Rapid prototyping (RP) technology has undoubtedly had a major impact on manufacturing industries all over the world. This has much to do with the integration of reverse engineering and rapid prototyping to create a new replication process. Reverse rapid prototyping is an innovative process that gets products to the market faster than ever before. It completely resolves a long-standing conflict between design and manufacturing! That is what makes it so fascinating!  RP technology was developed to meet the technological requirements of the manufacturing industry.  Reverse rapid prototyping was developed to further enhance the technology.

CGI®, (Capture Geometry Internally) has 3D injection molded part dimensional accuracy systems that are the most technologically advanced in the world!  CGI understands that while inspection is an important application for 3D scanning, reverse engineering is equally important to manufacturing industries. Reverse engineering is defined by CGI as “the process of capturing the geometry of physical objects for use in design and manufacturing applications.”  It is more than simply copying a design; it also makes manufacturing of legacy, as built documentation, and digital archived parts possible. But what does that all mean for the every day user?

CGI specializes in Cross Sectional Scanning (CSS). The Cross-Sectional Scanning technology actually “cuts” a 1,000^th of an inch layer before it scans, ensuring that the internal geometry is captured accurately. Cross Sectional Scanning is a unique process that delivers a full, accurate description of injection molded plastic and even soft metal parts. Reverse rapid prototyping, it is essential for a deep scan to reach internal cavities, deep channels and sharp corners. Inside the hardware there is actually a camera that takes a picture and saves the image on a computer. The images scanned in are about a million pixels per square inch. This technology is amazing!

With an advantage over other scanning technologies, Cross Sectional Scanning delivers high definition data. What you end up with are images of a 3D point cloud from every that can be recreated into a physical model. Capturing both internal and external geometry from even the most complex parts, Cross Sectional Scanning always captures a complete 3D depiction of the part and not simply a collection of individual scans. That’s what makes this technology so cool! The point cloud generated is always free of noise and spikes. There is also no need to align the raw point cloud sets, saving time and avoiding error. It assuredly generates the densest point cloud in the industry.

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ANSYS SpaceClaim, in my opinion, is the best CAD software on the market. With four ingeniously simple editing tools: Pull, Move, Fill and Combine, you can accomplish 80-90% of your modeling needs. ANSYS SpaceClaim uses all of the Windows tools many users are familiar with such as Cut, Copy and Paste, and Undo! The ability to reuse geometry and the quick access tool bar encourages innovation as it is easy enough for any user, not just seasoned engineers. Working with complicated skeleton sketches is typical with CAD, but not ANSYS SpaceClaim.

No need to recreate sketches when you have the ability to copy geometry and save it. You can accomplish anything without affecting history tree, because there is no history tree! ANSYS SpaceClaim is so intuitive. Based on your clicks it knows exactly what you want it to do. It tends to predict what the user is attempting to do before the task is completed. In ANSYS SpaceClaim you can work entirely with solid geometry, quickly created with the Pull feature. If you pull on an edge it will automatically create a round. That round could be easily just one click of the mouse.

Pull a line into a surface and transform that surface into a solid 3D object. Pull on the region to create a 3D pin away from the entire model. Modify the pin’s geometry just by grabbing the piece pull and extend. The changes can be free-form or by typing in specific values. Try out new ideas, create revolved protrusion, or blend to make multiple surfaces. Do all of this on the fly, with no separate commands. You can easily do all of your experimentation in the pull environment.

There is so much more than pulling faces with the best CAD software! You will never again have to worry about incorrect placements of geometry when you can move it wherever you want it to go! Use the move tool to move faces in any direction, and rotate them with ease to any degree. Use move to push pieces apart creating distances between them. The move tool can even influence edges! You can even select a specific “loop” or part of the edge to edit within a radial menu on the screen. Merge two pieces of geometry together with a simple drag. Modify to make sections more symmetrical.

The fill option, also known as the “magic button”, easily deletes the things you do not want. You can put a plane down the middle to cut the entire geometry in half and create two different bodies completely independent from each other. Each solid body can then be edited by itself. Easily change the color of your components, create solid bodies on the fly-with no new sketches! With Combine any solid part can be attached to another easily. No longer want two different parts, just connect them with combine. ANSYS SpaceClaim lets you make drastic changes that other CAD systems would not allow you to do.

Be innovative and creative! ANSYS SpaceClaim can predict patterns you are attempting to create. It will return associatively to the original. ANSYS SpaceClaim is innovative, fun, and easy to use! I think it’s great, but find out for yourself! Call us here at Solid Technologies for more information.

Recently, Zcorporation’s 3D-Printing technology was featured on National Geographic.  Quite an achievement for the Boston based technology firm. The video was sent to web and instantly went viral and has to date garnered 5 million viewers and counting! David Kaplan, Theoretical Physicist at John Hopkins University, hosted the episode of National Geographic entitled: Known Universe, the spin was that 3D printing can be invaluable in space for replication.  This once seemingly a sci-fi concept that eluded scientists for decades is now possible with the Z450! Using the help of Zcorp’s Joe Titlow, a Z450 and a ZScanner, Kaplan developed a replication of a working wrench from a simple 3D scan.  Kaplan was excited by the result, insisting that this was a giant leap forward in scientific and technological achievement.  Anyone who sees this happen with their own eyes and fully understands the nature of this high end technology has the same reaction.

And since the video of this broadcast went viral, clearly the public took notice of the “wow” factor of 3D printing.  The first time I saw a 3D printer in action I had the same reaction. This technology can create anything on a whim if implemented properly. Since the success of the video many news crews including, ABC, FOX, and Boston’s Channel 5 took notice and have had exclusive access to Zcorp studios.  They too can vouch for its validity. Consequently, with any attention comes a healthy amount of skepticism. And thanks to social media there has been a recent frenzy of naysayers questioning the validity of National Geographic’s broadcast and the technology.

This past week, the video was swarmed with controversy, which can always be expected when an innovative idea enters the public eye for the first time.  This is especially true when this idea goes viral, and is accessible to millions. Social networking has allowed for debate on the issue, and most of the viewers have had a positive reaction and have left some really wonderful feedback on Zcorp’s twitter, facebook wall, and YouTube. Any negative feedback at this point seems petty, and comes across as, lets face it, ignorant.  In the end, all of this new attention to Zcorp technology just generates more discussion about the technology. People are now really talking about 3D Printing!

In my time as Marketing Coordinator and Technical Writer here at Solid Technologies*, I have seen this technology at work and I know that it is real. It is constantly being improved and developed and any issues that arise are quickly addressed by talented engineers. Those who have first hand knowledge comprehend that this technology is not a toy, but something that can be used to design, create, and innovate when the best minds have it at their disposal.  3D Printing and Scanning is currently breaking new ground in the education, architectural, construction, medical, entertainment, and design fields. I challenge anyone who believes otherwise to schedule a demonstration (888-762-8441) and let the technology speak for itself.