Sometimes the Worlds fastest rapid prototyping is accomplished using the inkjet method.  The method however is not complex.  You will use single jet for the plastic built material.  Another single jet will be used for the wax like support materials.  These support materials are retained in molten state and liquid form in the reservoir.

These liquids are then fed in to the individual jetting heads.  These jets squirt tiny droplets.  These droplets are formed with the materials used.  Materials are also moved in the X-Y fashion following the desired pattern and form layers of the prototype object.  While the materials are deposited in low temperature they get solidified in the process.

Once a particular layer is formed using the jet, you should pass a milling head on the layer.  The objective of using such process is to give it uniform thickness.  Excess particles that deposit during the milling cuts are vacuumed away.  They are normally captured in a filter.  The process is repeated forming layer by layer the complete object.  Once the end object gets manufactured, the supports are taken away either by melting or by dissolving.

You can get best resolution and finishes for the surface of the object.  The process is equivalent to the CNC methods.  Sometimes the nylon parts are also used to create the prototype.  However, the only difficulty with the Inkjet method is that it could turn out to be slower for the large objects. But then you can use the other popular RP methods for such large objects like the stereolithography or FDM to be precise.

   

Comments are closed.