TWITTER

Follow SolidWild on Twitter

World Wild Web

Bookmark and Share

Welcome to All the Wild 1`s

Follow Solid-Info!... for High Tech News , CAD, Design, 3D Innovations, Web updates, Gadgets, best groups, sites & links!..Wild1`s Feed ya !

Sunday, January 31, 2010

GEEKFEST MONTREAL 2010

STL (stereolithography)

STL is a file format native to the stereolithography CAD software created by 3D Systems. This file format is supported by many other software packages; it is widely used for rapid prototyping and computer-aided manufacturing. STL files describe only the surface geometry of a three dimensional object without any representation of color, texture or other common CAD model attributes. The STL format specifies both ASCIIand binary representations. Binary files are more common, since they are more compact.

An STL file describes a raw unstructured triangulated surface by the unit normal and vertices (ordered by the right-hand rule) of the triangles using a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system.

The Facet Normal

In both ASCII and binary versions of STL, the facet normal should be a unit vector pointing outwards from the solid object. In most software this may be set to (0,0,0) and the software will automatically calculate a normal based on the order of the triangle vertices using the 'right hand rule'. Some STL loaders (eg the STL plugin for Art of Illusion) check that the normal in the file agrees with the normal they calculate using the right hand rule and warn you when it does not. Other software may ignore the facet normal entirely and use only the right hand rule. So in order to be entirely portable one should provide both the facet normal and order the vertices appropriately - even though it is seemingly redundant to do so. Some other software (e.g.SolidWorks) use the normal for shading effects, so the "normals" listed in the file are not the true facets' normals.

Stereolithography machines are basically 3D printers that can build any volume shape as a series of slices. Ultimately these machines require a series of closed 2D contours that are filled in with solidified material as the layers are fused together.

The natural file format for such a machine would be a series of closed polygons corresponding to different Z-values. However, since it's possible to vary the layer thicknesses for a faster though less precise build, it seemed easier to define the model to be built as a closed polyhedron that could be sliced at the necessary horizontal levels.

The STL file format appears capable of defining a polyhedron with any polygonal facet, but in practice it's only ever used for triangles, which means that much of the syntax of the file is superfluous. It is also the case that the value of the normal shouldn't be necessary, since that is a direct calculation from the coordinates of the triangle with the orientation being controlled by the right hand rule.

STL files are supposed to be closed and connected like a combinatorial surface, where every triangular edge is part of exactly two triangles, and not self-intersecting. Since the syntax does not enforce this property, it can be ignored for applications where the closedness doesn't matter.

The closedness only matters insofar as the software which slices the triangles requires it to ensure that the resulting 2D polygons are closed. Sometimes such software can be written to clean up small discrepancies by moving endpoints of edges that are close together so that they coincide. The results are not predictable, but it is often sufficient to get the job done.

Obviously, there is much scope for "improvement" of this file format, which in its present form is nothing more than a listing of groups of 9 (or 12 if you care about the normals) floating point numbers embedded in some unnecessary syntax. Since each vertex is on average going to be used in six different triangles, considerable savings in memory could be obtained by listing all the points in a table at the beginning of the file, and concluding with a list of triangle definitions composed of triplets of integers that referenced this table.

However, for the purpose of generating a single contour slice using a very lightweight piece of software on a computer with little memory, this format is perfect since it can be processed in one pass regardless of file size.

Use in other fields.

Many Computer-aided design systems are able to output the STL file format among their other formats because it's quick and easy to implement, if you ignore the connection criteria of the triangles. Many Computer-aided manufacturing systems require triangulated models as the basis of their calculation.

Since an STL file output, of a sorts, is almost always available from the CAD system, it's often used as a quick method for importing the necessary triangulated geometry into the CAM system.

It can also be used for interchanging data between CAD/CAM systems and computational environments such as Mathematica.

Once it works, there is very little motivation to change, even though it is far from the most memory and computationally efficient method for transferring this data. Many integrated CAD and CAM systems transfer their geometric data using this accidental file format, because it's impossible to go wrong.

There are many other file formats capable of encoding triangles available, such as VRML, DXF, but they have the disadvantage that it's possible to put things other than triangles into it, and thus produce something ambiguous or unusable.

Posted via web from SolidWild's posterous

The Leonardo Project in Your Hands,Thats SOLID!

Geometrical Complexicity

FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling)

Mold the rapid prototyping business to fit your company

When you use rapid prototyping and manufacturing in your product development, you speed up overall development to get your products through final production and into the market place. 
Today's prototype manufacturing allows you to turn out replicas that are much closer to final product than ever before.

