Comments on: Making it more complex? http://www.ret-monitor.com/articles/1992/making-it-more-complex/ Specific mission-critical info for professionals Fri, 18 May 2012 09:29:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Richard Schulz http://www.ret-monitor.com/articles/1992/making-it-more-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-9864 Richard Schulz Mon, 19 Dec 2011 07:44:28 +0000 http://www.ret-monitor.com/articles/1992/making-it-more-complex/#comment-9864 Have a look at the ADEPT website - the first two engines were produced using SLS prototyping. Given the budgetry constraints on a small company, we decided to make extensive use of RP/Additive manufacturin, and have won several awards for our project. The advantages of not going to semi-hard and hard tooling early in a project allow significant R&D savings the ADEPT engine is far closer to high-end SI automotive competitiion engines than most people realise. Have a look at the ADEPT website - the first two engines were produced using SLS prototyping. Given the budgetry constraints on a small company, we decided to make extensive use of RP/Additive manufacturin, and have won several awards for our project. The advantages of not going to semi-hard and hard tooling early in a project allow significant R&D savings

the ADEPT engine is far closer to high-end SI automotive competitiion engines than most people realise.

]]> By: Terry http://www.ret-monitor.com/articles/1992/making-it-more-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-9851 Terry Sat, 17 Dec 2011 03:11:12 +0000 http://www.ret-monitor.com/articles/1992/making-it-more-complex/#comment-9851 In theory, producing block or head castings using rapid prototype tooling is great. And in fact, there are companies that have perfected the machinery and processes which can directly produce (in one piece) the complex sand tooling needed for a cylinder head or block, from a digital CAD model. While you might think this would be a great cost savings versus having a normal casting pattern made, you'd be wrong. The companies that do the rapid prototyping are run by businessmen, and they know what it costs to have a casting pattern made. So they price their rapid protoype parts just slightly less than what it would cost for you to have a casting pattern made. http://www.prometal-rct.com/en/applications/automotive.html In theory, producing block or head castings using rapid prototype tooling is great. And in fact, there are companies that have perfected the machinery and processes which can directly produce (in one piece) the complex sand tooling needed for a cylinder head or block, from a digital CAD model. While you might think this would be a great cost savings versus having a normal casting pattern made, you’d be wrong. The companies that do the rapid prototyping are run by businessmen, and they know what it costs to have a casting pattern made. So they price their rapid protoype parts just slightly less than what it would cost for you to have a casting pattern made.

http://www.prometal-rct.com/en/applications/automotive.html

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