Unit-5

Introduction to Digital Fabrication

CONTENTS:

1. Need of digital manufacturing,

2. Prototype,
3. Types and roles of prototypes,
4. Rapid prototyping (RPT),
5. Phases of RPT,
6. Fundamentals of RPT and advantages

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Evolution of the Design/Build Process
Knowledge
Capture
Design & Validation of
Manufacturing Processes
Technological Advance

Digital Mockup

Digital Manufacturing
3D

2D
Integration of Product Design and
Production Process Design

80s 90s 2000 2006…..

 What is Digital Fabrication?
“Digital Manufacturing represents an integrated suite of PLM tools that supports
manufacturing process design, tool design, plant layout, and visualization through
powerful virtual simulation tools that allow the manufacturing engineer to validate
and optimize the manufacturing processes. “

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4HPs-aXOe4
 What Does Digital Fabrication Do?
 Manufacturing Planning
• Define Manufacturing Processes
• Process Planning (Assembly & Installation)
• Define Work Instructions & Work Flow

 Detailed Process Design & Analysis

• Detailed Resource Modeling & Simulation
• Process Definition and Validation
• 3-D Factory Layout
• Equipment, Tool & Fixture Simulation
• Ergonomic Simulation

 Validation & Virtual Commissioning

• Control Logic Validation
• Kinematic (Robotic) Validation
• Quality Assurance/Process Improvement Validation
• Sensor/Metrology Placement Validation
• Virtual Commissioning/Validation of Automation Systems
• Knowing that the Production System Works Prior to Launch: Priceless.
Digital Fabrication Redefines Concurrent Engineering

• Product Design (CAD) tools are

employed to define “What" is to be
built,
• Manufacturing Process design tools are
used to define “How" it is to be built.
• Integration of Product & Process Design
directly supports the concept of
Concurrent Engineering

Digital Manufacturing facilitates the Holistic view of Product and

Process Design as integral components of the overall product life
cycle
Introduction- DIGITAL FABRICATION
• Digital fabrication is a design and manufacturing
workflow, where digital data directly drives
manufacturing equipment to form various part
geometries,

• This data most often comes from CAD (Computer-

Aided Design), which is then transferred to CAM
(Computer-Aided Manufacturing) software,

• The output of CAM software is data that directs a

specific additive and subtractive manufacturing tool,
such as a 3D printer or CNC milling machine.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptDJw98Ds9M

MEC135_Unit 5 7
Introduction- DIGITAL FABRICATION
• Digital fabrication is a design and manufacturing
workflow, where digital data directly drives
manufacturing equipment to form various part
geometries,

• This data most often comes from CAD (Computer-

Aided Design), which is then transferred to CAM
(Computer-Aided Manufacturing) software,

• The output of CAM software is data that directs a

specific additive and subtractive manufacturing
tool, such as a 3D printer or CNC milling machine.

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 Need of Digital Manufacturing
• Market Competition- The competition in the world market for new manufactured products has intensified
tremendously,

• Swift Production- For fast production, the processes involved in the design, test, manufacture have been
squeezed, both in terms of time and material resources,

• Keep it in-house – With a 3D printer and the right software, you can produce small batches of products on your own
premises without the need for external vendors,

• Save money – Because you‟re only making prototypes or small batches of a product, you won‟t need much storage
space. You can also save money on materials by using lower-grade supplies or even recycled plastic,

• Save time – Digital fabrication accelerates the process of product development as you can create prototypes much
more quickly than traditional manufacturing methods, with no need to outsource

• Spot errors early – Engineers like digital fabrication because it helps them spot any issues that exist within days rather
than months,
MEC135_Unit 5 9
DIGITAL FABRICATION PROCESS

MEC135_Unit 5 10
Video

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 Prototype
• According to Oxford Dictionary, a ‘prototype’ is the first or original example of
something that has been or will be copied or developed; it is a model or preliminary
version;

• e.g.: A prototype supersonic aircraft.

• Another definition- An approximation of a product (or system) or its components

in some form for a definite purpose in its implementation,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ome0BKLgqQ&t=47s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZpv4eBcHik

Prototyping is the process of realizing these prototypes.

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Prototype
• A prototype is the first or original example of something that has been or will be copied or developed; it is a model or preliminary version.