There's something about holding a model that moves a product beyond the abstraction of a CAD screen, both for you and your customers.

When you incorporate rapid prototyping into your development process, you can make adjustments more accurately, since you can fit the model into the rest of the project.
You can determine which variations to an existing product work best by quickly generating multiple versions that look or work very much like the final product. And, you can strengthen the feedback loop between you and your customers, by showing them the prototypes rather then just drawings or rough mock ups.

The business of rapid prototyping allows a lot of flexibility in establishing your production process, from using only engineering consultation to full-scale outsourcing of the entire process, up to and including rapid manufacturing. Determine how much you would need rapid manufacturing service providers by answering these questions:

1. How much of your corporate resources can you allocate to rapid prototyping and manufacturing?

2. How centralized is your process - are you under one roof or do you have multiple sites, and spread apart how far?

3. How much control or security do you need around the process - are you in a highly 'sensitive' industry, or produce high-precision products that require considerable fine tuning before final production?


Action Steps 
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Take your rapid prototyping business to a pro
Partner with a company that specializes in the prototyping business, especially if the prototype manufacturer is located close to the facility where final manufacture will occur.

Take your prototype manufacturing in-house
To gain more control over your product lifecycles, handle the prototype manufacturing internally by purchasing rapid prototype builder machinery.

I recommend: Stratasys, Inc. has developed a system called Fused Deposition Modeling that manufactures prototype parts in three steps with thermoplastics used in regular production, and requires no special ventilation. Solidscape, Inc. offers equipment that literally fits on your desktop, like a large laser printer, for high-precision products.

Take a turn-key approach to rapid prototyping and manufacturing
If you want to concentrate on in-house design and product marketing, use rapid manufacturing service providers that can handle the whole process, from prototype to final production.

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
• Like any business, the business of rapid prototyping continually adapts and adopts technologies, from raw materials development to higher-resolution digital equipment and Internet convergence. As rapid prototyping matures, the industry will grow further into rapid tooling and rapid manufacturing. Partner with companies that have prepared for this expansion.

By John Williams, Business Writing and Research
http://www.business.com/

Posted via web from SolidWild's posterous

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Apple iPad (Official Video)

Medical Applications of Rapid Prototyping

Beam Me Up a Part, Scotty

SolidWild; 3D Printing in Progress

Dassault Systems

SolidWorks MMXX CountDown

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://cdn.widgetserver.com/syndication/subscriber/InsertWidget.js"></script><script>if (WIDGETBOX) WIDGETBOX.renderWidget('5bc80ec7-7da3-4981-8afe-024b37d1ea9b');</script><noscript>Get the Countdown Creator Pro widget and many other great free widgets at Widgetbox! Not seeing a widget? (More info)</noscript>

Posted via web from SolidWild's posterous

SolidWild: Your Design in Your Hands

Rapid prototyping (RP)

Rapid prototyping (RP), is the automatic construction of physical objects using 3D printing technologies. 
The first techniques for rapid prototyping became available in the 1980s. Back then, a prototype served as a basis for discussion but could not be used for anything “serious”, i.e. in a real production environment. Today, the range of RP technologies has extended and they are used for a much wider number of applications. RP technologies are also increasingly being used to manufacture production quality parts in relatively small numbers. 


For those unfamiliar with rapid prototyping technologies, it is easy to depict this technology by comparing it with familiar inkjet printing. Instead of building up text, this technology actually constructs a 3D object starting from a computer file by adding one slice on top of another using (semi-)liquid or powdered material. You will find a more detailed explanation in the specific technology sections on our website.
The past decades have witnessed a need for new manufacturing technologies that build parts on a layer-by-layer basis. These RP techniques reduce manufacturing time for parts – even the most complex ones – from days, weeks or months to hours. We don’t call it RAPID for no reason.

An example of real object replication by means of 3D scanning and 3D printing: the gargoyle model on the left was digitally acquired by using a 3D scanner and the produced 3D data was processed using MeshLab. The resulting digital 3D model, shown on the laptop's screen, was used by a rapid prototyping machine to create a real resin replica of the original object.Standard applications include design visualization, prototyping/CAD, metal casting, architecture, education, geospatial, healthcare, entertainment/retail, etc. Other applications would include reconstructing fossils in paleontology, replicating ancient and priceless artifacts in archaeology, reconstructing bones and body parts in forensic pathology and reconstructing heavily damaged evidence acquired from crime scene investigations.

More recently, the use of 3D printing technology for artistic expression has been suggested. Artists like Bathsheba Grossman or Carlo H. Sequin use various rapid prototyping processes in many of their works.

