The Technology Of Rapid Tooling Based On Rapid Prototyping

As the result of the stinging market competition, modern manufacturing is developing toward the mode of low volume, many types, high quality, low cost and promptly market respond. As a new advanced manufacturing technology only over ten year, rapid prototyping and manufacturing has successfully realized the manufacturing of rapid prototype, now it has developed swiftly toward rapid tooling.In this paper, it introduces the characteristics and a few representative arts for rapid prototyping, analyses and discusses the current situation, main problem and development trend for RP at first. Then it introduces the current situation and development for rapid tooling, nalyses the features and problems of indirect rapid tooling and direct rapid tooling, points out the development trends of the RP in the 21th century.Thread the study of the characteristics of the technology for designing, the method and the procedures for the silicone rubber mould based on the rapid prototyping technology, the relative key techniques such as dimension compensation, determination of the parting direction, design of the parting line, selection of the draft and design of the gate were studied.The conclusion are showed as follows:There are many factors which can influence part precision. Commonly, the best mix proportion is one ratio one, it can enhances the surface roughness when the proportion enhance or disminish; the pour speed which is dear five minute is better, the faster speed will enhance the surface roughness; the viscidity of rosin is larger, the surface roughness is bigger.The bosom of product can appear the phenomenon of bladder. The exhaust place is irrational, the interior vacuum is not enough when the vent is small, moisture, solvent or volatile is in the material, which can cause the problem.There are many reasons which cause the product is not whole. It includes the pour material is not enough, the viscidity of material is high, the fluidity of material is bad, the pour place is improper and the vacuum of the equipment is not enough etc.The practice application of the silicone rubber mould will be benefited from the research of this paper. It brings the experiment data for the foundation of the expert system.