RE: Rapid Prototyping Course

From: Peter Blacklin (blacklin@erols.com)
Date: Fri Jan 07 2000 - 16:13:24 EET


The questions you have to answer in order to get to a format for the contest are:
Is the use of these tools to show how well they can be used.
Is the objective to solve a problem
Is time an aspect of the equation.

If you look at other contests that are widely published on the TV the starting point is a basic engineering challenge.
The students have a limited set of materials from which to create their solution.
The final contest is a forum where the contestants machines go head to head, capturing balls etc. This makes for a group participation in the result.

I would suggest that to maximize the use of CAD/CAE/CAM, RE and RP technologies the contest should be a solution to a structure that carries something to a point.
A payload could be an egg (unfrozen / unboiled of course) . The objective is to have the egg transported (shot from an air cannon) as far as possible without breaking. You have to decide if the transport system has to be reusable. So the idea is that you have a 4" diameter air cannon operating at 60 psi that is going to eject the machine and payload. The students have to devise a packaging that will allow the payload to be launched and not damaged of landing and the one that goes the furthest on two shots wins

RP could be used as a build system for the structure which adds in determining the properties and working within the boundaries. I see the systems having to be articulated for the landing phase. The limitation could be to have the system fully designed in CAD before building and limit the building to 3 iterations.

I think you could have the system work indoors with some rule fine tuning.

Have fun.

Peter Blacklin

Optimum Solutions Inc.
11391 Barrow Downs
Columbia MD 21044
(410) 730 3371 Tel
(410) 730 6359 Fax
blacklin@erols.com

Patience is a virtue, but persistence to the point of success is a blessing.

-----Original Message-----
From: Fábio Ribeiro [SMTP:fribeiro@ufba.br]
Sent: Friday, January 07, 2000 7:14 AM
To: rp-ml@bart.lpt.fi
Subject: Rapid Prototyping Course

Hello List,

I am a Mechanical Engineering student and I am doing a reserch about rapid
prototyping and reverse engineering. I am studing the development a of
Rapid Prototyping course and a Reverse Engineering course.

I would like to discuss with someone the contents of a rapid prototyping
course and details like a procedure to do a project of a prototype with
CAD/CAE/CAM, RE and RP technologies.

What do you think about the possibility of organize a championship who the
competitors are groups of two students in a classroom?

What could be a good standard equipment to manufacture in this championchip
( the students must work with CAD/CAE/CAM, RE and RP technologies)?

What would be the rules?

Thanks in advance

Fábio

For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/

For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/



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