• 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.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.190-194
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• 2001

The integration of rapid prototyping and tooling has the potential for the rapid net shape manufacturing of three-dimensional parts with geometrical complexity. In this study, a new rapid prototyping process, transfer type of Variable Lamination Manufacturing (VLM-ST), was proposed to manufacture net shape of 3-D prototypes. In order to examine the efficiency and applicability of the proposed process, various 3-D parts, such as a world-cup logo, and extruded cross and a knob shape, were fabricated on the apparatus. In addition, the new rapid tooling process, which is a triple reverse process, was proposed to manufacture of 3-D functional part using VLM-ST prototypes and the plastic part of the knob shape was produced by the new rapid tooling process.