Coining a Catchy Cognomen

From: David Hodder (Boeing  Company)
To: RP-ML
Date: Monday, January 9, 1995
Subject: Coining a Catchy Cognomen
Dear fellow rp-ers
     this 'Princely heap', initially with amused fascination, and now graduated 
to a desire to participate, it is evident that much good sense has been 
expressed in attempts to describe what we do. However, what emerges, is 
that we do many different things, dependent on what our local field is, and 
what exterior influences act upon it. RP essentially covers building a 
birdcage in the basement all the way up to, e.g., limited production of an 
advanced aircraft. In the various areas, many different techniques in the 
plan/design/fabricate/assemble/test/deliver sequence, are used, depending 
on what the product is, and what facilities are available for its 
incarnation. Therefore, each person has expressed thoughts based on his or 
her particular sphere and discipline.
     We at Boeing Defense and Space Group have been chartered by our 
administration to look upon RP as a process adaptable to an almost 
unlimited field, constrained only by non-application to mass production.A 
prime mover to push adoption of the philosophy has of course been the 
onus placed on the industry in general to reduce cost and cycle time, as 
predicated by the Department [Ministry] of Defense [Defence], and other 
sources of funding.                                                             
     So, how can a suitable replacement name be chosen without having a 
consistent definition? One has to agree with Geoff that RP per se has 
already established itself in the community to a sufficient extent that 
most people can relate the name to a process they are familiar with. Yakov 
continues to act as moderator for a lively interchange, but 'Prototyping'is 
too general, as opposed to generic. Ian is right to 'convey the additive', 
and points out, as have others, that the process is formative in 
nature,evolving continuously. Thus we call our activity the RP Process, and 
adapt it individually for each different Customer organization; and we are 
happy to leave the name as is for the time being.                               

David StJ Hodder Rapid Prototyping Center, Boeing Defense & Space Group, 
Helicopters Division, Philadelphia.