Presented by
Date
and Time: Friday, November 30, 2001, 9:30 – 17:00
Location: Exhibition Center Frankfurt
Organizer: DEMAT GmbH
Scientific Chairman: Terry Wohlers, Wohlers Associates, Inc.
Description
This special conference focuses on the best practices, advances,
and trends in rapid prototyping (RP), rapid tooling (RT), and rapid
manufacturing (RM). It brings together a group of world-class speakers to
address some of the most important issues associated with the present and
future of RP and related technologies and applications.
Topics
Best practices in RP and RT
New methods and machines
What's hot and what's not
Partnerships and acquisitions
Global sourcing
Developments in rapid tooling
Rapid manufacturing
Future technologies and applications
Program
9:30
Welcome: Dr. Eberhard Döring, DEMAT Exposition
Managing
9:45
Growth Trends and Advances in Rapid Prototyping
Terry Wohlers, Wohlers Associates, Inc. (USA)
Few
new technologies have impacted product development as much as rapid
prototyping. Organizations globally continue to discover creative uses for
the technology that extend into tooling and manufacturing. As this class
of technology develops, it will expand into industries that before have
largely ignored or resisted it. Meanwhile, many new developments are
underway that could have a strong commercial impact. Some of them are very
interesting and have users, analysts, and vendors on alert.
10:15
Successes in Rapid Tooling for Injection Molding and
Die Casting
Philip Dickens, Loughborough University (England)
During
the last 10 years, a number of rapid tooling techniques have been proposed
to enable the manufacture of injection molded parts, and more recently,
for die-cast metal parts. Many people have had major problems when using
most of these techniques, due mainly to a lack of knowledge in key areas
such as tool design, manufacture of inserts, control of the molding and
casting processes, and the effect of the tool material on part properties.
A significant amount of work is underway to tackle this knowledge deficit.
Some of the rapid tooling processes are now capable of producing parts in
a range of polymers, from polypropylene to PEEK, and in metals such as
zinc, magnesium, and aluminum. Dickens will highlight some of the
successes and failures and suggest the direction for rapid tooling.
10:45 Break
11:15 Rapidly
Changing RP Industry in Japan
Shinjiro Yamada, INCS Inc. (Japan)
INCS
Inc. has been a pioneer of rapid prototyping and tooling in Japan since
its beginning in 1990. Yamada, founder and CEO of the Tokyo-based company,
will provide an overall picture of the business and rapid tooling
technology at INCS. He will also provide a summary of the new developments
and trends in rapid prototyping in Japan.
Furthermore, he will share a few examples of recent best practices
and new applications of rapid prototyping and rapid tooling.
11:45 Collaborative
Product Development and RP at Bosch
Ralf Kimmich, Bosch Power Tools Division (Germany)
Bosch
has seven development sites and 12 production sites worldwide to develop
and produce power tools. The company
uses the Bosch Corporate Network (BCN) to satisfy its need for
collaboration. As part of this network, Bosch uses Internet technology,
including an HTML front-end for its integrated information system. Kimmich
will discuss the requirements needed to make the network successful. Also,
he will discuss example projects, such as a battery pack and a power tool,
that involve teams made up of individuals around the world. Kimmich will
provide an update on how RP is used as a part of these international
collaborative efforts.
12:15 Buffet Lunch
13:30 Custom
Manufacturing: The Key to Product
Differentiation
Ping Fu, Raindrop Geomagic (USA)
With
choice playing such a critical role in consumer buying habits, mass
customization is becoming increasingly evident in day-to-day life. Unlike
mass production, which produces some variety of an item in high volumes,
mass customization is characterized by small volumes, and in many cases,
one of a kind. It is also characterized by competitive cost, timely
deliveries, and a move away from centralized manufacturing to distributed
production. Consequently, when combined with the very latest digital
technology, such as 3D photography, computer-aided design and rapid
manufacturing, mass customization not only benefits the consumer, it
offers the manufacturer significant benefits as well, such as a high
degree of product and service flexibility, reduced inventory risk, and a
competitive edge in the marketplace. Fu, CEO, will focus on the latest
technology that power mass customization. Specific applications will be
used to illustrate and demonstrate this new paradigm of business and
product development from design to manufacturing.
