Course : ME-617 Rapid Product Development Instructor : K.P. Karunakaran Date : October 30, 2009 (Friday) 5:00PM L-T-P-C : 3-0-0-6 I Semester 2008-09 Duration : 75 min. Instructions: Answer all the questions; answer as briefly as possible. Roll No Marks /50
TEST 7: RP Photo-polymer processes, SLS, 3DP, Applications and Issues
Part A (1 mark each)
1. Which make and model of RP machine is the most popular in Indian jewelry industry? SLA
2. Name the two RP technologies that can make metallic and ceramic prototypes. 3D printing & SLS
3. Which commercial RP machine can make color prototypes? Z corp
4. Give the expansions of LOM, FDM, SLA, SLS, SGC and 3DP. Laminated Object Manufacturing, Fused Deposition Modeling, Selective Laser Sintering, Stereo-Lithography Apparatus, Solid Ground Curing, 3D printing.
5. Name the RP machine that has only a single axis. What compensates for the other two axes? Solid Ground Curing, Perfactory
6. How is Z accuracy ensured in each of SGC and Model Maker II? The z accuracy is maintained by the milling step which carried out after the wax coating.
7. Mention at least two RP processes that use multiple tools for depositing material. FDM, Objet, Z-Corp.
8. Nesting is the method of building more than one prototype simultaneously within the working volume. Which of [LOM, SGC, FDM, SLA] has the least advantage of nesting? Why? FDM and SLA has the least advantage of nesting.
9. Which RP process was related to the story of the thirsty crow and in what context? SLA, for maintaining low level of raw material exposing to the environment.
10. List at least three most popular approaches to micro-RP machines? SLA, SGC, MoldSDM.
11. Mention at least two significant features/advantages of the Perfectory RP machine developed by Envisiontec, Germany over SLA? Page 2 of 5 - Inverted part buliduing and hence less raw material inventory. - No laser and hence cheaper. - Part building time is proportional to only height. - Only one moving axis.
Part B (Weightage is mentioned against each question)
1. List the various physical forms of raw materials used in the popular RP processes and discuss their influence on the characteristics of the prototype produced. [3] Liquid (Photopolymer): Most accurate as it can be spread to any thickness. Transparent parts and hence the prototype can be used for photo-elasticity. Sheet: Any material can be produced in the form of the sheet therefore excellent material variety. but the limitations on the thickness of the paper that can be used. Hence surface finish is not good compared to other processes. Powder: Any material can be produced in the form of the powder form therefore excellent material variety. The final product has high strength compared to the others. The surface finish is governed by the powder size. Starch or Plaster based powder Here different binders can be used where the final product can have different colours and the surface finish is governed by the powder particle size.
2. Name the four photo-polymer-based RP processes and compare them in the form of a table. [4] Light Liquid Light Source Special Feature SLA Sharp Wide Laser - CAD to be modified for Support - Most accurate, fastest and costiest SGC (Photomasking) Wide Wide Flood Light -Optical Mask -Wax Support -Time Area Object Wide Sharp Flood Light -Multiple Jets -Jelly(Support) Envisiontek Selectively wide Wide Flood Light -Building From The top -Mirror Display
3. What is the support mechanism used in each of [LOM, FDM, SLA, SLS, SGC, 3DP]. [3] LOM: Remaining sheet stock acts as support. Grid cutting is done on this stock to enable part extraction. FDM: There is a separate nozzle from which a support material is deposited. SLA: support structures are automatically added to the CAD model wherever required and after all the layers are made the support structures are carefully cut. SLS: Remaining uncured power layer acts as the support, so explicit support structures are not required. Page 3 of 5 SGC: this is achieved simply by pouring wax in the regions not affected by the light; no need for computing the region requiring support and modify the CAD model. 3DP: the power layer acts as the support structure so it does not require any explicit support structure.
4. Compare the features of die/mold and component vis-a-vis Layered Manufacturing [2]
Metallic Components Metallic Tools Components may have overhangs and interior features (re-entrants). Therefore, a support mechanism is required. Tools are always converging towards the other half. In other words, any layer is contained by its previous layer and hence no need for a support mechanism. Even conformal cooling ducts/ channels can be made without support although their shape will not be uniform. Stringent requirement on material properties as they affect the performance. Variations in material properties do not affect the performance of the parts produced; only the life of the tool only is compromised. Use of RP for regular production is called Rapid Manufacturing. However, this proves to be expensive. Rapid Nanotechnology is the key for this issue. Tools made by conventional methods are very expensive and hence can be justified only for large volume production. As they take long time to make, they are major bottlenecks in product launch. So improvement in tool making contributes to fast product launch.
