Development of a Rapid Prototyping Laboratory

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Engineering and industrial design students at the Rochester Institute of Technology are developing their design projects using stereolithographic techniques for rapid prototyping. With stereolithography, students build mock-ups of their designs, evaluate their fit, style, and capabilities, and make modifications and changes quickly and inexpensively. This allows the development of a design project through its most critical phase - the transformation from a concept to a three- dimensional CAD model, and then to a prototype for testing and evaluation - enhancing the creative and productive capabilities of the students. The three-dimensional model is obtained using existing computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) systems. Students experiment with models they design and build using the flow visualization equipment in a wind tunnel, in projects in their fluid mechanics and aerospace courses. In other design courses, stereolithography allows iterative modifications of designs. Industrial Design students make complex physical parts for evaluation. With stereolithography, they can explore unusual and creative designs with graceful, sweeping shapes, smooth bends, and rounded corners.