Understand the important aspects of digital design and digital manufacturing, what technologies are available, and how to embed rapid prototyping technologies to fast track your development program.

1. Virtual Prototyping & Rapid Prototyping
Jonathan Prince & Greg Morehouse

2. What are we talking about?
• What is Virtual Prototyping from an engineering
perspective?
• Simulation of Rapid Prototypes
• Why perform Virtual Prototyping and Rapid
Prototyping?
• Time to market
• Accuracy of design
• Risk mitigation
• Virtual Prototyping Process - Bogie Case Study!

3. VIRTUAL PROTOTYPING
Types of Virtual Prototyping
• Stress (Structural) Analysis (FEA)
• Understand the effects of possible loads and restraints early
• Remove unnecessary weight & material
• Flow Analysis (CFD)
• Fluid flow, losses, flow lines, heat transfer, turbulence
• Coupled Fluid / Structural Interaction (FSI)
• Mold Flow Analysis
• Will the mould fill?
• Will the part last?
• Computer Aided Machining (CAM)
• Can the mold / part be made?!
• Risk Mitigation
• Get it right for final (productionised) prototyping!

4. RAPID PROTOTYPING STRUCTURAL SIMULATION
Especially for Additive Manufacture!
• Understanding the layered build process
• Understanding the difference in material
properties - strength, ductility & stiffness
• Isotropic, Orthotropic vs. Anisotropic?
• Non-Linear materials properties
• Simulating fatigue
• Simulating creep
• Pitfalls for the uninitiated!

5. VIRTUAL PROTOTYPING?
Nah, I’ll just whip one up!
http://www.3ders.org/articles/20121204-tested-3d-printed-gun-breaks-within-6-shot.html

6. RAPID PROTOTYPING SIMULATION
Especially for Additive Manufacture!

7. VIRTUAL PROTOTYPING & RAPID PROTOTYPING
Why are they important?
• Time to market
• Crucial to product profitability
• Accuracy of design
• Crucial to the brand, the product and success of the
company
• Mitigating risk
• What will it cost if you get it wrong?

8. RAPID PROTOTYPING
Tensile Strength Optimisation
From: http://www.sculpteo.com/blog/2014/05/14/right-plastic-production-method-part-3/
Part and material properties in selective
laser melting of metals
Jean-Pierre.Kruth@mech.kuleuven.be

9. RAPID PROTOTYPING
Techniques
From: http://www.sculpteo.com/blog/2014/05/14/right-plastic-production-method-part-3/

10. RAPID PROTOTYPING
Unexpected Results!
From: http://www.sculpteo.com/blog/2014/05/14/right-plastic-production-method-part-3/

11. RAPID PROTOTYPING
Additive Manufacturing Risks
From: Thinking ahead the Future of Additive Manufacturing – Analysis of Promising Industries

12. Risky? Really?!
Risk: The probability of something
happening multiplied by the resulting
cost ($$ or life) if it does.

13. Why is virtual and rapid prototyping important?
Accuracy of Design

14. Fit for Purpose?
• Do things Fit?
• Design Intent: Do they work as intended?
• Can it take the loads?
• What are the loads, how is it used and restrained?
• Can it handle the environmental conditions?
• What are the long term, ongoing scenarios?
• How might this be used & abused?
• Rubbish in = rubbish2 out

15. Analysis process
• Progressive

16. Analysis process
• Progressive
• Conservative
railpictures.net image © phil cotterill

17. Analysis process
• Progressive
• Conservative
• Controlled

18. Analysis process
• Progressive
• Conservative
• Controlled
• Validated

19. Over the Top?
Design without analysis is like pilots
without instruments; they know they’re
flying, but they might not know exactly
where they are!

20. Summary
• Build virtual prototyping and rapid prototyping into
your development process!
• Don’t skimp on the engineering
• Rubbish in = rubbish2 out
• Develop a virtual prototyping methodology
• Get it right before you cut steel or inject plastic!