Rapid Prototyping or Rapid Prototype Tooling in Architecture

apid tooling promises to be a powerful solution in the quest to develop better products faster. In the future, Rapid Prototype tooling will commonly be used to slash the time for the delivery of components in production intent materials.

Presently, there are barriers to the broad acceptance and application of rapid tooling. However, if the definition of rapid tooling is expanded, it can be a powerful and beneficial tool.

Rapid Tooling Defined

The original, and most accurate, definition of rapid tooling is: A 3D CAD-driven process that generates tooling inserts in a layer-by-layer (additive) process for the production of components in end-use materials. In simpler terms, this means building tools from a rapid prototyping process. In the past few years, the definition of rapid tooling has become broader and somewhat unclear:

Any process, technique or technology that significantly reduces the delivery of a tool for the production of components in end-use materials. Translated, this means cutting an aluminum or steel tool can be considered rapid tooling.

When the search for a rapid tooling solution begins, it is common to use traditional tooling techniques as the benchmark. The goal becomes the replication of all the quality of a cut tool while slashing the delivery time and expense. With these standards, the options become limited. These imposed limitations can make it best to seek out a tool shop that is extremely fast and efficient at building cut tools in aluminum or steel. In the evaluation of projects, Accelerated Technologies often finds that a machined tool is a far superior solution. Under the original, narrow definition, rapid tooling has limitations in many areas. These include:

* Tool life

* Accuracy

* Surface finish

* Resin selection

* Tool configuration

* Cycle time

* Part size

Each available rapid tooling solution presents limitations in at least two of these areas. When the strengths and weaknesses of the processes are presented, many elect to use traditional methods that may require more time. It certainly will be a dream come true if technology brings down cost of buildings.

Shopping for a designer house will be one of the choices open to everyone, not the privilege of a few. A 10 to 15 year recycling time for a house will be appropriate, because the recycling cost will be lower than the renovation cost.

Fast prototyping cannot replace our current building practice, but at least it will help to construct a mock-up to improve the design. It is a known fact that a full-size building mock-up is necessary to eliminate errors and the need for future design modifications. Fast prototyping can accelerate the mock-up process, bring down the cost, and speed up the final construction time.

Full-size building component plastic mold are not yet in production, because they require detailed connections and some modifications. It is not hard to imagine, that in the near future an entire house will be manufactured by an LOM machine or other RP processes directly. Such a notion is exciting and will revolutionize the building industry. Rapid tooling is a powerful process that can definitely make the building process faster, cheaper, and better.