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Sir,
I'm a European designer, working mainly in product design. Last November, while
desperately needing a quick mock-up for one of my chairs, I invented a rapid prototyping
method. A first version seemed quite similar to the known methods depicted in your home
page.
Then a happy accident brought me to a completely new method which doesn't look like any
of the processes you describe. It is a completely new principle for rapid prototyping.
I recently made a patent application, and would you like to present this method to
you.
Best regards,
RC
Dear RC:
Thanks for sending the material. I am sending your description back as an attached file
with comments I've made.
What it comes down to is that you haven't sufficiently studied the work done by others
in this field. Remember that for more than 20 years, hundreds - or maybe thousands - of
people have been thinking about this problem. However, you have shown good initiative and
followed in some important footsteps. I am not trying to discourage you, but to encourage
you, and to suggest that to invent a better solution one must look at what others have
done and how that work has been deficient.
I could write much more about this, but I haven't the time and have tried to give you
pointers about where to go for more information. You can learn much more on our web site,
of course. You should use the FAQ's, the patents and especially the bibliography to search
out materials. Don't delay though, we may make this all paid content in the not too
distant future.
Please keep us informed of your progress and I send best regards.
Ed
Ed Grenda
Castle Island Co.
The Worldwide Guide to Rapid Prototyping
Dear Ed,
Thank you very much for your comments.
It's clear that the approach was made while being unaware of other research in the
field. Now it's time to take a very detailed look at what the others have done. You
pointed the main direction.
Getting hooked on RP, I will still plough on. But, probably more modestly - and much
more material oriented, to achieve a simpler solution.
Thank you again for the time you spent.
RC
Hi RC:
There are 4 areas which need fundamental solutions in RP:
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Costs - Way too high.
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Materials - In many cases, expensive and not very good substitutes for real world
engineering materials.
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Speed - Way too slow for many applications.
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Accuracy and resolution.
It's not enough to solve one of these, but it may not be necessary to solve all to make
progress that you can sell. You'll need to study the problem to see what's been done
before, however.
Another general approach is to adapt an existing technical solution with its inherent
limitations to a large economic problem. For example, people are using RP to fabricate
custom hearing aid shells and parts for medical and aerospace applications.
Anyway, if you come up with something good, please let us know!
Best regards,
Ed
Ed Grenda
Castle Island Co.
The Worldwide Guide to Rapid Prototyping
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