The development of 3D models through rapid prototyping concepts

Three-dimensional models are being increasingly used as prototypes in various areas of manufacturing, research and education. They are especially useful in the evaluation of elements typical of mechanical design, but are also important in architecture, medicine, arts, etc. These models can be developed using various methods, such as mass modeling, surface planification, and rapid prototyping (RP) with removal or addition of material based on a CAD/CAM platform. This latter approach was employed in the present paper. Complex solids are formed through the association of elementary solids such as spheres, prisms, cylinders, torus, etc., and then rapid prototyping is applied involving a slicing process. A virtual model based on a CAD platform allows the determination of paths for each sliced level. These are translated into numerical control codes, and fed to a milling process of a blank, allowing the manufacturing of a 3D model. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.