Rapid Manufacturing and the Factory of the Future

Rapid Manufacturing's Role in the Factory of the Future
Rapid prototyping machines and materials are evolving into direct digital manufacturing systems that produce production parts right from CAD files. Will these additive manufacturing machines play much of a role in our future factories? It all depends on how and when engineers want to use them. Full Story
2007-08-13 00:00:00
What Engineers Should Know about Direct Digital Manufacturing
Additive fabrication processes are in use right now in a limited number of applications. Here's a list of factors that can help you determine whether you have a job that falls in direct digital's current sweet spot. Full Story
2007-07-26 08:55:00
Intelligent Subtractive Manufacturing
Protomold President Brad Cleveland is placing his bets on what he calls intelligent subtractive manufacturing the use of interrelated design, CAM and operations software to streamline the many manufacturing steps that surround high-speed machining. Full Story
2007-07-26 09:00:00
Strength Smackdown: Additive Fabrication Versus Molding and Machining
Protomold president Brad Cleveland asserts that the mechanical properties of plastic parts made on additive machines don't come close to those of injection-molded and machined plastic parts. See the results of ASTM tensile and flexural tests of three kinds of ABS parts on a Stratasys machine. Full Story
2007-07-26 09:20:00
Rapid Prototyping? Just Call it '3D Printing'
Sometimes it seems as if the rapid prototyping industry produces almost as many acronyms as it does parts. Acronyms do serve a purpose, since they refer to individual prototyping processes – but the term rapid prototyping has lost much of its descriptive power. Full Story
2007-07-16 04:00:00
A Piece of the Rapid Prototyping Action
What do rapid prototyping machines have in common with private jets? Alex Linde sums ups the connection in two words fractional ownership. Full Story
2007-09-03 00:00:00
3-D Printing Quality on the Upswing
3D Systems' newest three-dimensional printer systems occupy a middle ground between low-cost concept modelers and expensive high-end additive fabrication machines. Full Story
2008-08-22 07:26:15
Teamwork is the Key to Innovation, Author tells NIWeek Attendees
Andrew Hargadon talks about green initiatives during keynote address at NIWeek 2008. Full Story
2008-08-08 10:54:35
Lego, NI Team up on Robotic Toy
Lego Education and National Instruments teamed up to create WeDo, a toy that teaches software programming to kids aged 7-11. Full Story
2008-08-06 07:48:11
Prefabricated Architecture: Engineering the Modern Home
An exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art shows how prefab houses increasingly make use of design and manufacturing technologies from the industrial world. Full Story
2008-08-05 13:46:03
National Instruments Prepares for 'Green Engineering' Era
Dr. James Truchard, founder of National Instruments, told attendees at NIWeek new graphical programming software will serve as the foundation for the next generation of green engineering projects. Full Story
2008-08-05 13:12:09
Graphical Software Adds More Multi-Core Capabilities
National Instruments rolled out LabView 8.6 at NIWeek 2008, adding a better math engine and optimized software algorithms to deal with complex multi-processor problems. Full Story
2008-08-04 14:47:11

Rapid Manufacturing Gallery: A Look at Rapid Manufacturing Systems

A Piece of the Prototyping Action
What do rapid prototyping machines have in common with private jets? Alex Linde sums ups the connection in two words–“fractional ownership.” Linde is the president of Tangible Express, a ... View Blog Post
2007-07-27 06:35:54
Low-cost 3D Printing From Desktop Factory
If you've struggled in vain to get your manager to sign off on a 3D printer for your engineering team, don't give up just yet. Desktop Factory, an Idealab start-up company, has come up with a syste... View Blog Post
2007-05-11 08:22:29
Stratasys Dives (Deeper) Into Manufacturing
Just how popular will rapid manufacturing get? Stratasys CEO and founder Scott Crump believes that its impact will huge. “I expect it will be bigger than 3D printing and rapid prototyping,” he ... View Blog Post
2007-05-02 13:44:35
Scanning for Fraud
Art and technology have started to come together in an unlikely place–under the gaze of 3D digitizers.The VanDuzen Archives of Dallas has built a growing business around the use of imaging hardw... View Blog Post
2008-08-08 12:15:09

Design News Partner Zones

CAD/CAE Model Clean-Up: Reduce Iterative Cycles
This webinar featured research and survey results related to problems associated with preparing CAD geometry for CAE applications. We discussed how Recipe-Based Automation can help create "just-in-time" CAE-ready geometry each time a cad model is updated. Watch the Presentation

Light Matters: Systems Level Approach to HBLED illumination applications
Its good practice to apply a systems-level approach to high-brightness LED (HBLED) illumination applications. Minimally, the system includes the optical, thermal and electrical characteristics of the of the HBLED, the lens (if any) which is built-in to its package, secondary optics such as external plastic lenses/reflectors to direct the light as your application requires and power driver electronics. Read More

Design Engineers' Portal for Sensing and Machine Safety
Whatever industry you're in, or whatever product you manufacture, the right sensors to automate your plant, and to improve your overall efficiency, quality and safety are a must. You'll find Banner Engineering to be an amazing resource of products, training and people with expertise.