(no subject)

From: Curt Lang (Eos Systems  Inc.)
To: RP-ML
Date: Monday, July 10, 1995
     Subject: RE: large scale layer building I build small boats as a part time business.  I have been experimenting with a method of laminating large shapes out of lofted sections of 4" thick styrofoam.  I recently completed two hulls for a prototype rowing catamaran, 18' long, 8" wide, 18" deep.  The foam hulls are finished by fairing them with large rasps and enclosing them in fibreglass and epoxy.  The surfaces include planes, simple curves and compound curves.  The volume was laminated along 3 planes chosen to minimize the number of cuts and reduce the amount of surface fairing needed.  I would say the experiment was successful as I was able to achieve a fair shape within the desired tolerances.
     In this project all of the lofting, cutting, assembly and fairing was done by hand.  Software and NC tools exist to automate lofting and cutting but I can't imagine an automated process that would work for assembly and fairing or be cost effective if it worked.  It would be possible to automatically cut register marks and keys into the foam shapes to speed up the assembly task.  I believe that almost any shape could be built with this method.
Regards,
Curt Lang
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clang@crossroads.com
tel (604) 985-4794
216-B West 17th St.
North Vancouver BC
Canada, V7M 1V6