Selecting Either Layered Manufacturing or CNC Machining to Build Your Prototype

摘要

Two fundamentally different methods are currently available for Rapid Prototyping: Layered Manufacturing Technology (additive) and CNC milling (subtractive). In order to create a prototype using RP, a designer will have to choose one of both methods. This paper gives guidelines for choosing the most appropriate method. First the available technologies are described for both methods, and the differences are explained between 'traditional' CNC machining, and CNC machining for RP. After that both methods are compared, and the strengths and weaknesses are presented. These (dis)advantages then lead to finding preferred application areas for both CNC and LMT: most important conclusions are that for styling block models CNC milling is best, where for fully functional prototypes LMT based RP is best suited. These conclusions are illustrated using real-life example projects.