5. What is meant by time-release drug delivery? Which RP technology is suitable for manufacturing tablets used for this purpose and which feature of it makes this possible? Name the company using this approach. Why or why not can SLS be deployed for this application? [3] Time release drug delivery means adding the drug into the blood stream at a controlled rate over time. This is used in chronic patients such as the ones with neurotic disorders.
3DP is suitable for manufacturing tablets used for this purpose. This is possible because of material addition from 2 sources.
This is used by Therics, USA.
SLS cannot be used because it has only one material. If one can change the material composition every layer, one may achieve quasi-gradience. This too may not satisfy as the tablet dissolves conformally.
6. What is photo-elasticity? List any two commercial RP processes whose prototypes can be used for this analysis. [2] It is a physical testing using a transparent model. When the model is stressed, its optical characteristics at different points correspond to the stresses. These can be captured using polarized light in the form of fringe patterns. Page 4 of 5
SLA, Objet, SGC & Perfactory
7. Why are deep dipping and doctor blade required in SLA? [3] Both are required for maintaining the liquid level accuracy. Directly moving down to the desired z level will not guaranty flow of the viscous liquid (surface tension) and hence it goes down more and comes back to the desired level. But then the excess liquid does not flow down readily. Therefore doctor blade is used to remove the extra level of liquid.
8. What does the laser do in each of [LOM, SLA, SLS, Laser printer]? [2] LOM Cutting in each layer, grid cutting. SLA Curing the photopolymer. SLS To fuse the power particles together, i.e. sintering Laser printing Charging/Discharging the roller
9. Bring out at least three differences between the SLS processes of 3D Systems and EoS.[2] Separate machines for each material in EOS. Complete sintering of the raw metal powder in EOS whereas plastic coated metal powder in 3DS. Furnace processing for full sintering and copper impregnation is required in 3DS.
10. What do you understand by Functionally Gradient Materials? What is the state-of-the- arts in the manufacture of gradient components? What are the issues related to its design? [4]
Functionally gradient materials are the materials whose properties are designed to vary in different parts of the product such that the local properties of the material in a part are suitable for the designed function of the part.
11. Which was the first RP machine in India and which company bought it? Why is this process not popular any more? [2] SGC is the first RP machine to reach india and Datar Switch Gears had purchased it. It is not popular for the following reasons:
The process is more complex with two cycles and many sub-systems (masking cycle, polymer spreader, polymer cleaner, wax spreader, wax cooling plate, milling head, vacuum suction of chips); hence, less reliable. Furthermore, this requires a full time operator attention. Dewaxing is time-consuming. Creates a lot of waste of wax.
12. Classify the 6 RP processes [LOM, FDM, SLA, SGC, SLS, 3DP] under each of the following three categories giving reason for the same in one line each: [3] a. RP process whose cycle time is proportional to the surface area of the object b. RP processes whose cycle time is proportional to the volume of the object c. RP process whose cycle time is in between both these types Page 5 of 5 LOM c because the laser has to do the profile as well as grid cutting hence it is greater than the surface area but less then the volume of the object. FDM b because SLA b because of complete deposition of the volume in each layer SGC c. In fact, it is proportional to only part height. SLS b because the laser has to scan the complete area of each layer to fuse the material. 3DP b because for each layer complete area has to be scanned for spraying the binding material.
13. Name at least three ways of transporting laser beam to the required position giving an example of a RP process for each. Mention their relative merits and demerits. [3] 1. Using a series of mirrors one on each slide LOM 2. Using a galvanometer (a single mirror deflected in 2 directions) - SLS & SLA 3. Using piping (optical fiber cables) Not in the std. RP machines but in metal RP machines of higher capacity.
14. Match the following: [3] (A) LOM - (a) SLS (B) FDM - (b) grid cutting (C) SLA - (c) Easy support (D) ObJet - (d) Color prototyping (E) EoS - (e) Curtain technology (F) ZCorp - (f) Strong parts
(A) LOM - (b) grid cutting (B) FDM - (f) Strong parts (C) SLA - (e) Curtain technology (D) ObJet - (c) Easy support (E) EoS - (a) SLS (F) ZCorp - (d) Color prototyping