Appliance Design - October 2007 - (Page 44)

PROTOTYPING of Stratasys, says that the newer 3D printers have given OEMs a new choice when it comes to buying their own equipment or using a service bureau. His company’s printers, for instance, are based on the patented Stratasys FDM process, and build 3D models with ABS plastic. Because of this, some functional tests can be conducted. Roitenberg says that, from a designer’s office, prototypes can be made in a couple hours by clicking a few buttons. If they want to tweak the design based on what they learn from that part, they can go back to the drawing board, modify it and print it again. In a couple more hours a new sample is ready to be considered. Roitenberg offers as an example a manufacturer who puts electronics in a casing or creates a remote control or game controller. “The ability to screw that piece together, put electronics in it and actually try it out, and be able to do that in-house, is an amazing advancement in technology,” he says. Industry analyst Todd Grimm, a consultant with Grimm & Associates, says the ability to create a part right away is an important reason for bringing the technology in-house. Another reason is to keep complete control of the design. “They maybe sensitive to the design data leaving their facilities,” he says. “It all depends on how they want to protect their intellectual property.” While securing intellectual property is something every company should consider, service bureau owners say that the secrets are safe with them. Ronald Hollis, president and CEO of Quickparts.com, an Atlanta, Ga.based service bureau, says that his company did 50,000 unique parts last year and almost all of the parts that were made were produced without the bureau having any knowledge of what the part was and for what it was to be used. “That is the way it should be,” he says, “these are just parts to us.” A saw handle created by RedEye using FDM technology. FDM machine at Red Eye service bureau. it gets harder and harder for a company to do that and make economic sense,” he says. Express Pattern uses 12 SLA technology machines to turn CAD drawings into real 3D components that can be functionally tested. The company uses nine Thermojet machines from 3D Systems, Rock Hill, S.C., to create concept models. The costs of all of these machines easily run into the millions of dollars. Cost outlay is one factor, he says, but the specialized knowledge needed to run the RP machines and handle the materials are also factors that should be considered. He says to run these machines requires specialized facilities outfitted with high-end electrical systems, HVAC units, and clean up areas to treat the chemicals that are used on these machines. “I think it is difficult for any manufacturer to justify that kind of equipment in house unless they really have a large demand,” Mueller says. “We are seeing less and less companies doing that sort of thing. A lot of them are getting rid of their equipment and outsourcing and relying on lower-end equipment for their concept model needs.” In-house modeling The concept modeling machines can be a fit for some company’s in-house prototyping plans. While 3D printers, for example, may not be for everyone, their cost and improved capabilities are making them a popular tool for some manufacturers. They are fast, clean, require no ventilation and are typically small enough to fit in an office like a photocopy machine. Jesse Roitenberg, marketing coordinator for Dimension 3D Printing Group, a business unit 44 applianceDESIGN October 2007 Choosing to outsource If a company decides that its prototyping needs are best served by going to a service bureau, the questions do not end there. Not all service bureaus are the same. Many specialize in a particular type of rapid prototyping technology. Others have a broad menu of methods from which to choose. Value-added services maybe offered at some bureaus, while others just make parts. There are even service bureaus that blur the lines between a prototyping service bureau, and a custom job shop that makes rapid manufactured parts for their customers. In general, the bureaus will provide three classes of parts based on the customers needs, says Mueller. These include the initial conceptual models that are usually built with machines such as the 3D printers. The next class of service offered includes conventional RP work that use more sophisticated additive fabrication machines, he says. The technologies will include SLA, which is a process that creates parts by tracing the cross section of a part with a laser onto a vat of photocurable resin, and SLS that fuses plastic particles with a CO2 laser to create durable part. The SLS technology can also sinter metal to create a metal part; none of the other technologies allow that. A third popular technology is FDM, which extrudes a plastic wire through a CNC-controlled nozzle, that solidifies immediately after deposition. The machine uses materials that are close in properties to those thermoplastics used by injection molders including ABS-like material, polycarbonate, and polyphenylsulfone. An advantage of FDM machines is that higher level testing can be undertaken. Rapid manufacturing is the third level of service that some bureaus now offer. Bureaus that offer this service use the prototyping machines to make end-use parts. Often these are lowvolume parts that can be used as a bridge until hard tooling for the part is created. So, how to choose the best service bureau for a company’s needs? Because of the differences between the service bureaus, Grimm says it is important to do the research to determine the type of technology available, the number www.applianceDESIGN.com http://www.appliancedesign.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Appliance Design - October 2007

Contents Editorial Shipments/Forecasts News Watch Applying Powder Coatings to Plastic Parts is No Longer a Pipe Dream New Technology Platform Provides the Ability for a single IC to Control Two- Motors in a Single Appliance, Simplifying Motor Control Design Advanced Motor-Control Techniques have Become More Accessible to a Wider Array of Appliances, Helping to Improve Efficiency and Reduce Noise Adding USB Host Capability to Appliances Permits In-Field Programming and Acquisition of Test Data ZigBee Modules Make it Easier to Design Wireless Connectivity into Applications New Concepts such as Rapid Tooling and Rapid Injection Molding Provide Stepping Stones Between Prototyping and Full Scale Production A Number of Factors and New Developments Affect the Decision on Whether to Build Prototypes In-House or Outsource to a Service Bureau DesignMart Advertiser’s Index Association Report: CEA

Appliance Design - October 2007

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