3D printing technology is currently being studied by biotechnology firms and academia for possible use in tissue engineering applications where organs and body parts are built using inkjet techniques. Layers of living cells are deposited onto a gel medium and slowly built up to form three dimensional structures. Several terms have been used to refer to this field of research: Organ printing, bio-printing, and computer-aided tissue engineering among others.

The use of 3D scanning technologies allow the replication of real objects without the use of molding techniques, that in many cases can be more expensive, more difficult, or too invasive to be performed; particularly with precious or delicate cultural heritage artifacts.

 

For Rapid Prototyping feel free to contact me:

SolidWild@live.ca

Posted via web from SolidWild's posterous

STL is a file format

STL is a file format native to the stereolithography CAD software created by 3D Systems. This file format is supported by many other software packages; it is widely used for rapid prototyping and computer-aided manufacturing. STL files describe only the surface geometry of a three dimensional object without any representation of color, texture or other common CAD model attributes. The STL format specifies both ASCII and binary representations. Binary files are more common, since they are more compact. 

An STL file describes a raw unstructured triangulated surface by the unit normal and vertices (ordered by the right-hand rule) of the triangles using a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system. 

Posted via web from SolidWild's posterous

Packaging Firm Uses 3D Printer to Model Assemblies

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Solid3Design

3D Printing Technology

Previous means of producing a prototype typically took man-hours, many tools, and skilled labor. For example, after a new street light luminaire was digitally designed, drawings were sent to skilled craftsmen where the design on paper was painstakingly followed and a three-dimensional prototype was produced in wood by utilizing an entire shop full of expensive wood working machinery and tools. This typically was not a speedy process and costs of the skilled labor were not cheap. Hence the need to develop a faster and cheaper process to produce prototypes. As an answer to this need, rapid prototyping was born.

One variation of 3D printing consists of an inkjet printing system. Layers of a fine powder (plaster, corn starch, or resins) are selectively bonded by "printing" an adhesive from the inkjet printhead in the shape of each cross-section as determined by a CAD file. This technology is the only one that allows for the printing of full color prototypes. It is also recognized as the fastest method.

Alternately, these machines feed liquids, such as photopolymer, through an inkjet-type printhead to form each layer of the model. These Photopolymer Phase machines use an ultraviolet (UV) flood lamp mounted in the print head to cure each layer as it is deposited.

Fused deposition modeling (FDM), a technology also used in traditional rapid prototyping, uses a nozzle to deposit molten polymer onto a support structure, layer by layer.

Another approach is selective fusing of print media in a granular bed. In this variation, the unfused media serves to support overhangs and thin walls in the part being produced, reducing the need for auxiliary temporary supports for the workpiece.

Finally, ultrasmall features may be made by the 3D microfabrication technique of 2-photon photopolymerization. In this approach, the desired 3D object is traced out in a block of gel by a focused laser. The gel is cured to a solid only in the places where the laser was focused, due to the nonlinear nature of photoexcitation, and then the remaining gel is washed away. Feature sizes of under 100 nm are easily produced, as well as complex structures such as moving and interlocked parts.

Each technology has its advantages and drawbacks, and consequently some companies offer a choice between powder and polymer as the material from which the object emerges.  Generally, the main considerations are speed, cost of the printed prototype, cost of the 3D printer, choice of materials, color capabilities, etc.

Unlike "traditional" additive systems such as stereolithography, 3D printing is optimized for speed, low cost, and ease-of-use, making it suitable for visualizing during the conceptual stages of engineering design when dimensional accuracy and mechanical strength of prototypes are less important. No toxic chemicals like those used in stereolithography are required, and minimal post printing finish work is needed. One need only brush off surrounding powder after the printing process. Bonded powder prints can be further strengthened by wax or thermoset polymer impregnation. FDM parts can be strengthened by wicking another metal into the part.

 

SolidWild: Max Maheu

Posted via web from SolidWild's posterous

FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling)

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is a solid-based rapid prototyping method that extrudes material, layer-by-layer, to build a model. The system consists of a build platform, extrusion nozzle, and control system. 

The build material, production quality thermoplastics, is melted and then extruded through a specially designed head onto a platform to create a two-dimensional cross section of the model. The cross section quickly solidifies, and the platform descends where the next layer is extruded upon the previous layer. This continues until the model is complete, where it is then removed from the build chamber and cleaned for shipping. 

Fused deposition modeling, which is often referred to by its initials FDM, is a type of additive fabrication or (sometimes called rapid prototyping / rapid manufacturing (RP or RM)) technology commonly used within engineering design. The technology was developed by S. Scott Crump in the late 1980s and was commercialized in 1990. The FDM technology is marketed commercially by Stratasys, which also holds a trademark on the term.

