The Theory And Practice Of Rapid Tooling Based On Reverse Engineering And Rapid Prototyping

With the furious competition in the market, Enterprises must form the production pattern that can manufacture various and small batch products rapidly according to the changeable market in order to overcome the competitors. Because of the development of reverse engineering and rapid prototyping in these days, it is possible to design and manufacture products rapidly in order to fit the need of market rapidly. The rapid tooling technology based on reverse engineering and rapid prototyping has been one of the technologies that develop the most rapidly and has the best benefit in rapid manufacturing industry. It can accomplish many problems that cannot be solved by traditional manufacturing technology. It is an useful technology that can improve the quality of tooling, shorten the design period, save expense and improve flexible.In this paper, the theory,process and application of reverse engineering and rapid prototyping are introduced at first. According to some oversea information, a better classification is introduced in this paper. The advantage and important degree of RE and RP in modern industry and society are concretely illuminated by their applications. The paper also research the method to combine reverse engineering,rapid prototyping and rapid tooling in order to make tooling precisely and efficiently. The theory and characteristic of the rapid tooling technologies are introduced by classified as rapid direct tooling and rapid indirect tooling.The paper make full research on the theory and practice of the rapid tooling technologies using ceramic precision casting,plaster casting and metal powder filled epoxy resin based on RP and RE. We used these technologies to make the casting mold for engine inhaust tube,die-casting mold for wax model of impeller. The results indicate that these technologies cannot only ensure the precision of the molds, but also reduce the cost and shorten the time greatly. They will have a bright future.This paper has reference valve for the rapid tooling technology based on reverse engineering and rapid prototyping, and also provides a new approach for the development and applicatong of rapid tooling in industry production. So the reseach of this paper has preferable benefit and application vavle. On the contrary, with the combination of reverse engineering and rapid prototyping etc. in rapid tooling, it also accelerates the development of advanced manufacturing technologies and extends the application field of them...