Rapid Prototyping Supported Plastic Injection Molding Education

工业面临着越来越大的压力，要求将从设计到生产的部件开发时间和成本降至最低。当设计师想要获得塑料的低部件成本，但没有时间、金钱或数量来证明这一过程的合理性时，这一点当然是正确的。由于大部分时间和成本都是在工装的设计和制造中产生的，这就是工业界寻求更高效率的地方。与传统的制造技术相比，切割工具和切割零件一样容易，而使用快速成型技术制造的零件可以用作模版，用于制造用于注塑的环氧模。该项目的目标是通过用三维实体建模和快速成型技术来补充塑料注射成型技术，从而提高机械工程技术教育。该项目提供最先进的快速成型和注塑成型系统，与我们现有的三维实体建模能力相辅相成，开发充分利用设备能力的实验室练习，并将快速成型和注塑纳入设计项目。新设备具有足够的质量，因此还可以通过将学生项目直接纳入制造方法和机械设计课程的实验室部分来支持当地的行业需求。该项目的潜在影响非常广泛，包括所有参与机械设计和制造的公司，这些公司考虑将注塑成型作为其零件要求，或考虑使用快速原型进行设计验证。*

There is an increasing pressure for industry to minimize the time and cost of developing parts from design through production. This is certainly true when a designer would like to get the low-piece-part cost of plastic but does not have the time, money, or volume to justify the process. Since the bulk of this time and cost is generated in the design and fabrication of tooling, that is where industry is looking for higher efficiency. Whereas with traditional fabrication techniques, it is as easy to cut a tool as it is to cut a part, a part fabricated using rapid prototyping technology can be used as a pattern for making epoxy tooling for injection molding. The objective of this project is to improve mechanical engineering technology education by complementing plastic injection molding technology with three-dimensional solid modeling and rapid prototyping techniques. This project provides state-of-the-art rapid prototyping and plastic injection molding systems, complementing them with our current three-dimensional solid modeling capabilities, developing laboratory exercises that fully take advantage of the equipment capabilities, and incorporating rapid prototyping and injection molding in design projects. The new equipment is of sufficient quality so that it can also be used to support local industry needs through student projects that are incorporated directly into the laboratory component of manufacturing methods and mechanical design courses. The potential impact of this project is very widespread and includes all companies involved in mechanical design and manufacturing considering plastic injection molding for their part requirements or rapid prototyping for design verification. *