Like most other additive fabrication processes (such as 3D printing and stereolithography) FDM works on an "additive" principle by laying down material in layers. A plastic filament or metal wire is unwound from a coil and supplies material to an extrusion nozzle which can turn on and off the flow. The nozzle is heated to melt the material and can be moved in both horizontal and vertical directions by a numerically controlled mechanism, directly controlled by a computer-aided design software package. The model or part is produced by extruding small beads of thermoplastic material to form layers as the material hardens immediately after extrusion from the nozzle.

Several materials are available with different trade-offs between strength and temperature properties. As well as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) polymer, the FDM technology can also be used with polycarbonates, polycaprolactone, polyphenylsulfones and waxes. A "water-soluble" material can be used for making temporary supports while manufacturing is in progress. Marketed under the name WaterWorks by Stratasys, this soluble support material is quickly dissolved with specialized mechanical agitation equipment utilizing a precisely heated sodium hydroxide solution.

Commercial applications
Most available commercial printers using FDM technology utilize positioning systems employing either stepper motor or servo motors to move the extrusion head.

In 2006, FDM was the best-selling rapid prototyping technology.

FDM systems include two different product lines. The "high-end" FDM systems include the FDM 900mc, FDM 400mc, FDM 360mc and FDM 200mc. These systems are the highest performance FDM systems capabale of producing parts from the largest range of thermoplastic materials, feature detail, surface finish, accuracy. FDM uses production-grade thermoplastics, such as ABS, ABSi, polyphenylsulfone (PPSF) and polycarbonate (PC), including PC-ABS. Because of the material properties, FDM parts typically withstand functional testing and have high heat resistance. Some companies have sterilized PPSF for medical applications, however material manufacturer Stratasys does not advertise that PPSF is sterilizable.

Stratasys also markets a line of 3D Printers that print 3D models using the same core FDM technology. Called Dimension systems, these 3D Printers don't have the same performance or material options as a "high-end" FDM system, but are much less expensive.

Posted via web from SolidWild's posterous

Direct-Digital-Manufacturing

SolidWild uses the latest Direct-Digital-Manufacturing

 DDM is a rapid prototyping method that extrudes ABS plus plastic layer by layer in really precise tool paths until your model is built up. Once the model is finished it is removed from the build chamber, the support material is washed away, and the product is shipped to the customer. This DDM process builds durable and functional prototypes that can withstand rigorous testing and won't warp, shrink, or absorb moisture; making them great for testing form, fit, and function. Because the models are built with ABS plastic, they lend themselves well to being drilled, tapped, threaded, sanded, painted, vacuum metalized, and polished.

 Lead time: Normally 1-3 business days depending on the capacity of the printers when we receive payment. Local customers are welcomed to pick up models from our facility

DDM Layer thickness: Horizontal build layers can be built in three options fine (.007"), standard (.010"), and rough draft (.013")

Minimum Wall Thickness: .020"

Dimensional Tolerances: ABS models maintain tolerances of +/- .005" for the first inch, and +/- 0.002" for each additional inch. In the z height (vertical), standard tolerances of +/- 0.010" for the first inch, +/- 0.002” on every inch thereafter.

Build size: for a single piece is 8" x 8" x 12". Models that are larger than the build envelope can be divided, printed as separate pieces, & assembled.

Resolution is given in layer thickness and X-Y resolution in dpi. Typical layer thickness is around 100 micrometres (0.1 mm), while X-Y resolution is comparable to that of laser printers. The particles (3D dots) are around 50 to 100 micrometres (0.05-0.1 mm) in diameter.


DDM is the prototyping and modeling method of choice for engineers and designers in the medical, technology, automotive, military, aerospace, consumer goods, toy, and architecture fields because of it's capability to build in durable ABS plastic. The inexpensive and rapid development of DDM prototypes greatly reduces design-to-production time and allows for much higher return on investment (ROI).

Posted via web from SolidWild's posterous

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

SolidWild Mag3DcubeAxis

SolidWild, MagWild from Max Maheu on Vimeo.

Time-Lapse Build on uPrint Personal 3D Printer

SpaceClaim MultiTouch 720p / YouTube@bzcourter

CAD file to part in just three steps.


All Stratasys FDM systems produce thermoplastic parts in just three steps, unlike some competitive additive fabrication processes that have up to 16 steps. Just load your file, machine produces part and remove the support material.

  1. Pre-Process - Load the part’s STL file (CAD data) in Insight file processing software.
  2. Manufacture Parts - System builds part in thermoplastic material one layer at a time on precise paths.
  3. Remove Supports - Remove temporary support structures in a hands-free soluble support tank.

