The document discusses the importance of virtual and rapid prototyping in engineering, highlighting their roles in reducing time to market, improving design accuracy, and mitigating risks. It covers various types of virtual prototyping, such as stress analysis and flow analysis, and emphasizes their necessity in ensuring product profitability and success. The authors advocate for integrating these methodologies into the development process to avoid potential pitfalls.

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!