14:00 Mass
Customization Using RP Technology for
Hearing Aid Manufacturing
Herb Caloud, Phonak (Switzerland)
Phonak
Hearing Systems, with facilities worldwide, has developed a process using
state of the art technology for Mass Customization Manufacturing of ITE
(In-The-Ear) custom hearing aid shells. This process uses optical scanning
of ear impressions, custom written software to detail the scanned data
into digital models, and rapid prototyping technology for manufacturing
the finished product. The process, called NEMOTech, for New Ear Modeling
Technology, will allow for improved accuracy and speed to create a custom
shell with enhanced detail that is far more secure, reproducible, and
durable than the current UV cured acrylic shells. This is the first step
of enabling technology that will take Phonak on a journey of replacing the
conventional ear impression with a dynamic digital picture of the ear that
can be transmitted electronically.
14:30
New Developments in RP and RT in China
Yongnian Yan, Tsinghua University (China)
This
paper introduces the research and production of new RP processes and
equipment in China. In particular, it will discuss two kinds of RP
techniques used to produce final parts and concept models. These
techniques meet not only the expectations of developed countries, but also
developing countries. Many universities in China have outstanding
researchers and technical potential in the field of RP and want to help
develop RP worldwide. The paper includes some of RP's latest applications,
including electric appliances, castings, and biology. It also introduces
some successful cases of global cooperation.
15:00 Break
15:30
RP Applications and Design Collaboration Tools in
South Africa
Deon de Beer, Technikon Free State (South Africa)
Willie du Preez, National Product Development Centre,
CSIR (South Africa)
This
paper describes the evolution of the National Product Development Centre
(a virtual centre involving the major players in South Africa), as well as
applicable case studies on collaboration in using RP from the design phase
to rapid manufacturing and tooling. The case studies will discuss current
issues such as the use of RP for functional parts, visualization tools,
design for manufacturing and assembly, and the role of RP in concurrent
engineering, with an emphasis on the most recent developments in South
Africa. To stimulate collaboration between different role-players
distributed in South Africa, a Product Development Network has been
established. Its most recent product, productdevelopment.co.za, is an
Internet portal that provides information on the product development
process, as well as direct access to expertise and resources supporting
competitive product development in South African.
16:00
Forward Progress for Rapid Product Development
Alain Bernard, Research Institute for Cybernetics and
Communications of Nantes (France)
Many
companies are working in the field of rapid product development by
integrating information systems, design and simulation tools, cost
calculation, and technical processes such as RP. After a brief state of
industry of France, Bernard will present industrial case studies and
practical results.
16:30
Blending RP and Rapid Tooling into Traditional
Processes at Disney
Michael Siemer, Walt Disney World Company (USA)
Disney has
integrated rapid prototyping and manufacturing techniques into multiple
aspects of its engineering for rides, shows, parades, and resorts. These
tools are used in a wide array of applications that help expedite not only
new project prototyping and development, but also the enhancement of the
existing theme parks and resorts. The traditional processes for
prototyping, pattern creation, and tooling have evolved to co-exist with
new RP & RT technologies, and it is the blending of these two elements
that have led to success. Trends
related to the application of RP & RT technology at Disney, with an
emphasis on low-volume manufacturing and rapid production, will be
discussed.
| 17:00 GARPA
Party & Reception
Meet representatives from the Global Alliance of Rapid Prototyping Associations (GARPA) and win valuable gifts and prizes. |
 |
Conference language: English
Fee: €395 (DM 773). Includes entrance into
the conference and exhibition, technical papers, lunch, GARPA reception
and party, and prizes.
Registration: Contact DEMAT Exhibition
Managing (Frankfurt, Germany) at www.euromold.com, phone 49
69 27 40 03 0, fax 49 69 27 40 03 40.