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Rapid manufacturing is an additive fabrication technique for manufacturing solid objects by the sequential delivery of energy and/or material to specified points in space to produce that part. Current practice is to control the manufacturing process by computer using a mathematical model created with the aid of a computer. Rapid manufacturing done in parallel batch production can provide a large advantage in speed and cost compared to alternative manufacturing techniques such as plastic injection molding or die casting. Rapid manufacturing may involve custom parts, replacement parts, short run production, or series production. (When the part is used in the development process only, the appropriate term is rapid prototyping.)

Rapid manufacturing for large products with layer-based manufacturing from metals, plastics, or composite materials is well known for several industrial applications in the military (MPH-Optomec) and aerospace (Boeing) sectors. Small products and microsystem applications are known in medical (Siemens)as well as diagnostics and sensor technologies. Batch production of very small parts by rapid manufacturing techniques may offer cost and time advantages. Increasingly, rapid manufacturing is being applied to automotive, motor sports, jewelry, dentistry, orthodontics, medicine, consumer products, and collectibles.

References

• Hopkinson, N. , Hague, R. , Dickens, P. (2005). Rapid Manufacturing (Abstract). Germany: Wiley-VCH.
• Wright, Paul K. (2001). 21st Century manufacturing. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
• Wohlers, T. (2007). Wohlers Report 2007. Wohlers Associates, Inc.

See also

• Solid freeform fabrication
• The TCT Magazine - Bi monthly magazine focusing on rapid product development
• Additive manufacturing

External links

• The Rapid Prototyping Home Page
• RM-Platform.com The European collaboration on Rapid Manufactoring.
• microTEC RM for MEMS since 1996
• MINAM
• DIPI New Technologies for RM like Cold Gas Spray
• Rapid Manufacturing Research Group at the Wolfson School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at Loughborough University
• Rapid manufacturing supplier ProtoCAM provides info on resins, characteristics, benefits, examples, and materials
• Manufacturing Engineering Centre (MEC), Cardiff University, UK. Rapid Manufacturing Research and Services.
• Technical Articles - Articles on rapid manufacturing from Wohlers Associates
• Econolyst RM - Rapid Manufacturing consultancy & training services
• [1] - Rapid Manufacturing Software research and services