Application of carbon reinforced composites and rapid prototyping in low volume automotive production

Reduction of product development cycle time is a major concern in industries for achieving competitive advantage. The focus of industries has shifted from traditional product development methodology to accelerated or rapid fabrication techniques. Rapid Prototyping (RP) is the quickest, and can reproduce very complex shapes. With no up-front tooling costs, it can be inexpensive as long as only a few parts are needed. Despite its popularity, traditional Investment Casting (IC) suffers from high tooling investments for producing wax patterns. IC is prohibitively expensive for low-volume production typical in prototyping, customized or specialized component productions.

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Fiber-Reinforced Composites in Rapid Prototyping Technologies

Applied Mechanics and Materials ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.770.185 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 770 ◽

pp. 185-188

Author(s):

A.A. Saprykin ◽

E.V. Babakova ◽

E.A. Ibragimov

Keyword(s):

Rapid Prototyping ◽

Market Economy ◽

Economic Performance ◽

New Products ◽

Fiber Reinforced Composites ◽

Reinforced Composites ◽

Fiber Reinforced ◽

Main Attention

In a modern market economy, rapidly developing production requires a significant reduction of term for development and production of new products, ensuring competitiveness and growth of technical and economic performance while minimizing costs. This led to the idea of using rapid prototyping technology which today is focused on the use of composites. This paper gives a brief description of composites formed using the basic processes of rapid prototyping. The main attention is directed to the methods of forming fiber-reinforced composites.

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Performance of a Shape Deposition Manufacturing Cell

Volume 4: 4th Design for Manufacturing Conference ◽

10.1115/detc99/dfm-8956 ◽

1999 ◽

Author(s):

J. Miguel Pinilla ◽

Fritz B. Prinz

Keyword(s):

Rapid Prototyping ◽

Cycle Time ◽

Production Quality ◽

Queuing Network ◽

Scheduling Policies ◽

Manufacturing Cell ◽

Time Performance ◽

Volume Production ◽

Low Volume ◽

Shape Deposition Manufacturing

Abstract As Rapid prototyping processes start delivering production quality parts, the demand for low volume manufacturing is increasing. This paper explores the performance of an SDM cell for volume production of one-of-a-kind parts. The SDM process is modeled from an operations perspective and a queuing network that implements the process simulated. On this simulated cell, a number of scheduling policies are evaluated and their results analyzed for cycle time performance and variability.

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Phase identification in SiC whisker reinforced Al2O3-R2O3-based composites

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100121168 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 50 (1) ◽

pp. 152-153

Author(s):

C.M. Sung ◽

K.J. Ostreicher ◽

M.L. Huckabee ◽

S.T. Buljan

Keyword(s):

Analytical Electron Microscopy ◽

Phase Identification ◽

Reinforced Composites ◽

Ion Milling ◽

X Ray ◽

Binary Oxides ◽

Analytical Electron ◽

The Matrix ◽

Second Phases ◽

Convergent Beam

A series of binary oxides and SiC whisker reinforced composites both having a matrix composed of an α-(Al, R)2O3 solid solution (R: rare earth) have been studied by analytical electron microscopy (AEM). The mechanical properties of the composites as well as crystal structure, composition, and defects of both second phases and the matrix were investigated. The formation of various second phases, e.g. garnet, β-Alumina, or perovskite structures in the binary Al2O3-R2O3 and the ternary Al2O3-R2O3-SiC(w) systems are discussed.Sections of the materials having thicknesses of 100 μm - 300 μm were first diamond core drilled. The discs were then polished and dimpled. The final step was ion milling with Ar+ until breakthrough occurred. Samples prepared in this manner were then analyzed using the Philips EM400T AEM. The low-Z energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) data were obtained and correlated with convergent beam electron diffraction (CBED) patterns to identify phase compositions and structures. The following EDXS parameters were maintained in the analyzed areas: accelerating voltage of 120 keV, sample tilt of 12° and 20% dead time.

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