present
RP = Rapid Production: An International Conference
Friday, December 1, 2000
9:00 – 17:30
Held in conjunction with EuroMold 2000 in Frankfurt, Germany
www.euromold.com
Once thought of as a method
of prototyping only, rapid prototyping (RP) machines are now being used for the
production of final manufactured parts. As this idea grows in popularity, organizations around the world will
begin to view RP as a method of rapid production. Fueling this growth is the trend toward mass customization, where
ultimately, a production run will consist of a single part, an inherit strength
of RP. The ways in which rapid
production could change the future of manufacturing, coupled with its economic
impact, are staggering.
As the RP
industry explores the opportunity of applying its technologies to production
applications, it is faced with a number of challenges, including material
properties, surface finish, and speed. Already, new developments in academia and industry suggest that some of
these challenges can be overcome. World-class speakers will address many of these challenges and will
present some the most interesting applications of RP for the manufacture of
production quantities.
9:00
Using RP Methods for Production Quantities
Terry Wohlers, Wohlers
Associates, Inc. (USA)
Abstract. Industry consultant Terry Wohlers will discuss a
number of industries and applications that are ripe and ready to use RP for the
production of final manufactured parts. Among them are parts for business jets, helicopters, racecars, high-end
consumer and industrial automobiles, antique cars, sports gear, hearing aids,
surgical implants, and prosthetics.
Wohlers will also provide an update on some of the companies that have
pioneered the idea of "rapid production" including Specific Surface,
Therics, and Align Technology.
Biography. Industry consultant Terry Wohlers
is president of Wohlers Associates, Inc., a consulting firm he founded in 1986.
Wohlers' highly sought after views and opinions come from years of collecting
and analyzing market data, coupled with his work as an advisor to major
organizations in the U.S., Europe, Asia, and South America. He has authored
nearly 250 books, articles, reports, and technical papers on engineering and
manufacturing automation. In 1992, Wohlers led a group of 14 individuals from
industry and academia to form the first association dedicated to rapid
prototyping. In 1998, he co-founded the Global Alliance of RP Associations
(GARPA) involving 14 member nations around the world. Wohlers is serving as the
chairman of this conference.
9:45
Keynote: Laser
Sintered Parts in Space
Roger Spielman, Boeing's
Rocketdyne Propulsion & Power (USA)
Abstract. Keynote speaker Roger Spielman will present the
fabrication of man-rated space flight hardware using selective laser sintering
(SLS) technology. Over the past five years, he and his group have used laser
sintering to successfully manufacture parts in glass-filled nylon and super
alloys. Hundreds of these parts have been installed and today are in use on the
International Space Station and other aircraft and space vehicles. Presently,
the entire fleet of Space Shuttles is having their main engines retrofit using
SLS parts. Roger will explain the rigorous testing involved in certifying the
materials and processes, as well as the inspection process. Also, Roger will
share many examples of how the sintered parts have helped save almost
unbelievable time and cost.
Biography. From age 11, most of Roger's free time was spent
with a neighbor, a tool design engineer from Lockheed Skunk Works, who mentored
him in foundry work, machining, welding, and sheet metal. By 17, he had
established a part-time business that involved building and maintaining
specialty-fabricated vehicles. Through his early adult years, Roger apprenticed
with world-renowned automotive experts including Gene Winfield of Modesto,
California. Winfield was famous for land speed records during the 1950s,
concept cars for the Ford Motor Company throughout the 1960s, and cars for
Hollywood films through the 1970s and 1980s.
By the mid-1970s, Roger was
functioning as shop manager with a crew of 63 fabricators, transforming new
top-of-the-line Cadillac automobiles into hand fabricated specialty vehicles
for a worldwide market. In 1980, Roger moved to the aerospace industry. Soon,
his primary source of income came from fabricating liquid fuel rocket engines
for the Rocketdyne Division of Rockwell International. His first year in
aerospace was spent as a senior welder where he carried 26 certifications for
different materials and processes. By 1981, he advanced to the engineering
ranks as a weld engineer.
Over past several years,
Roger has been responsible for Rapid Prototype Operations at Boeing's
Rocketdyne Propulsion & Power. In 1995, he and his team launched its first
effort to characterize the laser sintering process and certify end-use parts
for flight operations. Since then, many hundreds of parts have been fabricated
for the International Space Station Program, the Space Shuttle Main Engine
Program, and many other programs. Roger spends many of his evenings and
weekends continuing his education and fabricating special effect vehicles for
Hollywood films including Blade Runner, The Last Starfighter, The Wraith, Robo
Cop, and Back to the Future.
11:00
Break
Coffee and refreshments
11:30
Using Direct Croning to Decrease the Cost of Small Batch
Production
Ray Wünsche, ACTech (Germany)
Abstract. As a fast-growing method of RP, Direct Croning can
decrease costs associated with small batch production of metal parts. Using
laser-sintered cores to reduce cost is especially effective when producing
intricate castings with complex internal features. Mr. Wünsche will introduce the technology and share examples
of how his company is using this method to produce parts that are higher in
volume than typical prototype production runs.
Biography. Ray Wünsche received a degree as an engineer in 1988. He attended the
Technical University of Dresden for two additional years and began a career in
sales at Avdel Textron in 1990. In 1994, he became a team leader of the German
Automotive Team at Avdel Textron. In 1998, Mr. Wünsche took part in a European project that involved
the development of engineering assemblies using the worldwide capabilities of
the Textron Fastening Group. Currently, he serves as general sales manager of
ACTech.
