Quick Survey

From: Alejandro A. Carrion (ander@isye.isye.gatech.edu)
Date: Fri Mar 07 1997 - 16:13:42 EET


RP mailing list,

My name is Alejandro Carrion and I'm currently a graduate student
at Georgia Tech. I am finishing a quarter project and need responses
to a small survey which I have included at the bottom of this email.
The project is for a technology forcasting class.
Your response would be greatly appreciated. Please just take a couple
of minutes to answer the survey. ( Some of the questions can be though
over for weeks but I only need a 5 minute opinion. ) Anonymity will be
maintained.

Thank you very much,

Alejandro Carrion
(Alex)

Questions and comments about the survey are well appreciated. Just emial
them to ander@isye.gatech.edu.

-----
Alejandro Carrion
M.S.I.E.
Georgia Institute of Technology
ander@isye.gatech.edu
(404)-874-4605
-----
This survey is in regards to the technology of using an ink-jet head
mechanism to construct a three dimensional part. The ink-jet head sprays
a stream of tiny droplets which are incorporated in a variety of ways to
achieve the final product. The main concept is that of printing a part
as one currently prints out a document, by using a "3D" printer.
Examples of successful applications of this technology include: the
Personal Modeler 2100 ( BPM Technologies ), DSPC ( developed at MIT,
licensed to Soligen ), Genisys icon ( Stratasys ), and the Actua 2100 ( 3D
Systems ). The questions below refer to the utilization of ink-jet head
related technology for part construction. For convenience, IJH will be
used throughout the survey to reference Ink-Jet Head related technology.

---
1.  Please place a year estimate for when you believe the following 
scenarios will first be achieved. ( or NEVER if you don't beleive the
scenario will ever be achieved )

a. IJH technology will COMMERCIALLY produce advanced material parts ( metal, ceramic, composites, etc. ). This would mean that the IJH machine is available "off the shelf".

advanced metals (certain microstructure, strength, hardness..): ceramic: composite: other(?):

b. Advanced materials research and part production will be conducted in space installations via machines utilizing IJH technology. YEAR:

c. It is COMMON practice to purchase a "3D printer" when purchasing a CAD based system. YEAR:

d. IJH related technologies will be utilized for mass production. YEAR:

e. A design engineer can simply click on the "print structure" icon in his CAD based system and produce the FINAL part ( no post-processing ) he / she is currently working on via IJH related technology. This is the concept of "Art to Part", without including "Art to Model". YEAR:

2. What are the key technologies that (will) enable IJH machines to produce advanced material parts?

3. What will happen to small rapid prototyping SERVICE firms ( or the RP market in general ) now that IJH machines are becoming commercially available at such low costs ( some only $34,000 ) ?

4. What further developments would be needed for IJH to be capable of mass producing parts at a commercial level?

5. The concept of "faxing a part": A design engineer finishes designing a part on a CAD based system. He / she than sends the .STL ( the CAD file ) file via the phone lines ( Internet, satellite, etc. ) to a remote IJH machine ( ex. another country ) which is on-line and ready for production ( via an automated process ). All of this taking place within the office environment.

When will this concept become COMMON BUSINESS PRACTICE? ( Write NEVER if you believe this will never become a COMMON practice. ) YEAR:

6. What effect ( and to what extent ) will IJH have on the Product Development Cycle and on Time To Manufacture? Will IJH technology have a significant affect in the manufacturing world? -----

Thank you.



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