Since its introduction Rapid Prototyping has become an important tool inside the Automotive design process, allowing designers and engineers to acknowledge production pitfalls, and gauge consumer reaction at the beginning of the item development cycle. A real kind of automotive parts might be produced within days offering engineers with the opportunity to review the advantages and disadvantages from the design, simply because they pass it around, twisting and viewing the prototype model.
Recent developments in all the different materials available have introduced to the introduction of Rapid Prototyping technology to the production process, particularly in Formula1 design where designs modification is required between races to make sure optimal performance.
Since 2004 Aston Martin Racing, some pot venture between Aston Martin and Prodrive, remains designing and building effective race production based sports cars. Lead occasions have proven crucial with a noticable difference schedule of just 6 several days, making using Rapid Prototyping a “no brainer” got the teams Technical Director George Howard-Chappell as engine parts and driver controls may be printed within days. Early chassis mock ups might be created to make certain maximum efficiency which all designs met the 2010 Le Mans rules.
Using SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) the school of Ulster Formula Student team effectively designed and produced air inlay manifolds in a position to withstanding demanding testing, plus race conditions (with the engine reaching around 13,000 rev/min through the testing process).
Automotive manufacturers Chrysler along with Fords luxury marque Mercury also provide switched to Rapid Prototyping just like a production tool, with both firms using Vacuum Casting and Reaction Injection Moulding for your low volume output of lighting assemblies.
Developments in all the different materials available have elevated functionality of prototype models which is is most likely that SLA resins for instance Bluestone, CeraMAX and NanoTool might find the Automotive Industrys fascination with Rapid Prototyping technologies still rise.