JTEC/WTEC panel report on rapid prototyping in Europe and Japan. Volume 1: Analytical chapters
- Stanford Univ., CA (United States)
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- United Technologies Research Center, East Hartford, CT (United States); and others
Mastering the art of rapidly prototyping parts and products is vital for any corporation in the race to launch new products. During the last decade, new methods and tools have emerged to facilitate and accelerate product creation. Physical prototyping, in particular, has gained popularity with the help of a concept called layered manufacturing or solid free form fabrication (SFF). The US pioneered development and commercialization of layered manufacturing systems; now, significant efforts in this area are underway in Europe and Japan, spurred by the obvious advantages of layered manufacturing`s ability to rapidly create physical models regardless of shape complexity. A major research focus is direct manufacture of objects from materials such as metals, ceramics, and plastics that have properties similar to their traditionally manufactured counterparts. In addition, layered manufacturing appears to have the potential to build objects with shape complexity and material variety that previously have been impossible. In 1995 the US government, encouraged by the Rapid Prototyping Association of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), initiated a study administered by the Japanese Technology Evaluation Center/World Technology Evaluation Center (JTEC/WTEC) to assess the capabilities of selected European countries and Japan in developing and implementing layered manufacturing technologies. The approach to this study was three-pronged: first, identify and study key foreign RP technologies and discover important new applications under development; second, evaluate and compare foreign competencies to those in the US; and third, critically examine related standards. Following are the major conclusions of JTEC/WTEC`s panel of experts concerning the current status of rapid prototyping in Europe and Japan compared to the US: (1) the US is ahead in technical innovations, materials, and manufacturing applications of layered manufacturing technology; (2) in the area of machine design, the US is in parity with Europe and Japan; (3) in rapid prototyping for medical applications, US efforts are distinctly behind those of Europe and Japan; (4) Germany and Japan have implemented major domestic programs to systematically create an infrastructure of strategic RP technologies.
- Research Organization:
- Loyola Coll., International Technology Research Inst., Baltimore, MD (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Research, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AI05-95ER30259
- OSTI ID:
- 348868
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ER/30259-T1; ISBN 1-883712-44-0; TRN: AHC29920%%18
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Mar 1997
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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