• 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.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.1958-1967
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• 2004

This paper describes the method to rapidly fabricate the large-sized physical model with the envelope model size of more than 600 mm${\times}$ 600 mm${\times}$ 600 mm using two type semi-automatic VLM-ST processes in connection with the reverse engineering technology. The fabrication procedure of the large-sized solid shape is as follows: (1) Generation of STL data from 3D scan data using 3D scanner, (2) generation of shell-type STL data by Boolean operation, (3) division of shell-type STL data into several pieces by solid splitting, (4) generation of USL data for each piece with VLM-Slicer, (5) fabrication of each piece by cutting and stacking according to USL data using VLM-ST apparatus, (6) completion of a shell-type prototype by zigzag stacking and assembly for each piece, (7) completion of a 3D solid shape by foam backing, (8) surface finish of a completed 3D solid shape by coating and sanding. In order to examine the applicability of the proposed method, the miniature of the Mount Rushmore Memorial has been fabricated. The envelope model size of the miniature of the Mount Rushmore Memorial is 1,453 mm${\times}$ 760 mm${\times}$ 853 mm in size. From the result of the fabricated miniature of the Mount Rushmore Memorial, it has been shown that the method to fabricate the large object using two type semi-automatic VLM-ST processes in connection with the reverse engineering technology are very fast and efficient.

• 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.18 no.8
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• pp.54-63
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• 2001

Rapid Prototyping(RP) techniques have their unique characteristics according to the working principles: stair-stepped surface of a part due to layer-by-layer stacking, low build speed caused by point-by-point or line-by-line solidification to build one layer, and additional posts processing to improve surface roughness, so high cost is required to introduce and to maintain the RP apparatus. The objective of this study is to develop a new RP process, Variable Lamination Manufacturing by using expandable polystyrene foam sheet as part material(VLM-S), and to design an apparatus for implementation of the process. So, the process parameters and design criterions of the apparatus were defined and the techniques were proposed to satisfy the design criterion. Based on the results, a knob-shape, pyramid shape. and a solid block were fabricated on the apparatus in which unit shape part(USP) was generated for building each layer.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.1414-1417
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• 2004

A thick-layered RP process, transfer-type variable lamination manufacturing using expandable polystyrene foam (VLMST) has been developed to have the advantageous characteristics such as high building speed, low cost for introduction and maintenance of VLM-ST apparatus, and little staircase surface irregularities of parts. However, VLM-ST has difficulty fabricating an axisymmetric shape and a large-sized freeform shape because of the limited sloping angles and small build size. The objective of this paper is to develop a multi-functional hotwire cutting system using EPS-foam (MHC). MHC employs a four-axis synchronized hotwire cutter with the structure of two XY movable heads and a turntable. In order to examine the applicability of the developed MHC apparatus, an axisymmetric shape, a polyhedral shape and a large-sized freeform shape were fabricated on the apparatus.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.16-19
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• 2001

Rapid Prototyping (RP) and Rapid Tooling (RT) were introduced to reduce time-to-market and cost by shortening not only the development phase but also the production phase of the manufacturing process. RP generally builds up a prototype layer by layer, rapidly generating a fully three-dimensional free form shape. RT enables the manufacture of production tools. The integration of RP and RT has the potential for rapid net shaping of thee-dimensional parts, which have geometrical complexity. In this study, net shaping techniques for making three-dimensional parts using RP and RT are described and a sample part are shown. A three-dimensional metal part is manufactured by a new RP process, Variable Lamination Manufacturing by using Expandable Polystyrene Foam (VLM-S), and its application to RT for making a clover punch. In addition, we discussed the technology fusion between metal forming md RP/RT.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.274-278
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• 2002

Surface finishing is still indispensable for most rapid prototyping (RP) processes because of the inherent stair-stepped surface and shrinkage of the parts. These problems can be minimized in the $VLM-_ST$ Process, because it uses expandable polystyrene foam sheets, each of which has a thickness of3.9 mm and a linear-interpolated side slope. The use of thick layers, however, limits the process capability of constructing fine details. This study focuses on the design of post-processing tool for fine details of $VLM-_ST$ parts and investigation of thermal characteristics during EPS foam cutting using the post-processing tool. To calculate the heat flux from the tool into the foam sheet, the tool was modeled as a heat source of radiation for finite element analysis. Results of the analysis agreed well with those of the experiment.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.19 no.7
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• pp.71-79
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• 2002

A new rapid prototyping process, Variable Lamination Manufacturing using a 4-axis-controlled hotwire cutter and expandable polystyrene foam sheet as a laminating material of the part (VLM-S), has been developed to reduce building time and to improve the surface finish of parts. The objective of this study is to reconstruct the surface of the original 3D CAD model in order to generate mid-slice data using the advancing front technique. The generation of 3D layers by a 4 axis-controlled hot-wire cutter requires a completely different procedure to generate toolpath data unlike the conventional RP CAD systems. The cutting path data for VLM-S are created by VLM-Slicer, which is a special CAD/CAM software with automatic generation of 3D toolpath. For the conventional sheet type system like LOM, the STL file would be sliced into 2D data only. However, because of using the thick layers and a sloping edge with the firstorder approximation between the top and bottom layers, VLM-Slicer requires surface reconstruction, mid-slice, and the toolpath data generation as well as 2D slicing. Surface reconstruction demands the connection between the two neighboring cross-sectional contours using the triangular facets. VLM-S employs thick layers with finite thickness, so that surface reconstruction is necessary to obtain a sloping angle of a side surface and the point data at a half of the sheet thickness. In the process of the toolpath data generation the surface reconstruction algorithm is expected to minimize the error between the ruled surface and the original parts..

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.120-128
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• 2007

In order to reduce the lead-time and cost, the technology of rapid prototyping(RP) has been widely used. This paper describes the methodology to fabricate a large object by using the principle of rapid prototyping. By laminating thick and sloping polystyrene foam plates, we can make the large model which has three dimensional, continuous surfaces faster and easier than conventional processes. Estimated error was much smaller than other RP products which have stepped effect. For accuracy improvement and post processing, machined metal plates are added between the thick plates. To keep the continuity of surface and strengthen the model, pilot holes and guide rods are applied. By the methodology described in this paper, a missile body with flush air intake was fabricated.