Re: Research in Rapid Manufacture

From: William D. Richards (wdr@virtcon.com)
Date: Sat Jul 03 1999 - 03:10:38 EEST


The sad truth is, Haris, that not every design can actually be
manufactured. I have three models that sit on my desk that are absolutely
ingenious ideas and designs, yet will never see the light of day because
they simply cannot be mass produced. If reality were contrary to that, then
every violin being made today would be a Stradovarious.

If they were put into production, the process to create them would so
complex, so slow, and so costly, there isn't a manufacturer in the world
that could afford to produce them. I could manufacture them on a one by one
basis, using the rapid prototyping systems available to me, and then
casting them. But each piece would carry a cost to the customer of a couple
thousand US$ each. Let's face it, if you create a $2,000 widget to do the
job that a $15 widget could do, do you really believe someone is going to
buy your $2,000 widget?

Rapid Prototyping HAS made it possible to generate many more forms that
designers come up with. Basically, if a designer can create a
mathematically sound, solid 3D form, of course it can be created on a rapid
prototyping machine. In this respect, the designer now has nearly complete
freedom of geometry.

Lastly, and maybe most importantly, designers must remember that nearly 85%
of the cost to manufacture a given item is designed into it! If you want to
make a living at being a designer, you have to remember this.

And this just popped into my head for no apparent reason. If all else
fails, try using Keltool... ;)

Bill Richards
          ._____________________________________________________.
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At 3:46 PM +0100 1999/07/02, H.Pancholi wrote:
>Dear all
>
>I am searching for information related Rapid Prototyping/Manufacture etc.
>from the designers perspective. Design for RP/M etc.
>The idea is to give the designer geometry freedom, another words, what ever
>is designed can be manufactured.
>I am trying to develop a design model and methodology as an assistant tool
>to use during the design stage
>
>
>
>I look forward any replies
>
>Haris Pancholi
>De Montfort University,
>
>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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