가변적층 쾌속조형공정의 개발과 주요 적용 사례

Abstract

An effective thick-layered RP process, Transfer type Variable Lamination Manufacturing using expandable polystyrene foam (VLM-ST) has been developed to reduce building time, to decrease the stair-stepped effect of parts, to minimize post-processing with thick layers and sloping surfaces. VLM-ST employs a 4-axis synchronized automatic hotwire cutter with the parallelogram mechanism and expandable polystyrene foam sheet with the high packing density. In the VLM-ST process, a material in the form of a plate is cut into a Unit Shape Layer (USL) with thick layers and sloping surfaces by a 4-axis automatic synchronized hotwire cutter according to the cutting path data generated from a CAD model. Each USL is then bonded and built up to fabricate a 3D part. In order to examine the efficiency and applicability of the developed process, various three-dimensional shapes are fabricated on the VLM-ST apparatus.