This instructable will give you a better understanding on how to make something virtual (an idea, sketch, CAD model, etc.) into a real, physical object. Luckily, I work in an R&D department with a great deal of my time spent towards creating physical objects from ideas. I also do it at home for personal and business projects, so I will give you my insight on the topic.
There are many ways to go about creating a physical object from an idea. Depending on the object’s purpose, the choices usually narrow down pretty easily. I will list some of the main options we have, and what they are good for.
If the object you have in mind won’t take too much stress, rapid prototyping with polymers is the way to go, and it’s usually the most common form of bringing an idea to life.
FUSED DEPOSITION:
At work, we usually use an Objet 30 printer for most of our prototyping; this is a UV curable resin deposition printer. It basically has a head very similar to your everyday household inkjet, but deposits resin instead. The tray it deposits the resin on moves down as each layer (pass of the heads) gets piled on top of the last layer and a UV light attached to the heads cures the resin to a certain degree with every pass.
The results are pretty amazing as far as accuracy, and the material properties are good enough for general testing/use. We use them for general model representations, light/medium stress fixtures.
SLA:
Stereolithography is like a "pool" of resin that gets cured at the very top. A plate moves each consecutive cured layer deeper in the pool, and the top layer gets cured as well. This process continues and is in essence a type of extrusion of cured resin.
The results are good, not as close as fused deposition, but acceptable. The advantage of this method is a wider variety of materials that approximate physical properties of real polymers. We use them for working model prototypes.
SLS:
Selective laser sintering melts and bonds each powdered layer into shape. Much like the SLA principal, it extrudes the layers down.
The results are strong parts. The advantage of this method is that you may introduce a material fill/mix into your model, such as glass fibers, aluminum, carbon fibers, etc. We use these models for heavy fixtures.
URETHANE CAST:
You may choose this option if you’d like a larger quantity of objects. The initial cost for the mold is a bit more, but each consecutive part is far cheaper.
METAL FABRICATION:
Depending on your physical object requirements, it may be necessary to have a part CNC milled, sintered and finished (via SLS), or formed with metal material.
The resulting parts are very accurate, very strong, but very expensive. We only use this for large fixtures.
There are many ways to go about creating a physical object from an idea. Depending on the object’s purpose, the choices usually narrow down pretty easily. I will list some of the main options we have, and what they are good for.
If the object you have in mind won’t take too much stress, rapid prototyping with polymers is the way to go, and it’s usually the most common form of bringing an idea to life.
FUSED DEPOSITION:
At work, we usually use an Objet 30 printer for most of our prototyping; this is a UV curable resin deposition printer. It basically has a head very similar to your everyday household inkjet, but deposits resin instead. The tray it deposits the resin on moves down as each layer (pass of the heads) gets piled on top of the last layer and a UV light attached to the heads cures the resin to a certain degree with every pass.
The results are pretty amazing as far as accuracy, and the material properties are good enough for general testing/use. We use them for general model representations, light/medium stress fixtures.
SLA:
Stereolithography is like a "pool" of resin that gets cured at the very top. A plate moves each consecutive cured layer deeper in the pool, and the top layer gets cured as well. This process continues and is in essence a type of extrusion of cured resin.
The results are good, not as close as fused deposition, but acceptable. The advantage of this method is a wider variety of materials that approximate physical properties of real polymers. We use them for working model prototypes.
SLS:
Selective laser sintering melts and bonds each powdered layer into shape. Much like the SLA principal, it extrudes the layers down.
The results are strong parts. The advantage of this method is that you may introduce a material fill/mix into your model, such as glass fibers, aluminum, carbon fibers, etc. We use these models for heavy fixtures.
URETHANE CAST:
You may choose this option if you’d like a larger quantity of objects. The initial cost for the mold is a bit more, but each consecutive part is far cheaper.
METAL FABRICATION:
Depending on your physical object requirements, it may be necessary to have a part CNC milled, sintered and finished (via SLS), or formed with metal material.
The resulting parts are very accurate, very strong, but very expensive. We only use this for large fixtures.
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Signing UpStep 1: Conceptualize Idea
We usually start off with a very rough sketch on paper with important dimensions. The purpose of this is to catch any obvious problems with your design before you start modeling it so you don’t waste time fixing something major while you are in the CAD process. Review the part for any changes which may occur once the part is installed, or once it’s functional (other things moving around it, interacting with it). If you are not familiar with the object’s physical behavior (if it’s important to you) as far as functionality and strength, you may want to have an engineer review it.
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When I make stuff I draw it first, whether it looks like it or not. I'm sure most folks look at what I've made and think to themselves, yeah I could just whip that together. Maybe they can, after having seen what I've done. I didn't have that luxury though.
I did find it interesting in this article the author saying that preliminary sketch work is still done on paper even in a professional setting. So that is something I can take away from this. The thought that I'm not missing anything going CADless.
Makes me feel better having amassed so much drafting equipment. This article certainly serves me as justification for all of that.
On the other hand, if you need a rapid prototype, you'll have to make the 3D. This doesn't mean that you need to draw it yourself though... There's plenty of people who do freelance drafting and charge a reasonable price.
Either way, even though I used to work as a drafter, pencil and paper never left my sight. For me, it's like a bridge for organizing your thoughts together and turning them into something useful. Unless you are like Nikola Tesla :)
Best of luck to you.
I'm actually starting up college again in the fall and when they asked me what i wanted to do i put down "inventor/R&D". speaking as someone from the actual trade what should i focus on while I'm in college to be the best candidate for any job in research and development?
There are many things which shy away from what they teach you in school, like a lot of rules you need to follow, a lot of report writing (especially in R&D), but they are just things you get trained on at work.