Minutes of meetings for Report on Rapid Manufacturing Processes

Meeting 1: Planning, delegate responsibilities

Venue: Hamburg Hall 2224
Date/Time: 17 Feb 2000, 3pm
Present: Melissa, Vaughn, Harn Hua
Agenda:

Proceedings:

To do:

Next meeting: 19 Feb 2000, to email one another the time

Meeting 2: Consolidate material

Venue: Hunt Library Basement
Date/Time: 19 Feb 2000, 10:30am
Present: Melissa, Vaughn, Harn Hua
Agenda:

Proceedings:

1) Melissa:
a) Shape Deposition Manufacturing
Process: Solid freeform fabrication process that systematically combines material deposition with material removal processes. That is, for every layer added to a mold, a layer of the mold is removed. So you start off with a big chunk of stuff and then remove what you don't want.
Time: Seems this has a lot of space for error, and you may have to start all over again if you chip off the wrong part.
Cost: Looks cheap, and there are facilities on campus.
b) JP Systems (Layered object manufacturing)
Process: Construct stuff from a series of cross sections of "slices" that have been cut from paper. The actual slices are created from a computer model that represents the design or component desired.
Time: this may take a long time, depending on the thickness of our parts. Standard paper thickness is 5.4 mm. And this requires us to be very careful, which will take more time.
Cost: supercheap. It's only paper.

2) Vaughn:
Here are some quick facts about my two processes:
a) Stereolithography:
Process: a laser cures a photo-sensitive resin, layer by layer, to create part, elevator lowers hardened cross section below liquid surface
Time of process: hours to days
Cost: relatively cheap, I have a cost comparison chart
b) Fused Deposition Manufacturing
Process: molten plastic is extruded and solidifies, material is deposited in a thin layer, solidifies forming a laminate, next layer is fused on previous, and fused together
Time of process: same as above, a little longer
Cost: seems to be expensive Both of these processes have disadvantages, some alike, and some different. If I had to choose between the two right now, I would have to pick stereolithography b/c of cost, time, and geometry considerations. Although, both of these processes are very similar and we need some practical information, which I will continue to look for before tomorrow morning.

3) Harn Hua:
Here's what I understand abt CyberCut and CNC machining
Turns out CNC machining is actually part of the CyberCut process.
a) Cybercut:
Process: Web-based design and manufacture, basically you use an online CAD software to design the part and send them electronically to a CNC milling machine.
Cost: The machine itself is quite expensive - five-figure sum. Fair amt of expertise required to operate it
Quality: Good enough for the shaft
b) CNC Machining
Process: A design is done using CAD software and then the file is sent electronically to the milling machine who will shape a solid block of the material into what the designer wants.The cutting is precise, and the machine can handle x, y, and z-axis manipulations of the material.

- Final selection: FDM vs SDM

To do:

Next meeting: 21 Feb 2000, to email one another the time

Meeting 3: Finalize presentation

Venue: Cyert Computer Cluster
Date/Time: 21 Feb 2000, 8pm
Present: Melissa, Vaughn, Harn Hua
Agenda:

Criteria
FDM
SDM
SLA
Molding
CNC
LaserCamm
CyberCut
JP
Geometry
X
Cost
X
X
X
X
X
X
Time
X
X
X
X
X
Labor & Research
X
X
X
X
X
Availability
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X

 

Proceedings:

To do:

Next meeting: During class, 22 Feb 2000, 3pm

Meeting 4: Improve/Modify part

Venue: Hamburg Hall 2224
Date/Time: 22 Feb 2000, 3pm
Present: Melissa, Vaughn, Harn Hua
Agenda:

Proceedings:

To do:

Next meeting: 28 Feb 2000, 5pm, Hunt Library Basement

Meeting 5: LaserCamm Presentation

Venue: Hunt Library Basement
Date/Time: 28 Feb 2000, 5pm
Present: Melissa, Vaughn, Harn Hua
Agenda:

Proceedings:

To do:

Next meeting: To be announced

Comments? Tell me! hng@andrew.cmu.edu