• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.22 no.10 s.175
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• pp.26-30
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• 2005

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2001.04a
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• pp.910-913
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• 2001

Rapid Prototyping(RP) techniques have unique characteristics according to their working principle: the stair-stepped surface of a part due to layer-by-layer stacking, low building speed, and additional post-processing to improve surface roughness. A new RP process, Variable Lamination Manufacturing by using expandable polystyrene foam(VLM-S), has been developed to overcome the unfavorable characteristics. The objective of this study is to investigate the thermal characteristics and skeleton size effects as the hotwire cuts EPS foam sheet in order to improve dimensional accuracy of the parts, which is produced by VLM-S. Empirical and analytical approaches are performed to find the relationship between cutting speed and heat input, and the relationship between maximum available cutting speed and heat input. In addition, empirical approaches are carried out to find the relationship between cutting error and skeleton size, and cutting deviation and skeleton size. Based on these results, the optimal hotwire cutting condition and available minimum skeleton size are derived. The outcomes of this study are reflecting in the enhancement of VLM-S input data generation S/W.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2001.04a
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• pp.11-14
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• 2001

In all Rapid Prototyping(RP) processes, computer-aided design(CAD) solid model is sliced into thin layers of uniform, but not necessarily constant, thickness in the building direction. Each cross-sectional layer is successively deposited and, at the same time, bonded onto the previous layer, the stacked layers form a physical part of the model. The objective of this study is to develop a method for obtaining necessary coordinates$(x,\;y,\;\theta_x,\;\theta_y)$ to position linear hotwire of the cutting system in three-dimensional space for the Variable Lamination Manufacturing process (VLM-S), which utilizes expandable polystyrene foam sheet as part material. In order to examine the applicability of the developed method to VLM-S, various three-dimensional shapes, such as a spanner, a patterned columm, and a pyramid were made using data obtained from the method.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.536-539
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• 2002

The reverse engineering (RE) technology can quickly generate 3D point cloud data of an object by capturing the surface of a model using a 3D scanner. In the rapid prototyping (RP) technology, prototypes are rapidly produced from 3D CAD models in a layer-by-layer additive basis. In this paper, a physical human head shape is duplicated using a new RP process, the Transfer-type Variable Lamination Manufacturing process using expandable polystyrene foam sheet (VLM-ST), after the point cloud data of a human head shape measured from 3D SNX scanner are converted to STL file. From the duplicated human head shape, it has been shown that the VLM-ST process in connection with the 3D scanner is a fast and efficient process in that shapes with free surface, such as the human head shape, can be duplicated with ease. Considering the measurement time and the shape duplication time, the use of 3D SNX scanner and the VLM-ST process is expected to reduce the lead-time fur the development of new products in comparison with the other existing RE-RP connected manufacturing systems.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.95-105
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• 2002

In order to reduce the lead-time and cost, the technology of rapid prototyping (RP) has been widely used. However, RP technologies have disadvantageous characteristics according to their working principle: low building speed, high cost for introduction and maintenance of RP apparatus, stair-stepped surface and additional post processing. A new rapid prototyping process, as a transfer type of Variable Lamination Manufacturing by using expandable polystyrene room (VLM-ST), has been developed to reduce building lime. apparatus cost including the introduction and the maintenance and additional post-processing. The objective of this study is to propose a VLM-ST process and to develop an apparatus for implementation of the process. Design criteria of the apparatus are defined and the techniques arc proposed to satisfy the design criterion. In order to examine the efficiency and applicability of the developed process, various three-dimensional shapes, such as a world-cup logo. a knob shape, an extruded cross, a twisted shape, a character, Son-o-kong. a helical gear shaped and a scissor shape are fabricated on the apparatus in which unit shape layer (USL) was generated to build up each layer.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.109-119
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• 2004

