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Rapid prototyping and production planning
Rapid prototyping and production planning
Rapid prototyping technology (RPT)
Rapid prototyping technology (RPT)
Rapid prototyping refers to the quick production of a model or component rather than the need for expensive moulds or machinery. Objects can be made from a 3D model produced in a computer. An early way of doing this was using Stereo Lithography (STL) which used lasers to harden a liquid resin in a container. Where the two laser met they drew out the shape of the object layer by layers, hardening the resin. Once completed the excess resin was drained off leaving a hard, but often fragile, plastic object.
A modern development of the early stereolithography printers are SLA printers which work on the same principle but produce much better quality results in a range of resins. They use a high-powered laser to harden liquid resin that is contained in a reservoir.
Unlike Filament (FDM) 3D printers, the object is lifted out of the resin rather than being built up from a bed. They can take much longer than FDM printers but the results are often much better.
Fused deposition modelling (FDM)
Fused deposition modelling (FDM)
FDM is what most of us will commonly know as 3D printing. It uses filament fed into a heated nozzle which is then printed in very fine layers to build up a 3D model. The range of materials that can be used is growing and metal 3D printers use a laser to selectively bind together metal particles on a powder bed. See also laser sintering.
3D Printing is becoming increasingly popular as a technique for making components and objects quickly and with relatively low expense. While the process started out using ABS or PLA, 3D printers can now work with food, metal and even organic materials such as human organs. It is definitely an area to watch, and it requires little else but printing material and a 3D model.
3D Printing has caused the design and engineering communities to rethink what they know about structures and manufacture. In the picture below a hinge has been redesigned for the aerospace industry which is stronger due to the complex structure yet lighter due to the reduced material. Such a design would be impractical using existing casting techniques.
Advantages of Rapid prototyping for idea development:
Advantages of Rapid prototyping for idea development:
Multiple model iterations can be made from the same CAD model
Modelling and testing of wall thickness can be done
Testing of internal details, such as boses and ribs
Testing gears and mechanical systems to check operation
Working prototypes can be tested with electronic components
Environmental testing can be performed using polymer models
Wax 3D printed components can be used as patterns for investment casting.
Electronic data interchange
Electronic data interchange
Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS) refers to the technology of using bar-coded products that are laser scanned at the point of sale. This enables items to be registered with distributors and warehouses etc. who can in turn order parts necessary or extra stock. EPOS therefore enables manufacturers to produce items ‘just in time’ (JIT). This is an essential part of Quality risk management (QRM).
See the unit 1.6 on modern scales of production for more information.
Kanbans are cards labeled with a barcode which are attached to containers. Many of the parts needed in the manufacture of cars are delivered in these containers and the card identifies the part and quantity inside. When the operator working in a cell starts to run low on stock, the Kanban is placed in a chute and then collected by a store worker. When the Kanbans are collected they are scanned and, using electronic data interchange (EDI) the parts can automatically be reordered.
Although the term Kanban is the card system itself it is also used to describe a computer system that controls the following products and components through a system. Sequencing is an essential part of a JIT system and is the sequencing of work. Once parts or materials have arrived at a factory they need to go to the individual work cells at the right time. This is again controlled by a computer and is a form of computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM).
Master Production Schedule (MPS)
Master Production Schedule (MPS)
MPS is a computer controlled scheduling system that sets the quantity of each product made in a given time period. For a car this is done using order-based scheduling relying on materials requirement planning (MRP) software.
Telematics is a system used to electronically track a product from receipt of customer orders through to assembly and dispatch. For a car, such customer data is placed in a ‘black box’ and goes through each part of the assembly for regular checking.
Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMS)
Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMS)
Manufacturers who mass produce items such as aerosols, toothpaste and so on will use dedicated equipment to produces only those items. Investment in such products is relatively safe because demand for these items is high. In other markets items may have to be made in batches and in order to do this the equipment needs to be more flexible.
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