No matter how experienced one may be at reading blueprints and computer-aided-design CAD) images of a complex object, it is still very difficult to visualize exactly what the actual part will look like. Conventional model-making methods can require weeks to months. With Rapid Prototyping (RP) or Stereolithography technology, however, turnaround for the model-making step can be cut to days, and the model itself can often made within several hours, a compelling advantages at a time when the global nature of the industrial marketplace makes minimizing time to-market cycle times and maximizing productivity a matter of corporate life and death. The demand for trained engineers and technologists to apply Rapid Prototyping technology to manufacturing has exploded in recent years. Some of the practical applications of RP technology are visualization, verification, iteration, optimization, and even "real parts" fabrication. RP effects almost every manufacturing-related enterprise and an endless list of products from automotive, aircraft electronics parts to toys, jewelry, medical implants, to architectural and scientific models, and etc. As an indication of the size of the prototype market alone, $40 billion is spent in U.S. annually on R&D by large companies in prototype-intensive industries, and Fisher Guide Division of General Motors alone makes over 250,000 prototypes/models a year. Just as a CAD system peripheral for building three-dimensional (3D) prototypes, the need for RP systems in U.S. is in the range of 200,000 what at current RP prices of $120,000 to $500,000 translates into $20 to $100 billion. Only 1000 RP systems are installed now worldwide. The market for production is many times larger. American businesses have found that this technology is critical to competitiveness in manufacturing in the global marketplace. Although American companies currently lead in development of the Rapid Prototyping technology, Japanese and European companies are catching up quickly, therefore, skilled engineers and technologists are critical to maintain this lead. Due to the lack of a fully developed laboratory, undergraduate courses currently do not provide training on RP technology. Students are not familiar with Rapid Prototyping processes, photopolymer fabrication, software architecture, CAD Modeling, part building, and testing. These skills will be essential to the graduating students at the baccalaureate level within the next ten years since the usage of this technology is getting very popular in industry today. This proposal is to develop a state-of-the art Stereolithography Laboratory. The reason we are requesting funds for this laboratory is to provide training in capabilities, function and integration of RP technologies into manufacturing systems. It is believed that this laboratory can be used to create a better balance for an improved undergraduate education in manufacturing systems.
