INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, BOMBAY

Department of Mechanical Engineering

L-T-P-C : 3-0-0-6
Course
: ME-617 Rapid Product Development
I Semester 2008-09
Instructor : K.P. Karunakaran
Date
: October 30, 2009 (Friday) 5:00PM
Duration : 75 min.
Instructions:
Roll No
Answer all the questions; answer as briefly as possible. Marks
/50
TEST 7: RP Photo-polymer processes, SLS, 3DP, Applications and Issues
Part A
(1 mark each)
1. Which make and model of RP machine is the most popular in Indian jewelry
industry? SLA
2. Name the two RP technologies that can make metallic and ceramic prototypes.
3D printing & SLS
3. Which commercial RP machine can make color prototypes?
Z corp
4. Give the expansions of LOM, FDM, SLA, SLS, SGC and 3DP.
Laminated Object Manufacturing, Fused Deposition Modeling, Selective Laser
Sintering, Stereo-Lithography Apparatus, Solid Ground Curing, 3D printing.
5. Name the RP machine that has only a single axis. What compensates for the other two
axes?
Solid Ground Curing, Perfactory
6. How is Z accuracy ensured in each of SGC and Model Maker II?
The z accuracy is maintained by the milling step which carried out after the wax
coating.
7. Mention at least two RP processes that use multiple tools for depositing material.
FDM, Objet, Z-Corp.
8. Nesting is the method of building more than one prototype simultaneously within the
working volume. Which of [LOM, SGC, FDM, SLA] has the least advantage of
nesting? Why?
FDM and SLA has the least advantage of nesting.
9. Which RP process was related to the story of the thirsty crow and in what context?
SLA, for maintaining low level of raw material exposing to the environment.
10. List at least three most popular approaches to micro-RP machines?
SLA, SGC, MoldSDM.
11. Mention at least two significant features/advantages of the Perfectory RP machine
developed by Envisiontec, Germany over SLA?
Page 1 of 5

- Inverted part buliduing and hence less raw material inventory.

- No laser and hence cheaper.
- Part building time is proportional to only height.
- Only one moving axis.
Part B
(Weightage is mentioned against each question)
1. List the various physical forms of raw materials used in the popular RP processes and
discuss their influence on the characteristics of the prototype produced.
[3]
Liquid (Photopolymer): Most accurate as it can be spread to any thickness. Transparent
parts and hence the prototype can be used for photo-elasticity.
Sheet: Any material can be produced in the form of the sheet therefore excellent material
variety. but the limitations on the thickness of the paper that can be used. Hence
surface finish is not good compared to other processes.
Powder: Any material can be produced in the form of the powder form therefore excellent
material variety. The final product has high strength compared to the others. The
surface finish is governed by the powder size. Starch or Plaster based powder Here
different binders can be used where the final product can have different colours and
the surface finish is governed by the powder particle size.

2. Name the four photo-polymer-based RP processes and compare them in the form of a
table.
[4]
Light
Liquid
Light Source Special Feature
SLA

Sharp

Wide

Laser

SGC
Wide
(Photomasking)

Wide

Flood Light

Object

Wide

Sharp

Flood Light

Envisiontek

Selectively wide

Wide

Flood Light

CAD to be modified
for Support
- Most accurate, fastest
and costiest
-Optical Mask
-Wax Support
-Time Area
-Multiple Jets
-Jelly(Support)
-Building From The top
-Mirror Display

3. What is the support mechanism used in each of [LOM, FDM, SLA, SLS, SGC, 3DP].
[3] LOM: Remaining sheet stock acts as support. Grid cutting is done on this stock to
enable part extraction.
FDM: There is a separate nozzle from which a support material is deposited.
SLA: support structures are automatically added to the CAD model wherever required
and after all the layers are made the support structures are carefully cut.
SLS: Remaining uncured power layer acts as the support, so explicit support structures
are not required.

Page 2 of 5

SGC: this is achieved simply by pouring wax in the regions not affected by the light; no
need for computing the region requiring support and modify the CAD model.
3DP: the power layer acts as the support structure so it does not require any explicit
support structure.
4. Compare the features of die/mold and component vis-a-vis Layered Manufacturing
[2]
Metallic Components

Metallic Tools

Components may have overhangs

and interior features (re-entrants).
Therefore, a support mechanism is
required.

Tools are always converging towards the other

half. In other words, any layer is contained by
its previous layer and hence no need for a
support mechanism. Even conformal cooling
ducts/ channels can be made without support
although their shape will not be uniform.

Stringent requirement on material

properties as they affect the
performance.

Variations in material properties do not affect

the performance of the parts produced; only the
life of the tool only is compromised.