12:15
Break
Sufficient time to visit the exhibition.
13:45
Using RP to
Manufacture Complex Titanium Parts for Formula 1 Cars
Franco Zucchelli, C.R.P.
Technology, a division of the Cevolini Group (Italy)
Abstract. Franco Zucchelli will discuss a novel approach that
leads to the realization of complex titanium parts. Focusing on the importance
of process specific design and tight process control, the approach combines
several technologies including rapid prototyping, investment casting, and CNC
machining. Using these technologies, it is possible to more quickly produce
lighter, higher performing, and less expensive titanium parts, compared to
traditional methods. This approach stretches the limits of design and allows
for the production of much higher quality parts.
Biography. Franco, born in 1961, graduated from the University
of Florida with a bachelor's degree in economics. Later, he received a master's
degree in International Political Economy from the University of South Florida.
He has six years of experience in the packaging machinery industry and five
years in the eyewear industry. Since 1998, he has been involved in the
production of titanium parts for Formula 1 racecars.
14:30
Production Parts
Using Stereolithography as a Manufacturing Solution
Norma Jean Rutledge, Pure Fluid Magic (USA)
Abstract. Norma Jean Iverson will present applications that
use stereolithography as a manufacturing method for production parts. She will
address a high-density test clip product line, as well as unique sculptures
generated by music. The presentation explains why stereolithography was the
preferred method of production and what modifications were necessary to accomplish
this task. The idea to use stereolithography as a manufacturing solution came
about six years ago when it was impossible to produce the test clip product
line any other way.
Biography. Norma Jean is the president of Pure Fluid Magic,
Inc. She was honored in 1997 with the
3D Systems Excellence Award and again in 1999 with second runner up. As an
engineering consultant in new product development for the past 15 years, she
holds a patent with an additional two patents pending. She is a journeyman machinist
and NC programmer, working with Stanford Linear Accelerator, NASA, and Lawrence
Livermore National Labs to obtain these credentials. Her favorite past time
activities include food and wine paring. She is a chef and sommelier with a
certificate and advanced level credentials. One day she hopes to become a
Master Sommelier.
15:15
Break
Coffee and refreshments
15:30
Micro RP&M Technologies for End User
Applications
Andrea Reinhardt, microTEC
(Germany)
Abstract. Andrea Reinhardt will describe applications of rapid
micro product development (RMPD) for the end user. Processes are available in
the field of microstructure and microsystems technology for prototyping, as
well as for fast mass production without any tooling. RMPD-MASK, which is RMPD
with a masking technology, allows production runs of up to 150,000 parts per
machine per hour. It is possible to quickly produce medical products, such as
biochemical sensors, that contain very fine internal channels in all directions.
Also of interest are fluidic devices, such as the flow of cells for a medical
company, and optical products, such as fiber-connectors and optical switches.
Biography. Andrea is the chief executive officer of
microTEC,Gesellschaft für Mikrotechnologie mbH in Duisburg, Germany. Born in
1965, Ms. Reinhardt studied at the University of Mannheim and started her
professional life as a banker at SGZ Bank Frankfurt and continued at CITIBANK
Mannheim in the field of risk management. In 1997, she began her work in the
field of Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) at
microTEC. One of her goals is to develop and enhance new technologies such as
MEMS. She is also active in assisting young entrepreneurs in the areas of
nanotechnology and information technology.
16:30
Advances in Rapid
Manufacturing
Philip Dickens, De Montfort
University (England)
Abstract. Professor Philip Dickens will review the progress of
rapid manufacturing and highlight important changes that have occurred. Over
the past couple of years, examples of using RP processes for the manufacturing
final parts have emerged. Most have been plastic parts for electrical or
electronic housings, although a few have been metal parts. These examples have
sparked a change in the attitude among some people in the RP industry and a
growing number now believe that these processes can begin to replace
conventional manufacturing processes. Over time, this is sure to have a
snowball effect as RP machine manufacturers, material suppliers, and customers
become convinced that these technologies are a viable option for manufacturing.
The presentation will review the problems to be overcome in materials, machine
design, and CAD software and the possible effects it will have on the world of
design and manufacturing.
Biography. Professor Philip Dickens has been involved in rapid
prototyping and manufacturing since 1990. He has led UK government missions on
rapid prototyping to Japan and has been a member of a similar mission to the
USA. He is a past member of the advisory board of the Rapid Prototyping
Association of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (RPA/SME). He has also
been involved in organizing several conferences and seminars on rapid
prototyping and manufacturing. Philip Dickens is a professor of Manufacturing
Technology at De Montfort University. He has established the Rapid
Manufacturing Consortium with major European companies to undertake research,
training, and technology transfer in Rapid Product Development. He continues to
work on rapid tooling and is now starting work on a new generation of machines
for rapid manufacturing.
17:30
GARPA Reception
Meet representatives from GARPA and win valuable prizes.
Conference Registration
To register for the
conference, contact Cornelia Metz of DEMAT Exposition Managing, the organizer of the conference and trade fair. You can reach her at Cornelia.Metz@demat.com, phone 49 69 23 43 31, fax 49 69 25 30 71.