of the next layer. At this moment, the platform moves downwards to the correct height, and the next layer is cured subsequently. This process is done repeatedly until the whole part is finished. This LCD display based rapid prototyping system can operate smoothly and quietly.

Telecontrol of a rapid prototyping machine via the Internet for the application of a telemanufacturing system is presented. The main features of this system are that users just need a general-purpose computer and a World Wide Web browser for commanding the rapid prototyping machine in a remote location through the Internet and Home Page. Hardware configuration of this architecture includes a thermal extrusion based layer-deposition rapid prototyping machine and several controllers, each of them is able to communicate with others via a computer network. Software design includes the user interface, model slicing process, model support generation, 2D-layer fill generation and machine codes translation. The system has extensive capabilities for teleoperation and other multimedia services. The system allows users to directly control the rapid prototyping machine via the Internet and access our Home Page through a friendly user interface. Also the remote user can receive real time images e.g. the completed rapid prototyping model parts captured by a CCD camera that is mounted on the rapid prototyping machine.