Yesterday, we launched the new email instant quoting for custom designed parts and rapid prototypes. Quickparts was the first to provide online instant quoting for rapid prototyping and that has always mainstay foundation for the company. But we heard from our customers that we needed to make it easier for them to start the quoting [...]
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A very important step in producing a high quality prototype is to design with the process tolerance in mind. Each rapid prototype process has build tolerances that will affect the accuracy of the CAD model provided. If tolerances are not designed into the model, parts will not fit together as intended, wasting time and money.The [...]
In the beginning before Rapid Prototyping….there was the evolution of 3D CAD.CAD was first developed over 20 years ago with the development of personal computers. The first company to become a leader in the CAD world was Autodesk with a product called AutoCAD. This was the first software product that allowed the user to produce [...]
Standard Tessellation Language (STL) is a file format native to the Stereolithography software created by 3D Systems. This file format is supported by many CAD software packages and is widely used for rapid prototyping and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM).STL is a facet-based representation that approximates surface and solid entities only with triangles (i.e., STL files describe [...]
Another finish option available for the stereolithography (SLA) process and additive manufactured processes in general is to have parts nickel plated after fabrication. The process of adding a metal coating over an SLA model enhances the stiffness of the model. In addition, it improves the overall strength of the part. The strong stiff metal layer deposited on the outer surfaces [...]
Rapid prototypes are used for a number of different applications; functional testing, marketing show models, trade show models, etc. With such wide number of end uses, the type of finish used on the stereolithography (SLA) model becomes very critical. One of the often overlooked finish option categories is the WaterClear/QuickClear finishes. These finishes allow the parts to be [...]
One of the technologies out there that been gaining momentum in the additive fabrication space is Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). Over the past few years this process has transitioned from being looked at strictly as a rapid prototyping solution to now being considered for rapid prototyping and final end use production. The aerospace and industrial [...]
Developing advanced biocompatible stereolithography (SL) resins for the medical industry is becoming increasingly important. According to Wohler’s Report 2008, the medical/dental industry is the third largest industry for additive manufacturing after consumer products/electronics and automotive, but growing at a faster rate than either. Somos WaterShed® XC 11122 rapid prototyping resin is a clear, water-resistant material that [...]
The latest addition to the Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) process is the ability to offer Ultem as a material choice. This is a high end, engineering grade material that is used by many industries including the medical and aerospace industries. The Ultem 9085 offered through the FDM process is certified for use on commercial aircrafts and [...]
Recently Huntsman Corporation launched a new Black stereolithography material for the rapid prototyping industry. This is a major milestone for the stereolithography material market. As many will probably remember, the original rapid prototyping materials were an amber/clear material that looked bad. Then there was an advancement made to offer a white stereolithography material. For the [...]
