Rapid Prototyping Growing into Rapid Manufacturing

Rapid prototyping has continued to grow at 10 to 40% per year over the past few years that people are more and more talking about “rapid manufacturing” for production of industrial parts directly from CAD data. While the traditional processes and material properties have been a road bump to mainstream acceptance, the new materials and properties available are growing quickly and showing promise.

According to industry sources, the current global market for rapid prototyping is valued at around $1 billion and growing at about 20% per year. New machines, processes and materials continue to crop up. According to Design News, “there are more than 50 machines from which to choose, and there are nearly 100 materials to use in these rapid prototyping devices.”

For small lot orders, a quick turnaround and no tooling are the two main attractions for rapid prototyping. “In the end, rapid prototyping can reduce the construction of complex objects to a manageable, straightforward and relatively quick process at an often-far-lower cost than using conventional techniques”, according to an industry observer.

As costs come down especially for small size parts, inkjet-based systems, 3-D printing is arguably the most popular and fastest-growing form of rapid prototyping. Proven to be a viable tool rather than a poor substitute, these devices are finding their way into companies of all sizes. However, the dimensional accuracy available with 3-D printing (although in the low microns) is NOT what one requires for precision parts.

Stereolithography and laser sintering are also two very common rapid prototyping processes. Both processes allow users to export CAD files to rapid prototyping machines and in a short period of time create a physical prototype of the CAD model. Right now, both machines are not only very expensive, they are physically large and require specialized personnel to operate. The advantage, however, is that both processes create fairly accurate and durable prototypes or part patterns.

Other processes include fused deposition modeling, which allows users to build prototypes quickly with a computer-controlled valve system, and computer numerical control machining (CNC), which allows users to export a CAD file to a network of milling machines to reduce the cost in time and labor.

However, as was the case 15-years ago, ultimately, the materials used in rapid prototyping are still a major limitation to future growth and acceptance, as users and prospective users have stated that material properties are their No. 1 criteria. Yet the range and properties available are growing and currently include various plastics, waxes, resins, ceramics, metals and papers. In fact, the recent Rapid Prototyping & Manufacturing show, produced by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), gleaned a lot of talk about direct metal technologies and advanced materials, Design News also notes:

At the show, the new class of high-end systems that produce fully dense, metal parts received a lot of attention. These machines push the technology well beyond form, fit and function while addressing the demand for the abundance of parts not made of plastic. The thought of producing one-off parts in stainless steel or titanium, without any tooling, proved to be a strong desire for many of the aerospace, automotive, medical and consumer products companies in attendance.

Materials advancement was a major trend at the show. The number of material options has swelled across the board (with metals playing a significant part). “From plastics to metals, the breadth of material choice and range or physical properties is breaking down one of the biggest barriers to the adoption of rapid prototyping,” Design News claims.