• 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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• 2001.05a
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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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• 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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• 1997.10a
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• pp.883-886
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• 1997

In all Rapid Prototyping (RP) processes, a CAD solid model is sliced ito thin layers of uniform, but not necessarily constant, thickness in the building direction. Each cross-sectional layer is successively deposited and, at the same tim, bonded onto the previous layer; the stacked layers form a physical part of the model. The objective of this study is to develop a methode for calculating the rotational angle(θ/sub x/, θ/sub y/) of the linear hotwire cutting system in the three-dimensional space for the Variable Lamination Manufacturing process using expandable polystyrene foam sheet (VLM-S). In order to examine the applicability of the developed method to VLM-S, various three-dimensional shapes, such s a screw, an extruded cross, and a figure of Sonokong, were made using the data obtaiend from the method.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.202-209
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• 2005

A new effective thick-layered RP process, Transfer-type Variable Lamination Manufacturing using expandable polystyrene foam (VLM-ST) has been developed with thick layers and sloped surfaces. VLM-ST has the innate advantages by virtue of its working principle: high building speed, low cost for introduction and maintenance of VLM-ST apparatus, little staircase surface irregularities of parts. Despite these advantages in VLM-ST, the surface roughness of VLM-ST parts is still inadequate to be used as RP master patterns for rapid tooling (RT). This paper describes the systematic and effective methodology to remove the laminated pattern and improve the surface roughness for VLM-ST parts. From the results of surface finishing of VLM-ST parts, it can be seen that the laminated pattern is completely removed and the surface characteristics such as surface roughness, surface hardness, and paintability are improved.

• 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.

• 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.17 no.12
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• pp.185-194
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• 2000

Rapid Prototyping(RP) techniques have their unique characteristics according to the working principles: stair-stepped surface of parts due to layer-by-layer stacking, low build speed caused by line-by-line solidification to build one layer, and additional post processing to improve surface roughness, so it is required very high cost to introduce and to maintain of RP apparatus. The objective of this study is to develop a new RP process, Variable Lamination Manufacturing using linear hotwire cutting technique and expandable polystyrene foam sheet as part material(VLM-S), and to investigate characteristics of part material, cutting characteristics by using linear hotwire cutting system and bonding. Experiments were carried out to investigate mechanical properties of part material such as anisotropy and directional tensile strength. In order to obtain optimal dimensional accuracy, surface roughness, and reduced cutting time, addition experiments were performed to find the relationship between cutting speed and cutting offset of hotwire, and heat generation of hotwire per unit length. So, adhesion strength tests according to ASTM test procedure showed that delamination did not occur at bonded area. Based on the data, a clover-shape was fabricated using unit shape part(USP) it is generated hotwire cutting. The results of present study have been reflected on the enhancement of the VLM-S process and apparatus.

• 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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• 2003.06a
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• pp.50-53
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• 2003

Most companies use technologies such as stereolithography, selective laser sintering, and fused deposition modeling to make parts for such small consumer products as telephones, heads, and shoes. The largest part that the existing RP systems can make is only 600 mm in length. Because most RP systems build parts by depositing, solidifying, or sintering material point-by-point, making larger objects takes a long time. and in many cases, large objects won't fit the build size. A new effective thick-layered RP process. Transfer type Variable Lamination Manufacturing using expandable polystyrene foam (VLM-ST) has been developed with thick layers and sloped surfaces. In this paper, a scaledown model of F16 Fighter with the length of 800 mm is rapidly fabricated using the VLM-ST process. In order to build a CAD model of F16 larger than 600 mm in length, the approach in VLM-ST is to build larger parts in multiple sub-parts and then glue them together. The fabricated result shows that the VLM-ST process employing thick layers and sloped surfaces is adequate for creating the real-sized large objects in the diverse fields such as automobiles, electric home appliances, electronics. and etc.