Rapid prototyping

Citation

(1998), "Rapid prototyping", Assembly Automation, Vol. 18 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/aa.1998.03318aaf.003

Rapid prototyping

Rapid prototyping

Ford Motor Co's Special Vehicle Operations group recently used rapid-prototyping technology to prove out the intricate internal geometry of an intake manifold for its new 4.6 litre V8. The manifold is an aftermarket component designed to boost motor performance to 280 hp when used with other add-ons. Its internal geometry proved far too complex for prototyping by hand. Using an SGC 5600 rapid-prototyping machine from Cubital America Inc. Ford engineers created a prototype directly from the CAD file. The Cubital prototype had enough dimensional accuracy to permit evaluation of engineering qualities in airflow tests, dynamometer measurements, and in checks for packaging and fit when attached to a cold engine under the hood of a Mustang. To let the polymer part survive the heat of a running engine, Ford coated the outside of the manifold with fibreglass. (The inside remained uncoated to preserve dimensional accuracy and provide meaningful readings of engine performance.) Engineers at the car maker even mocked up the manifold with hoses and fittings, an impractical feat with a less-accurate hand-built prototype. The Cubital prototype cost about one-third less to make than a handmade version, Ford estimates. It also was ready in a week, compared to the month needed to make a part by hand. The high dimensional accuracy also permitted early vendor commitments for ancillary parts such as fitting hoses, throttle control bodies, fluid couplings, and so forth. The ability to finalize contracts for these parts early in the development cycle saved about three months in bringing the new part to market.