Based On Rapid Prototyping Rapid Tooling Manufacturing Technology

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. Mold & dies are the key tools in modern manufacturing, therefore in order to enhance product competitiveness, the development and fabrication period of molds and dies must be shorted and the production cost must be cut down. Rapid Tooling, which is based on Rapid Prototyping, can cut down the cost and shorten the manufacturing cycle of mould & dies with high precision and sufficient operational life proof cycle. It is especially economical for the fabrication of small and medium mold & dies.Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM) and Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) have been widely applied in Rapid Prototyping in China. While the Rapid Prototype may be indeed rapidly manufactured, the material it is made of does not withstand the working conditions of mold & dies. To convert the nonmetallic LOM or FDM prototype into EDM electrode or mold, a high precision and low cost technological flow is therefore necessary.In this thesis, a technique of rapidly manufacturing EDM electrode based on LOM prototype was investigated. To make the prototype electric, a uniform and perfect dispersed coating is obtained by Copper electroless plating. After Copper, electroforming on the electric LOM prototype, a precisely replicated deposition made of compact crystal is formed as the working part of the electrode. To back up the working part of the electrode, Copper arc-wire spraying produces a strengthened filling part with high adhesion strength, better electricity and heat conductivity. Through the combination of rapid prototyping , Copper electroless plating, pulse current Copper electroforming, and wire-arc Copper spraying, high-quality EDM electrodes can be successfully manufactured.A technique of rapidly manufacturing mold cavity is also investigated in this thesis. Through the combination of FDM prototyping, Nickel electroless plating, pulse current Nickel electroforming, and Zn-Al wire-arc spraying, mould cavities with high mechanical performance and causticity-resistant can be rapidly manufactured.