Rapid prototyping (RP) technologies have been widely used to reduce the lead-time and development cost of new products. $VLM-_{ST}$ process has been developed to overcome the currently developed RP technologies such as a large building time, a high building cost, an additional post-processing and a large apparatus cost. $VLM-_{ST}$ process requires an additional human interaction due to the manual stacking and bonding. Hence, building time, building cost and the part quality are dependent on the skill of labor. A novel RP process, fully automated $VLM-_{ST}$ process ($VLM-_{ST}$), has been developed to improve building efficiency of the process and the human dependency of the part. The objective of this work is to propose a $VLM-_{ST}$ process and to develop an apparatus for implementation of the process. $VLM-_{ST}$ process and its apparatus have various technical novelties such as two step cutting using a rotating table, an automatic stacking method using two pilot holes and two reference shapes, a concept of automatic unit shape layer (AUSL), and an automatic bonding using the bonding roller and building magazine. In order to examine the efficiency and the applicability of the proposed process, various three-dimensional shapes, such as a piston, a human head shape and a human bust shape, were fabricated on the apparatus.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.760-765
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• 2001

A new rapid prototyping process, as a transfer type of Variable Lamination Manufacturing by using expandable polystyrene foam (VLM-ST), has been developed to reduce building time, apparatus cost including the introduction and the maintenance and additional post-processing. The objective of this study is to propose a VLM-ST process and to develop an apparatus for implementation of the process. Design criteria of the apparatus were defined and the techniques were proposed to satisfy the design criterion. In order to examine the efficiency and applicability of the developed process, various three-dimensional shapes, such as a world-cup logo, a knob shape and a character, Son-o-kong, were fabricated on the apparatus in which unit shape layer (USL) was generated to build up each layer.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.599-602
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• 2002

A novel rapid prototyping (RP) process, an automated transfer type variable lamination manufacturing process (Automated VLM-ST) has been developed. In Automated VLM-ST, a vacuum chuck and linear moving system transfer the plate type material with two pilot holes to the rotation stage. A four-axis synchronized hotwire cutter cuts the material twice to generate Automated Unit Shape Layer (AUSL) with the desired width, side slopes, length, and two reference shapes in accordance with CAD data. Each AUSL is stacked on the stacking plate with two pilot pins using the pilot holes in AUSL and the pilot pins. Subsequently, adhesive is supplied to the top surface of the stacked AUSL by a bonding roller and pressure is simultaneously applied to the bottom surface of the stacked AUSL. Finally, three-dimensional shapes are rapidly fabricated. This paper describes the procedure for generating the cutting path data (AUSL data) f3r automated VLM-ST. The method for the generation of the Automated Unit Shape Layer (AUSL) in Automated VLM-ST was practically applied and fabricated for a various shapes.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.62-65
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• 2003

VLM-ST process requires an additional human interaction due to the manual stacking and bonding. Hence, building time, building cost and the part quality are dependent on the skill of labor. In this present work, a novel rapid prototyping (RP) process, as an automatic VLM-ST (VLM-STA), has been proposed to improve building efficiency of VLM-ST process and reliability of products. The apparatus of VLM-STA is designed to embody the process. Several characteristics of the proposed process and the apparatus are discussed. In order to examine the efficiency and the applicability of the proposed process, various three-dimensional shapes, such as a piston and a human head shape, are fabricated on the apparatus.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.323-331
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• 2002

The combination of rapid prototyping(RP) and rapid tooling(RT) has a potential for rapid manufacturing of three-dimensional parts. In the present study, a new RP system transfer type Variable Lamination Manufacturing using Expandable Polystyrene Foam (VLM-ST), is proposed to fabricate net shapes of three-dimensional prototypes. Various three-dimensional parts, such as a knob shape and a human head shape, are manufactured by the VLM-ST apparatus. In addition, a new rapid tooling technology, which utilizes a room temperature vulcanizing (RTV) molding technique and a triple reverse process technique, is proposed to manufacture net shapes of three-dimensional plastic parts using the prototypes of VLM-ST. A plastic part of the knob shape is produced by the proposed RT technology. The combination of the proposed RP and RT enables the manufacture of a plastic knob within two days.