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 Types of Prototypes
• There are three aspects of interests:
1. Implementation of the prototype- from the entire product to its sub-
assemblies/ components,
2. Form of the prototype- from a virtual (nontangible) prototype to a
physical (tangible) prototype, and
3. Degree of the approximation- from a very rough representation to an
exact replication of the product.
Examples:
• Virtual prototypes: Mathematical models, control systems,
visualization of airflow over an aircraft wing to ascertain lift and drag on
the wing during supersonic flight. Drawbacks- Couldn‟t predict any
unexpected phenomena,
• Physical prototypes: Mock-up of cellular mobiles,
• Rough prototypes: Foam models- to see the dimensions and general
forms,
Types of prototypes described along the three
• Exact replication: Pre-production models
aspects of implementation, form and
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 Roles of the Prototypes
The roles of prototypes in the product development process are shown in Figure:

• Experimentation and Learning- Prototypes can be used to help the thinking, Experimentation and Learning
planning, experimenting and learning processes whilst designing the product.

• Testing and Proofing- Eg., in the early design of folding reading glasses for the Testing and Proofing
elderly, concepts and ideas of folding mechanism can be tested by building
rough physical prototypes, Communication and Interaction

• Communication and Interaction- Protypes not just convey the information

Synthesis and Integration
within the product development team, but also to management and clients,

• Synthesis and Integration- A prototype can also be used to synthesize the Scheduling and Makers
entire product concept by bringing the various components and sub-
assemblies together to ensure that they will work together,

• Scheduling and Makers- Prototyping helps in the scheduling of the product

development process and is usually used as markers for the end or start of the
various phases of the development effort.
MEC135_Unit 5 15
 Rapid Prototyping
• Rapid prototyping is a group of techniques used to quickly fabricate a scale
model of a physical part or assembly using three-dimensional computer aided
design data,
• “As the name implies, rapid prototyping is a process of creating a prototype
rapidly to evaluate the features or some part of the product.”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhNnKTaciVI
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KcK_-fY_OI&t=22s

• The first Rapid prototyping method, called stereolithography, was

developed in the late 1980s, but more sophisticated techniques are available these
days,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faGyF81LadA
• The term „rapid‟ is relative. Some prototypes may take hours or days to build,

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Rapid Prototyping
• Rapid prototyping is a additive manufacturing process,
that works on the basic principle of producing a 3D part by
building and stacking 2D layers together,

• Most common types of Rapid Prototyping systems are:

(a) SLA – Stereolithography,

(b) SLS – Selective Laser Sintering,
(c) LOM – Laminated Object Manufacturing,
(d) FDM – Fused Deposition Modeling

• Although these are different techniques, but their basic

principles are same.

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Rapid Prototyping Process

• Fabricate the model

Building the model layer by layer
Forming a 3D model by solidification of liquid/ powder

• Removing support structure and cleaning

After building, drain out extra material,
Cut out the prototype,
Cut out unnecessary support material

• Post Processing
Includes surface finishing and other processes

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Phases of Rapid Prototyping
Phase 1
Phase 2
Manual Prototyping
Phase 3
Soft or Virtual
Prototyping Rapid Prototyping

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Phases of Rapid Prototyping
Prototyping processes have gone through three phases of development:

 First Phase: Manual Prototyping-

• In this early phase, prototypes are not very sophisticated,
• Fabrication of prototypes takes on average about four weeks, depending on the level of complexity,
• The techniques used in making these prototypes tend to be craft-based and are usually extremely
labor intensive.

 Second Phase: Soft or Virtual Prototyping-

• Computer models can be stressed, tested, analyzed and modified as if they were physical
prototypes,
• Eg., analysis of stress and strain can be accurately predicted on the product,
• With such tools on the computer, several iterations of designs can be easily carried out by changing
the parameters of the computer models.

 Third Phase: Rapid Prototyping-

• It includes tremendous time savings, especially for complicated models.
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Geometric Modeling and Prototyping

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Fundamentals of Rapid Prototyping

Input

Application
Rapid Method
Prototyping

Material

The Rapid Prototyping Wheel depicting

the four major aspects of RP

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Advantages of Rapid Prototyping

Benefits to Product
Advantages of Rapid Designers
Prototyping Direct Benefits
Benefits to tooling and
Manufacturing Engg

Benefits to Marketers
Indirect Benefits
Benefits to Consumers

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Advantages of Rapid Prototyping
 Design Applications-
• Designers can confirm their designs by building a real physical model in minimum time using RP,

Design Benefits-

• Reduced lead times to produce prototypes,

• Improved ability to visualize the part geometry,

• Early detection of design errors,

 Engineering Analysis and Design-

• Comparison of different shapes and styles to determine aesthetic appeal,

• Stress analysis of physical models,

• Fabrication of pre-production parts for process planning and tool design

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Advantages of Rapid Prototyping
• Process is Fast and accurate,

• Superior surface finish,

• Separate materials can be used for components and supports,

• No need to design jigs and fixtures,

• No need of moulds and other tools,

• Harder materials can be easily used,

• Minimum materials wastage,

• Reduces product development cycle time considerably

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Limitations of Rapid Prototyping
• Many times component gets distorted,

• Limited range of materials,

• Operation cost

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Thanks

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