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3D Printers on Upswing
Technical Articles- Jan 04,13
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The 3D Printer is used to put a prototype into the hands of engineers earlier in the design stage to help them test ideas to make fast, testable modifications
One has to be innovative to survive in today's competitive world. Innovations are expected in every aspect of business viz. Finance, Production, vHRD, Technology etc. Product Development requires the essence of innovation the most. A new product can help us to the same old things differently and more effectively.
Most of the time, innovative products have to be tried and tested to ascertain the desired functionality and/or aesthetics. For this purpose, a prototype is made. Today, the Rapid Prototyping technology permits us to make a sample fast and easy. These technologies can automatically construct physical models from Computer-Aided Design (CAD) data. These three-dimensional (3D) printers allow designers to quickly create tangible prototypes of their designs, rather than just two-dimensional pictures.
Mojo 3D Printer
These technologies are continuously upgraded in order to meet the current industry needs. As a result of this, Stratasys, manufacturer of additive manufacturing machines for prototyping and producing plastic parts has launched Mojo 3D Printer in India, which is designed for professional engineers. Mojo 3D Printer has 5 inch x 5 inch x 5 inch build platform and weighs just 50 pounds, giving it a low footprint as well. It comes in a complete system called a 3D Print Pack priced at $9,900, the Mojo 3D Print Pack is more than just the printer.
The package contains everything needed to produce models (including material and a support-removal system). Like all 3D printers from Stratasys, Mojo is a genuine, patented Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) system. This 3D printing or rapid prototyping is to put a prototype into the hands of engineers earlier in the design process to help them perfect pieces, test ideas and to make fast, testable modifications to them.
"The name Mojo implies magic, which is how some describe 3D printing upon first witnessing it. You can buy a less expensive 3D printer, but for the serious designer or engineer, Mojo is the lowest-priced product that offers professional-quality output, comes as a complete package system, and uses industrial-grade thermoplastic material. I expect this will be of interest not just to engineers and educators, but to entrepreneurs and independent designers as well," said Ashwin Deshpande Country Manager - India, Stratasys.
Fused Deposition Modelling
Automotive design and manufacturing engineers use Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) technology to modelling and prototyping, as well as manufacturing end use parts. FDM is an additive manufacturing technology that builds functional prototypes and production parts layer-by-layer in engineering-grade thermoplastics. Mainly FDM uses real production-grade thermoplastics, which are high-performance raw materials used in most injection moulding technologies. The system consists of a build platform, extrusion nozzle, and control system. The build material, a production quality thermoplastic, is melted and then extruded through a specially designed head onto a platform to create a two/three dimensional cross section of the model. The cross section quickly solidifies, and the platform descends where the next layer is extruded upon the previous layer.
Normally in rapid prototyping, Stereolithography (SLA) and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) use resins to build the models, which will deteriorate over time and the lasers also depreciate over time making it difficult to ensure repeatability. The thermoplastics used in FDM are long lasting and can produce the same part consistently.
How it Works
To produce a model, Mojo employs an innovative variation on traditional FDM material extrusion. The ABS material spool and the print head are integrated to a single package, called the QuickPack print engine. To ensure optimal reliability, a fresh print head is part of each material change. Material loading is similar to snapping in an inkjet cartridge on a paper printer. The thermoplastics are liquefied and deposited by an extrusion head, which follows a tool-path defined by the CAD file.
The nozzle contains resistive heaters that keep the plastic at a temperature just above its melting point so that it flows easily through the nozzle and forms the layer.
The plastic hardens immediately after flowing from the nozzle and bonds to the layer below. Once a layer is built, the platform lowers, and the extrusion nozzle deposits another layer. The layer thickness and vertical dimensional accuracy is determined by the extruder die diameter, which ranges from 0.013 to 0.005 inches. In the X-Y plane, 0.001 inch resolution is achievable. In printing complicated parts that contain voids and overhangs are added with support materials like powder, which will not be fused. After printing the entire model, this support material can be washed out by support cleaning system.
The new printer actually contains a lot of new and innovative features like the integrated support removal system and replaceable heads, but there are two key points that promise to deliver on these claims more than any other: price and reliability. Currently Stratasys has supplied its machines to LG, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, ITW, Schneider Electric and Bajaj.
| Altem Technologies Launches printmyCAD Portal |
 Bangalore-based Altem Technologies has launched printmyCAD portal to help the design engineers who are engaged in new product development and evaluating rapid prototyping technologies. Altem Technologies are the partners for Stratasys FDM, who are engaged in Rapid Prototyping Machines (3D Printers) in India. If the design engineers upload their cad drawings in www.printmyCAD.com portal, the physical prototypes are made with durable industrial grade ABS thermoplastic which can be used for form, fit and functional tests. Pradeep Nair, Regional Director-ASEAN, Stratasys Inc. inaugurated the website and said "Designers and Engineers from any part of the country who are engaged in new product development and evaluating rapid prototyping technologies, can register and upload one of their CAD model at www.printmyCAD Related Products
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