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2004
Book Article
Titel
Rapid prototyping, tooling & manufacturing - state of the industry - Germany
Abstract
(Volltext) Rapid prototyping technology has become a well-known and accepted tool for product development in Germany. A widespread network of rapid prototyping service providers has been established in Germany in the past years, so prices for RP and RT parts have decreased due to this situation. In 1996, The Fraunhofer IPA in Stuttgart, Germany established a user group "Rapid Product Development". In 2003, there was still a strong level of interest by industrial partners in sharing knowledge and gaining new information about rapid prototyping, rapid tooling and rapid manufacturing. Companies such as DaimlerChrysler AG, Robert Bosch GmbH, Porsche AG, Bombardier Rotax, Volkswagen AG, Mann und Hummel GmbH, Andreas Stihl AG, and MTU are partners in this project. More partners have been invited to participate in this user group in the future. The major goals of the first European Intelligent Manufacturing Systems Rapid Product Development (IMS RPD 2001) project, coordinated by FhG-IPA, were to develop new methods and technologies for tool and part inspection, as well as develop new materials for rapid tooling. The follow-up project, which started in August 2001, focused on the optimization of automated tool and part geometry, new rapid tooling processes and virtual enterprises. The major objective was to further reduce the time and cost within the product development process chain. First results of the IMS RPD 2001 project were presented during the Eighth Fraunhofer IPA User Forum "Rapid Product Development 2003" in Stuttgart. The RPD user forum is held annually and is a combination of exhibitions, workshops and a conference with topics in rapid prototyping, tooling and manufacturing, scanning and computed tomography. Twenty-three exhibitors and 25 speakers presented new RP machines and applications to the audience during the one-day event. More than 250 guests attended the conference. The German NC Society (NC-Gesellschaft) was formed in 1975. the first 10-12 years were mainly dedicated to the topics of NC, CAM and CNC. When the office moved and management changed in 1987, CAD, rapid prototyping, mold and tools making, and other topics became a part of the society. These topics are at the center of the current technology transfer. Almost 800 companies and institutions have been engaged in the past 25 years with the society and about 2,000 people have participated in membership. Today, 180 companies with more than 350 experts - coming form eight European countries are affiliated with the NC Society. From the beginning, manufacturers and users of new technologies from industry and education have used it as a way to organize as an industry. It is an ideal framework for the introduction and application of innovative processes and procedures of production engineering. The German NC Society is Germany´s representative in the Global Alliance of Rapid Prototyping Associations (GARPA).