In a message dated 01-12-11 20:19:29 EST, you write:
<< Hello all,
Does anyone have any information on rapid prototyping for sheet metal? With
this I mean making sheet metal sheets into products and not the layer based
technology so frequently used in RP.
Regards
Gert Mensing
>>
Hi Gert:
There's at least one researcher from the University of Bath who has made an
attempt at adapting RP-like techniques to sheet metal fabrication. It looks
like the method could eventually produce arbitrary shapes. A rotating tool is
pressed against sheet metal stock to slowly plastically deform it using a CNC
technique. Eventually the sheet metal assumes a three dimensional shape
described by a CAD data model.
You should be able to find a paper on this by going to the "RP Reader's
Digest" section of our site and looking under the category "Unique Methods
and Technologies."
Very interesting, but I don't know if he or anyone else has pursued this
beyond the initial study.
Best regards,
Ed
Ed Grenda
Castle Island Co.
19 Pondview Road
Arlington, MA 02474 USA
781-646-6280 (voice or fax)
EdGrenda@aol.com (email)
Worldwide Guide to Rapid Prototyping
http://home.att.net/~castleisland/
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