• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.185-194
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• 2000

Rapid Prototyping(RP) techniques have their unique characteristics according to the working principles: stair-stepped surface of parts due to layer-by-layer stacking, low build speed caused by line-by-line solidification to build one layer, and additional post processing to improve surface roughness, so it is required very high cost to introduce and to maintain of RP apparatus. The objective of this study is to develop a new RP process, Variable Lamination Manufacturing using linear hotwire cutting technique and expandable polystyrene foam sheet as part material(VLM-S), and to investigate characteristics of part material, cutting characteristics by using linear hotwire cutting system and bonding. Experiments were carried out to investigate mechanical properties of part material such as anisotropy and directional tensile strength. In order to obtain optimal dimensional accuracy, surface roughness, and reduced cutting time, addition experiments were performed to find the relationship between cutting speed and cutting offset of hotwire, and heat generation of hotwire per unit length. So, adhesion strength tests according to ASTM test procedure showed that delamination did not occur at bonded area. Based on the data, a clover-shape was fabricated using unit shape part(USP) it is generated hotwire cutting. The results of present study have been reflected on the enhancement of the VLM-S process and apparatus.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2001.04a
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• pp.11-14
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• 2001

In all Rapid Prototyping(RP) processes, computer-aided design(CAD) solid model is sliced into thin layers of uniform, but not necessarily constant, thickness in the building direction. Each cross-sectional layer is successively deposited and, at the same time, bonded onto the previous layer, the stacked layers form a physical part of the model. The objective of this study is to develop a method for obtaining necessary coordinates$(x,\;y,\;\theta_x,\;\theta_y)$ to position linear hotwire of the cutting system in three-dimensional space for the Variable Lamination Manufacturing process (VLM-S), which utilizes expandable polystyrene foam sheet as part material. In order to examine the applicability of the developed method to VLM-S, various three-dimensional shapes, such as a spanner, a patterned columm, and a pyramid were made using data obtained from the method.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 1997.10a
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• pp.883-886
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• 1997

In all Rapid Prototyping (RP) processes, a CAD solid model is sliced ito thin layers of uniform, but not necessarily constant, thickness in the building direction. Each cross-sectional layer is successively deposited and, at the same tim, bonded onto the previous layer; the stacked layers form a physical part of the model. The objective of this study is to develop a methode for calculating the rotational angle(θ/sub x/, θ/sub y/) of the linear hotwire cutting system in the three-dimensional space for the Variable Lamination Manufacturing process using expandable polystyrene foam sheet (VLM-S). In order to examine the applicability of the developed method to VLM-S, various three-dimensional shapes, such s a screw, an extruded cross, and a figure of Sonokong, were made using the data obtaiend from the method.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.87-94
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• 2002

Most of Rapid Prototyping (RP) process adopt a solid Computer Aided Design (CAD) model, slicing into thin layers of uniform, but not necessarily constant, thickness in the building direction. Each cross-sectional layer is successive1y deposited and at the same time, bonded onto the previous layers; the stacked layers form a physical part of the model. The objective of this study is to develop a method for calculating the rotation angle ($$\theta$_x, $\theta$_y$) of hotwire of the cutting system in the three-dimensional space for the Variable Lamination Manufacturing process using expandable polystyrene foam sheet (VLM-S). In order to examine the applicability of the developed method to VLM-S, various three-dimensional shapes. such as a screw, an extruded cross, and free surface bodies such as miniatures of the monkey(a figure of Sonokong), were made using the data obtained form the method.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.947-951
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• 2002

During the hotwire cutting of EPS foam sheet, the dimensional accuracy and part quality of the cut par are highly dependent upon the thermal field in the EPS. The thermal field is determined by operating parameters such as heat input, cutting speed and cutting angle. The objective of this study is to investigate into the influence of cutting angle on the kerfwidth and part quality of the cut part in hotwire cutting of EPS foam using the experiments and the numerical analysis in the case of a single sloped cutting. In order to estimate an accurate temperature field, the transient thermal analysis using a moving coordinate system and the sloped heat flux model is carried out. From the results of the experiments and the analysis, it has been found that the effect of cutting angle on the kerfwidth and the melted area at the edge are 0.1 mm and 0.11 m$m^2$ respectively. The results of the experiments show that the surface roughness is not appreciably influenced by the cutting angle.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.176-180
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• 2002

All types of VLM-s process include the linear heat cutting of EPS foam to generate a layer with 3D shape. The dimensional accuracy and part quality of the cut part are dependent on the thermal characteristics in the EPS foam. The thermal characteristics are determined by operating parameters such as an effective heat input and cutting angle. The objective of this study is to investigate into the influence of cutting angle on the kerfwidth and the melted length of the cut part using the numerical analysis and the experiments in generally sloped cutting with two cutting angles. In order to estimate an accurate temperature field, the transient thermal analysis using moving coordinate system, the fully conformed mesh and the heat flux model with two cutting angles is carried out. From the results of the analysis and the experiments, it has been found that the influence of the rotational angle about x-axis in which the rotational axis is normal with hotwire cutting direction is appreciably negligible in comparison with that of the rotational angle about y-axis.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.599-602
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• 2002

A novel rapid prototyping (RP) process, an automated transfer type variable lamination manufacturing process (Automated VLM-ST) has been developed. In Automated VLM-ST, a vacuum chuck and linear moving system transfer the plate type material with two pilot holes to the rotation stage. A four-axis synchronized hotwire cutter cuts the material twice to generate Automated Unit Shape Layer (AUSL) with the desired width, side slopes, length, and two reference shapes in accordance with CAD data. Each AUSL is stacked on the stacking plate with two pilot pins using the pilot holes in AUSL and the pilot pins. Subsequently, adhesive is supplied to the top surface of the stacked AUSL by a bonding roller and pressure is simultaneously applied to the bottom surface of the stacked AUSL. Finally, three-dimensional shapes are rapidly fabricated. This paper describes the procedure for generating the cutting path data (AUSL data) f3r automated VLM-ST. The method for the generation of the Automated Unit Shape Layer (AUSL) in Automated VLM-ST was practically applied and fabricated for a various shapes.