1997 / Solid Freeform Fabrication Proceedings
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Author G. Zak, M.N. Sela, C.B. Park, B. Benhabib, Computer Integrated Manufacturing Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto
Source Solid Freeform Fabrication Proceedings, 1997, p17-24
Abstract In this paper, we present a rapid manufacturing process for the layered fabrication of polymer-based composite parts using short discontinuous fibers as reinforcements. In the recent past, numerous research efforts, similar to ours, have been made to produce fiber-reinforced plastic parts via layered manufacturing methods. However, most of these attempts have not resulted in the development of an effective commercially-viable manufacturing process. Our proposed fabrication process on the other hand has been experimentally verified to yield composite parts comparable in quality to pure polymer parts manufactured on a commercial stereolithography system. This process uses a UV-Iaser-based system for the selective solidification of the composite liquid. The primary components of the prototype are: (1) fiber-resin mixing subsystem, (2) composite-liquid deposition subsystem, (3) liquid leveling subsystem, (4) laser-light delivery subsystem, and (5) contour-milling subsystem. Extensive microscopic examination of composite parts, built by the proposed prototype system, has been conducted to evaluate the parts' layer quality. Results indicate that the prototype system can yield comparable layer quality, in terms of accuracy and uniformity, to that of pure- resin parts made by a photopolymer-based commercial system. (Auth abstract) [References: 10]
Solid Freeform Fabrication Proceedings can be obtained from: The Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium
or contact:
The University of Texas at Austin
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Mechanical Engineering Dept.
c/o The Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium
MC C2200
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