Ed,
Agreed! I think this was my point back when the original thread started.
These few companies that are able to use current technology as a
manufacturing method are just the beginning. What I have a problem with is
that if we start using these terms then the equipment or technology is sold
as such and it certainly does not meet the "standard" for manufacturing
production parts if you look at the big picture. In 5 or 10 years we may
see an entirely different picture.
Karl Denton
-----Original Message-----
From: EdGrenda@aol.com [SMTP:EdGrenda@aol.com]
Sent: Monday, February 21, 2000 11:07 AM
To: KDenton@williams-int.com; rp-ml@bart.lpt.fi
Subject: Re: Review of direct manufacturing threads
In a message dated 00-02-21 09:07:45 EST, you write:
<< Marshall,
Very interesting and a great job gathering and posting the page.
Despite
all of the examples the you have found I believe that my comments
are valid.
As much as I love the RP industry I could never with a clear
conches sell
the processes as "Rapid Manufacturing" or "Direct Manufacturing".
There are
still way too many stumbling blocks to overcome: accuracy,
consistency,
speed, repeatability, limits on feature size....Just to name a few!
Karl Denton
>>
Hi:
I would have to agree that if we speak about the existing
limitations of the
technology that you're right. Today's equipment will never provide
a direct,
generalized manufacturing means.
However, there are definitely applications for which those
limitations aren't
significant. Layered manufacturing techniques have resulted in the
founding
of several companies that use the technology to solve specific
problems.
Erkut's example of Therics is a good one, another is Specific
Surface Corp.
This company makes big ceramic filters for power plants using 3DP.
Another
is Pure Fluid Magic. They make (made?) customized IC probe
connectors using
high res SLA.
So I think that what we are witnessing is that RP technology is very
slowly
moving into manufacturing applications that take advantage of its
positive
characteristics, or where nothing else will do the job. There may
be more
applications like this than we realize. I'm aware of a couple of
large
potential ones that I can't discuss, so I suspect other people are
as well.
It doesn't happen overnight, but once technology is introduced to
solve a
problem, it becomes more refined with time and use. It then becomes
a
solution that is more widely applicable to other problems. At some
point, a
fortuitous development or linkage occurs and the technology blossoms
and
becomes ubiquitous.
But it takes sooo long....
Regards,
Ed
Ed Grenda
Castle Island Co.
19 Pondview Road
Arlington, MA 02474 USA
781-646-6280 (voice or fax)
EdGrenda@aol.com (email)
http://home.att.net/~castleisland/
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