While competitors simulate thermoplastics using powders and resins, models and parts produced using FDM technology are produced from real thermoplastic materials and as a result are much more versatile. Parts can be used as prototypes, concept models, functional parts to test form and fit, manufacturing tools, and end-use production parts.

Stratasys: FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling Technology)

Friday, January 22, 2010

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Rapid Prototyping


When you use rapid prototyping and manufacturing in your product development, you speed up overall development to get your products through final production and into the market place.
Today's prototype manufacturing allows you to turn out replicas that are much closer to final product than ever before. There's something about holding a model that moves a product beyond the abstraction of a CAD screen, both for you and your customers.

When you incorporate rapid prototyping into your development process, you can make adjustments more accurately, since you can fit the model into the rest of the project.
You can determine which variations to an existing product work best by quickly generating multiple versions that look or work very much like the final product. And, you can strengthen the feedback loop between you and your customers, by showing them the prototypes rather then just drawings or rough mock ups.

The business of rapid prototyping allows a lot of flexibility in establishing your production process, from using only engineering consultation to full-scale outsourcing of the entire process, up to and including rapid manufacturing. Determine how much you would need rapid manufacturing service providers by answering these questions:

1. How much of your corporate resources can you allocate to rapid prototyping and manufacturing?

2. How centralized is your process - are you under one roof or do you have multiple sites, and spread apart how far?

3. How much control or security do you need around the process - are you in a highly 'sensitive' industry, or produce high-precision products that require considerable fine tuning before final production?


Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Take your rapid prototyping business to a pro
Partner with a company that specializes in the prototyping business, especially if the prototype manufacturer is located close to the facility where final manufacture will occur.

Take your prototype manufacturing in-house
To gain more control over your product lifecycles, handle the prototype manufacturing internally by purchasing rapid prototype builder machinery.

I recommend: Stratasys, Inc. has developed a system called Fused Deposition Modeling that manufactures prototype parts in three steps with thermoplastics used in regular production, and requires no special ventilation. Solidscape, Inc. offers equipment that literally fits on your desktop, like a large laser printer, for high-precision products.

Take a turn-key approach to rapid prototyping and manufacturing
If you want to concentrate on in-house design and product marketing, use rapid manufacturing service providers that can handle the whole process, from prototype to final production.

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
• Like any business, the business of rapid prototyping continually adapts and adopts technologies, from raw materials development to higher-resolution digital equipment and Internet convergence. As rapid prototyping matures, the industry will grow further into rapid tooling and rapid manufacturing. Partner with companies that have prepared for this expansion.


By John Williams, Business Writing and Research

http://www.business.com/

From 2D to 3D to XYZ

FDM(Fused Deposit Modeling)


Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is a solid-based rapid prototyping method that extrudes material, layer-by-layer, to build a model. The system consists of a build platform, extrusion nozzle, and control system.

-The build material, production quality thermoplastics, is melted and then extruded through a specially designed head onto a platform to create a two-dimensional cross section of the model.

- The cross section quickly solidifies, and the platform descends where the next layer is extruded upon the previous layer. This continues until the model is complete, where it is then removed from the build chamber and cleaned for shipping.


STL (File Format)


-STL is a file format native to the stereolithography CAD software created by 3D Systems. This file format is supported by many other software packages; it is widely used for rapid prototyping and computer-aided manufacturing.

-STL files describe only the surface geometry of a three dimensional object without any representation of color, texture or other common CAD model attributes.

-The STL format specifies both ASCII and binary representations. Binary files are more common, since they are more compact.

-An
STL file describes a raw unstructured triangulated surface by the unit normal and vertices (ordered by the right-hand rule) of the triangles using a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system.
e-Drawing STL Viewer @ http://www.edrawingsviewer.com/

3D Printing, Rapid Prototyping


So Many Applications, So Many Advantages

Lead time: Normally 1-3 business days depending on the capacity of the printers when we receive payment. Local customers are welcomed to pick up models from our facility

DDM Layer thickness: Horizontal build layers can be built in three options fine (.007"), standard (.010"), and rough draft (.013")

Minimum Wall Thickness: .020"

Dimensional Tolerances: ABS models maintain tolerances of +/- .005" for the first inch, and +/- 0.002" for each additional inch. In the z height (vertical), standard tolerances of +/- 0.010" for the first inch, +/- 0.002” on every inch thereafter.

Build size: for a single piece is 8" x 8" x 12". Models that are larger than the build envelope can be divided, printed as separate pieces, & assembled.

= Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is a solid-based rapid prototyping method that extrudes material, layer-by-layer.