Use of RP for regular production is

called Rapid Manufacturing.
However, this proves to be
expensive. Rapid Nanotechnology
is the key for this issue.

Tools made by conventional methods are very

expensive and hence can be justified only for
large volume production. As they take long
time to make, they are major bottlenecks in
product launch. So improvement in tool
making contributes to fast product launch.

5. What is meant by time-release drug delivery? Which RP technology is suitable for

manufacturing tablets used for this purpose and which feature of it makes this
possible? Name the company using this approach. Why or why not can SLS be
deployed for this application?
[3]
Time release drug delivery means adding the drug into the blood stream at a
controlled rate over time. This is used in chronic patients such as the ones with
neurotic disorders.
3DP is suitable for manufacturing tablets used for this purpose. This is possible
because of material addition from 2 sources.
This is used by Therics, USA.
SLS cannot be used because it has only one material. If one can change the material
composition every layer, one may achieve quasi-gradience. This too may not satisfy
as the tablet dissolves conformally.
6. What is photo-elasticity? List any two commercial RP processes whose prototypes
can be used for this analysis.
[2]
It is a physical testing using a transparent model. When the model is stressed, its
optical characteristics at different points correspond to the stresses. These can be
captured using polarized light in the form of fringe patterns.

Page 3 of 5

SLA, Objet, SGC & Perfactory

7. Why are deep dipping and doctor blade required in SLA?
[3]
Both are required for maintaining the liquid level accuracy. Directly moving down to
the desired z level will not guaranty flow of the viscous liquid (surface tension) and
hence it goes down more and comes back to the desired level. But then the excess
liquid does not flow down readily. Therefore doctor blade is used to remove the extra
level of liquid.
8. What does the laser do in each of [LOM, SLA, SLS, Laser printer]?
[2]
LOM Cutting in each layer, grid cutting.
SLA Curing the photopolymer.
SLS To fuse the power particles together, i.e. sintering
Laser printing Charging/Discharging the roller
9. Bring out at least three differences between the SLS processes of 3D Systems and
EoS.[2]
Separate machines for each material in EOS.
Complete sintering of the raw metal powder in EOS whereas plastic coated metal
powder in 3DS.
Furnace processing for full sintering and copper impregnation is required in 3DS.
10. What do you understand by Functionally Gradient Materials? What is the state-of-thearts in the manufacture of gradient components? What are the issues related to its
design?
[4]
Functionally gradient materials are the materials whose properties are designed to vary in
different parts of the product such that the local
properties of the material in a part are suitable for the designed function of the part.
11. Which was the first RP machine in India and which company bought it? Why is this
process not popular any more?
[2]
SGC is the first RP machine to reach india and Datar Switch Gears had purchased it. It is
not
popular
for
the
following
reasons:

The process is more complex with two cycles and many sub-systems (masking
cycle, polymer spreader, polymer cleaner, wax spreader, wax cooling plate,
milling head, vacuum suction of chips); hence, less reliable. Furthermore, this
requires a full time operator attention.
Dewaxing is time-consuming.
Creates a lot of waste of wax.

12. Classify the 6 RP processes [LOM, FDM, SLA, SGC, SLS, 3DP] under each of the
following three categories giving reason for the same in one line each:
[3]
a. RP process whose cycle time is proportional to the surface area of the object
b. RP processes whose cycle time is proportional to the volume of the object
c. RP process whose cycle time is in between both these types

Page 4 of 5

LOM c because the laser has to do the profile as well as grid cutting hence it is greater
than the surface area but less then the volume of the object.
FDM b because
SLA b because of complete deposition of the volume in each layer
SGC c. In fact, it is proportional to only part height.
SLS b because the laser has to scan the complete area of each layer to fuse the material.
3DP b because for each layer complete area has to be scanned for spraying the binding
material.

13. Name at least three ways of transporting laser beam to the required position giving an
example of a RP process for each. Mention their relative merits and demerits.
[3]
1. Using a series of mirrors one on each slide LOM
2. Using a galvanometer (a single mirror deflected in 2 directions) - SLS & SLA
3. Using piping (optical fiber cables) Not in the std. RP machines but in metal RP
machines of higher capacity.
14. Match the following:
[3]
(A) LOM
(B) FDM
(C) SLA
(D) ObJet
(E) EoS
(F) ZCorp
(A) LOM
(B) FDM
(C) SLA
(D) ObJet
(E) EoS
(F) ZCorp

(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)

SLS
grid cutting
Easy support
Color prototyping
Curtain technology
Strong parts

(b) grid cutting

(f) Strong parts
(e) Curtain technology
(c) Easy support
(a) SLS
(d) Color prototyping

Page 5 of 5