Re: Rapid Tooling and Rapid Prototyping

From: Christian_Nelson/DTM@dtm-corp.com
Date: Tue Feb 02 1999 - 22:28:11 EET


Rapid Prototyping is a term that has been around for more than ten years
(in this industry). It describes the use a prototyping technique (SLS,
SLA, FDM, SGC, BPM, 3DP, ...) to produce an object that solid
representation of a CAD model. Although the first prototyping systems and
materials were used primarily for visualization models, the meaning of the
term 'rapid prototyping' evolved with the RP industry to include functional
prototypes, investment casting patterns, patterns for soft tooling, and
sand casting cores and molds.

Rapid Tooling is a relatively new term to describe the use of rapid
prototyping equipment to produce molds. Rapid Tooling includes both direct
and indirect tooling processes. The direct tooling processes include
Selective Laser Sintering (DTM Corp) and Three Dimensional Printing
(ExtrudeHone). The indirect processes include 3D Keltool (3D Systems),
Polysteel (Dynamic Tooling), and the ExpressTool process (ExpressTool).

Christina Fuges <Christina@MOLDTECHNOLOGY.COM> on 02/02/99 11:54:09 AM

To: "'rp-ml@ltk.hut.fi'" <rp-ml@ltk.hut.fi>
cc: (bcc: Christian Nelson/DTM)
Subject: Rapid Tooling and Rapid Prototyping

What is the difference between rapid tooling and rapid prototyping. The
two terms are almost always mentioned together, but the more I read into
it the two are actually very different.
Are the same processes used for different purposes or does each have its
own processes? Please advise.

Christina
CTI
christina@moldtechnology.com

For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/

For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/



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